Biochemistry, PhD

Peter Winsauer, PhD
Interim Head
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

The goal of graduate education in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is to provide students with the core knowledge, analytical skills, and intellectual discipline to become a successful biomedical scientist in academia or industry.

The program is flexible, to match the individual needs and interests of each student, yet sufficiently broad in scope to cover the major areas of contemporary biomedical research.  Reasoning, data analysis, and hands-on laboratory research are vigorously emphasized at all stages in the program.  In addition to coursework during the first year, students will participate in four research rotations through laboratories of their choice as part of BIOCH 207 in order to help them decide on a topic and mentor for their dissertation training.

During the second and third year, students enroll in several elective advanced topics courses tailored to their specific needs and interests.  Students benefit from close interactions and collaborations between colleagues with strengths in cell biology, signaling, biophysical, and structural biochemistry.  The department strives to train students to utilize multidisciplinary systems-based approaches to answer important questions in biology.

Interests include the enzymology of cell regulatory processes including DNA repair, mitophagy and targeted intracellular protein degradation; the mitotic spindle and mechanism of nanomotors; the regulation of blood clotting pathways; and determinants of breast cancer cell migration.  The Department offers the PhD degree alone and in combination as a MD/PhD.  The Program for obtaining the PhD can be tailored to the requirements of each individual student, but the minimum requirements for all students are as follows: