Overview
Students in the Biochemistry Program enroll in required and elective didactic courses and participate in seminars and journal clubs that are designed to provide a strong knowledge base for their research and a deep understanding of Biochemistry. They also complete four research rotations to help them select a research mentor at the end of May of the first year and begin dissertation research. A qualifying examination is then taken in the winter of their second year. Thereafter, the vast majority of effort is on dissertation research. When the aims of the research project have been achieved, students write and defend their theses.
Didactic Courses
The first year curriculum is handled through the ISP Program. It prepares students for advanced study in Biochemistry, Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology, Cellular and Molecular Physiology, and Neuroscience. Courses in the first year include Graduate Biochemistry (BCHM 223), Molecular Cell Biology I and II (CNP 209, 210), Biochemistry of Gene Expression and Signal Transduction (BCHM 230), Statistics and Probability for Basic Scientists (ISP 220), Graduate Seminar (ISP 291, 292) and ISP Journal Club (ISP 295, 296). Students also complete Applied Ethics for Scientists (SK 275).
After selecting Biochemistry as their Program of choice, students then take one required course, Molecular Recognition in Biology and Drug Design (BCHM 231) and two electives. Common electives include Bioinformatics and Genomics in Biomedical Research (CMP 245), Cancer Genetics (GENE 203), Pathobiology (CMP 230) and Summer Research Workshops on Tissue Engineering, Cell Imaging or Structural Biology (SK 204, 203, 202). Students also take Ethics in Biomedical Sciences (BCHM 275).
More complete information on courses can be found in the Sackler Catalog.
Seminar Courses
Each semester Biochemistry students participate in Graduate Seminar (BCHM 291, 292) and in Journal Club (BCHM 295, 296).