Program of Study

The Advanced Concentration in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology is one of six graduate programs within the College of Medicine's Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences. Faculty in the Biochemistry & Molecular Biology advanced concentration provide students with an intellectually challenging and rewarding environment for research training in the molecular life sciences. Students can pursue a broad range of investigative opportunities, including gene regulation, enzymology, metabolic regulation, intracellular trafficking, membrane biology, and macromolecular structure. Research groups are most frequently comprised of several faculty members and coworkers collaboratively engaged in multidisciplinary research on the molecular basis of disease. 

All first-year graduate students in the College of Medicine enroll in the interdisciplinary core curriculum that consists of classroom study, practical laboratory training, and rotations in individual research laboratories. The curriculum is designed to provide students a fundamental graduate-level comprehension sufficient to pursue advanced studies and research in the following program areas:  Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Genetics; Immunology & Microbiology; Molecular Cell Biology; Neuroscience; and Physiology & Pharmacology. By the end of the first academic year, each student elects to join one of these programs and also selects a faculty mentor to serve as a research advisor. Students take additional coursework to prepare for qualifying examinations prior to advancement to candidacy for the Doctor of Philosophy degree, but the primary focus is supervised research culminating in the writing and defense of a doctoral dissertation.

Suggested Courses for First-Year Students:  Students interested in pursuing molecular biology, genetics or gene therapy research as a Biochemistry & Molecular Biology student are encouraged to register for BCH 6415, Advanced Molecular and Cell Biology (3 credits) during the Spring semester of their first year.  Students interested in pursuing structural biology research as a Biochemistry & Molecular Biology student are encouraged to register for BCH 6740, Advanced Structural Biology (3 credits) during the Spring semester of their first year, or any combination of the advanced modules that make up the semester-long cocurse, i.e. BCH 6746, Advanced Topics in Physical Biochemistry; BCH 6747, Spectroscopy and Hydrodynamics; and BCH 7515, Dynamic Processes (1 credit each).  Additional courses courses to fulfill the requirement for 6 credits of coursework during the Spring semester may be chosen from the core course and advanced module listing on the Spring Semester Advanced Courses web page, depending on your particular interests.

Suggested Courses for Advanced Students:  Most students complete their advanced coursework and qualify for candidacy by the close of the second year, taking another two to three years to complete their research work. Although there are uniform standards for performance in the coursework-phase of graduate study, the overall Biochemistry & Molecular Biology program is designed to be flexible, and each student's program of study is individually designed to satisfy his/her scientific interests.  Examples of suggested coursework for students interested in Molecular Biology, Structural Biology, and Biochemistry/Metabolic Regulation are listed in the Biochemistry & Molecular Biology brochure (and see below).  Most students are expected to take about four of the six minimum required credits of advanced coursework within the Biochemistry & Molecular Biology concentration offerings. Progress toward degree completion is overseen by an individually appointed Supervisory Committee, which meets twice annually to monitor research achievement and to foster critical thought.  Student progress is also facilitated by the availability of state-of-the-art instrumentation and research core laboratories in the Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research (ICBR), the Center for Structural Biology, and the Center for Mammalian Genetics.

Advanced graduate courses that are organized by the Biochemistry & Molecular Biology advanced concentration and may be taken to fulfill the minimum advanced course requirement of at least 6 credits beyond the first year are listed at the following two web pages:
 

Correspondence and Information

NOTE FOR PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS:  The contacts below are for detailed information about the B&MB Department, the B&MB Advanced Concentration, or the B&MB research programs only.  All inquiries concerning admission to the IDP must be directed to the IDP Admissions office at idp@ufl.edu.  More information on admissions is also available on the IDP Admissions Page.

Director, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Advanced Concentration
Susan C. Frost, Ph.D.
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
University of Florida College of Medicine	Graduate Secretary:
P.O. Box 100245	Elise Feagle
Gainesville, Florida 32610-0245	Office:  R3-234
Phone:  (352) 392-3207	Phone:  392-3361
Email:  BMB_IDP@college.med.ufl.edu	E-mail:  efeagle@biochem.med.ufl.edu

The Faculty and their Research

Last updated on 5/19/06
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