Cell Biology Graduate Program

Golda Leonard, Ph.D., Director
Website: http://cellbio.utmb.edu/

The faculty in the Cell Biology Graduate Program at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) work on many different aspects of cell and molecular biology as it relates to several physiological functions and diseased states. The program is interdisciplinary and includes faculty from Departments of Neuroscience & Cell Biology, Human Biological Chemistry and Genetics, Preventive Medicine and Community Health, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Otolaryngology, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Psychiatry, Anesthesiology, and Microbiology.

The Cell Biology Graduate Program office is housed in the Department of Neuroscience & Cell Biology in the Medical Research Building, an 11-story research and office facility. Areas of research strengths in the program include the study of cell and molecular biology of: 1) endocrine glands, including reproductive physiology; 2) solid tumors including gene therapy; 3) embryology, development and aging; 4) proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and intracellular signaling pathways in response to growth factors, peptide hormones and steroid hormones, including transcriptional regulation; 5) peripheral, enteric and internal organ pain mechanisms and spinal cord injury; and 6) visual and vestibular control of eye movements including anatomical and physiological features.

Several state-of-the-art techniques are used in the laboratories of the Cell Biology faculty in addition to support from Core Facilities. These include: 1) DNA Recombinant Laboratory that helps to make and analyze DNA constructs and includes DNA microarray analysis; 2) Transgenic Core Facilities that help to generate transgenic and knockout animals; 3) Affymetrix Gene Array system that examines differences in gene expression between samples; 4) state-of-the-art bioinformatics facility that helps analyze gene chip array data and provides support for genomic research; 5) a state-of-the-art protein core facility that analyzes known and unknown proteins using mass spectrometry, NMR, protein chips and the latest technology in proteomics, and helps investigators express large scale proteins; 6) one of a kind electrophysiological set-ups in various laboratories that measure ocular, auditory and pain responses; 7) microinjection and confocal microscopy that examines function of specific molecules at single cell level; 8) small animal MRI facility that measures changes in specific body components; 9) state-of-the-art NMR facility that analyzes structure-function relationships of molecules; 10) highly sophisticated video image analysis system that scores changes in protein and RNA expression at cell and tissue levels; and 11) a well furnished clinical research center that helps investigators conduct translational research. Research specific equipment is available in the laboratory of the Cell Biology faculty that allows one to conduct routine laboratory techniques in the field of molecular and cellular biology including: electrophysiology; electron, fluorescent and light microscopy; protein analysis by HPLC, RIAs, immunocytochemistry, enzymatic assays and Western blot methods; and routine anatomical methods including stereology, retrograde and intergraded tracing of neural pathways, etc.

The Cell Biology Graduate Program is designed for students seeking a Ph.D. degree and cooperates with the M.D.-Ph.D. program for students seeking joint degrees. After taking the Basic Biomedical Science Curriculum courses during the first year, the Cell Biology student is ready to take advanced courses in Cell Biology in the program as well as courses that focus on his/her chosen subdiscipline related to the laboratory of his/her mentor. The subdisciplines might include neuroscience, toxicology, tumor biology, reproductive biology, neuro-endocrinology, or aging and developmental biology. The combination of required courses and electives in other areas of biomedical science ensures a broad background upon which students can build a research career. In addition to course work, students rotate through the laboratories of at least two faculty members to select an advisor and an area in which to concentrate their research efforts. Course work and laboratory rotations are normally completed during the first 1.5-2 years.

Upon completion of the required course work, students take a comprehensive qualifying examination by the end of the second year, as part of the requirement for admission to candidacy. The questions on this examination test basic scientific reasoning skills and involve the performance of multiple tasks such as the review of a paper and the writing of a report or essay over the period of about a month. Following the successful completion of the qualifying exam, the student's primary responsibility is to design a dissertation proposal. This proposal takes the form of a grant application and is presented as a seminar before the end of the third year at which time the student is subject to an oral examination by a faculty committee. Typically this committee will become the Supervisory Committee for the Student's dissertation research. During the 4th and into the 5th years, the student completes research for the dissertation. Typically, the student is ready to write his/her dissertation near the end of the 4th year and the completed dissertation is presented to the Supervisory Committee and successfully defended in an oral examination within 5 years from the time of matriculation.

Applicants who are accepted for admission are automatically considered on a competitive basis for financial aid in the form of graduate assistantships and fellowships. Doctoral candidates in our program receive stipends of $21,840 per year (2004-2005). No special application for financial aid is necessary for consideration for these stipends.



