Molecular Sciences: Prospective Students

All students wishing to work with faculty members from the Department of Molecular Sciences should apply to the Integrated Program in Biomedical Sciences . Molecular Sciences faculty members hold primary appointments in the following tracks: Cancer and Developmental Biology; Cell Biology and Biochemistry; Genetics, Functional Genomics, and Proteomics; Microbial Pathogenesis, Immunology, and Inflammation; and Molecular Therapeutics and Cell Signaling. In addition, Molecular Sciences faculty are actively involved in teaching of the core curriculum required of all Integrated Program students.

Academic Program: Year 1

Fall

  • MSCI 811: Proteins, Energy, & Metabolism (5 credit hrs)
  • MSC 929: Techniques in Molecular Biology (4)
  • MSCI 829: Student Literature Presentation (1)
  • MSCI 910: Student Seminar (1)
  • MSCI 800: Rotation Research (1)

Spring

  • MSCI: Molecular Biology (4)
  • MSCI 826: Cell Biology (4)
  • MSCI 829: Student Literature Presentation (1)
  • MSCI 910: Student Seminar (1)
  • MSCI 800: Rotation Research (1)

At the end of year one, all students must pass comprehensive written exams covering the first year course material.

Year 2

Fall

  • MSCI 829: Student Literature Presentation (1)
  • MSCI 910: Student Seminar (1)
  • MSCI 900: Doctoral Dissertation and Research (V)
  • Elective (V)

Spring

  • MSCI 829: Student Literature Presentation (1)
  • MSCI 910: Student Seminar (1)
  • MSCI 900: Doctoral Dissertation and Research (V)
  • Elective (V)
  • IP 801: Integrity in the Conduct of Scientific Research (1)

Year 3 and Beyond

Fall

  • MSCI 910: Student Seminar (1)
  • MSCI 900: Doctoral Dissertation and Research (V)

Spring

  • MSCI 910: Student Seminar (1)
  • MSCI 900: Doctoral Dissertation and Research (V)

Before completion of the third year, students must pass a written and oral exam to gain admission to Ph.D. candidacy.

Students must successfully defend their dissertations before graduating.

Electives

Students will be required to take a minimum of six credit hours from the following list. Electives will be offered on a rotating basis every two years in the fall and spring terms. A minimum number of students will be required for a course to be offered.

  • Integrated Concepts of Physiology, Pathology, and Pharmacology (5)
  • Proteins and Enzymes (3)
  • Immunology (3) or Advanced Topics in Immunology (5)
  • Virology (3)
  • Bacterial Pathogenesis (3)
  • Prokaryotic Genetics (3)
  • Principles of Mass Spectrometry (2)
  • Bioinformatics: Sequence Analysis and Sequence Databases (3)
  • Advanced Topics in Eukaryotic Biology (3)

Comprehensive exams at the end of the first year

In the comprehensive exams, questions are submitted by the faculty, and all students answer the same set of questions to be graded by the faculty. The scope of the exams includes: biochemistry, molecular biology, molecular biology techniques, and cell biology.

Exam for admission to Ph.D. candidacy

Prior to scheduling the exam, students hold a research committee meeting to gain approval of the research topic. By the end of their fifth semester, students submit a written proposal of their dissertation work in a NIH grant format to their committee. The document is evaluated and an exam is held in which the student offers a short presentation of the work and orally defends the proposal.

Student rotations and laboratory selection

It is expected that students will participate in six four-week rotations to identify a lab for their dissertation research. This will allow students to select a permanent lab by mid-Spring.

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Contact Us

Gerald I. Byrne, Ph.D
Professor and Chair

858 Madison Avenue
G01 Molecular Science Bldg
Memphis, TN 38163

Phone: 901-448-6150
Fax: 901-448-7360
Email: gbyrne@uthsc.edu