Cell Biology Graduate Program Golda Leonard, Ph.D., Director Website: http://cellbio.utmb.edu/ The faculty in the Cell Biology Graduate Program at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) work on many different aspects of cell and molecular biology as it relates to several physiological functions and diseased states. The program is interdisciplinary and includes faculty from Departments of Neuroscience & Cell Biology, Human Biological Chemistry and Genetics, Preventive Medicine and Community Health, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Otolaryngology, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Psychiatry, Anesthesiology, and Microbiology. The Cell Biology Graduate Program office is housed in the Department of Neuroscience & Cell Biology in the Medical Research Building, an 11-story research and office facility. Areas of research strengths in the program include the study of cell and molecular biology of: 1) endocrine glands, including reproductive physiology; 2) solid tumors including gene therapy; 3) embryology, development and aging; 4) proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and intracellular signaling pathways in response to growth factors, peptide hormones and steroid hormones, including transcriptional regulation; 5) peripheral, enteric and internal organ pain mechanisms and spinal cord injury; and 6) visual and vestibular control of eye movements including anatomical and physiological features. Several state-of-the-art techniques are used in the laboratories of the Cell Biology faculty in addition to support from Core Facilities. These include: 1) DNA Recombinant Laboratory that helps to make and analyze DNA constructs and includes DNA microarray analysis; 2) Transgenic Core Facilities that help to generate transgenic and knockout animals; 3) Affymetrix Gene Array system that examines differences in gene expression between samples; 4) state-of-the-art bioinformatics facility that helps analyze gene chip array data and provides support for genomic research; 5) a state-of-the-art protein core facility that analyzes known and unknown proteins using mass spectrometry, NMR, protein chips and the latest technology in proteomics, and helps investigators express large scale proteins; 6) one of a kind electrophysiological set-ups in various laboratories that measure ocular, auditory and pain responses; 7) microinjection and confocal microscopy that examines function of specific molecules at single cell level; 8) small animal MRI facility that measures changes in specific body components; 9) state-of-the-art NMR facility that analyzes structure-function relationships of molecules; 10) highly sophisticated video image analysis system that scores changes in protein and RNA expression at cell and tissue levels; and 11) a well furnished clinical research center that helps investigators conduct translational research. Research specific equipment is available in the laboratory of the Cell Biology faculty that allows one to conduct routine laboratory techniques in the field of molecular and cellular biology including: electrophysiology; electron, fluorescent and light microscopy; protein analysis by HPLC, RIAs, immunocytochemistry, enzymatic assays and Western blot methods; and routine anatomical methods including stereology, retrograde and intergraded tracing of neural pathways, etc. The Cell Biology Graduate Program is designed for students seeking a Ph.D. degree and cooperates with the M.D.-Ph.D. program for students seeking joint degrees. After taking the Basic Biomedical Science Curriculum courses during the first year, the Cell Biology student is ready to take advanced courses in Cell Biology in the program as well as courses that focus on his/her chosen subdiscipline related to the laboratory of his/her mentor. The subdisciplines might include neuroscience, toxicology, tumor biology, reproductive biology, neuro-endocrinology, or aging and developmental biology. The combination of required courses and electives in other areas of biomedical science ensures a broad background upon which students can build a research career. In addition to course work, students rotate through the laboratories of at least two faculty members to select an advisor and an area in which to concentrate their research efforts. Course work and laboratory rotations are normally completed during the first 1.5-2 years. Upon completion of the required course work, students take a comprehensive qualifying examination by the end of the second year, as part of the requirement for admission to candidacy. The questions on this examination test basic scientific reasoning skills and involve the performance of multiple tasks such as the review of a paper and the writing of a report or essay over the period of about a month. Following the successful completion of the qualifying exam, the student's primary responsibility is to design a dissertation proposal. This proposal takes the form of a grant application and is presented as a seminar before the end of the third year at which time the student is subject to an oral examination by a faculty committee. Typically this committee will become the Supervisory Committee for the Student's dissertation research. During the 4th and into the 5th years, the student completes research for the dissertation. Typically, the student is ready to write his/her dissertation near the end of the 4th year and the completed dissertation is presented to the Supervisory Committee and successfully defended in an oral examination within 5 years from the time of matriculation. Applicants who are accepted for admission are automatically considered on a competitive basis for financial aid in the form of graduate assistantships and fellowships. Doctoral candidates in our program receive stipends of $21,840 per year (2004-2005). No special application for financial aid is necessary for consideration for these stipends.
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