Ph.D. Overview

Program Mission Statement

The Biomolecular Sciences Ph.D. Program fuses biological, chemical and physical sciences into a single curriculum, removing traditional barriers for interdisciplinary scientific thinking and education, and to prepare the next generation of scientists for success in cross-disciplinary research and development.

In our program, you will work closely with faculty to make cutting-edge research contributions in the biomolecular sciences, engage in multidisciplinary education, establish collaborations across the program’s science departments, and have the potential to interact with local industry partners. With course offerings assembled from various departments (Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Physics), coupled with a core curriculum focusing on fundamental concepts in biomolecular sciences, you can develop a degree plan that supports your research and career interests. By the end of your degree, you should possess the skills and knowledge necessary to develop a successful career, whether it is in academia, the private sector, or government agencies.

Program Description

This interdisciplinary program provides training in areas including biochemistry, bioinformatics, biophysics, cell biology, computational biology, molecular modeling, and molecular biology to foster an integrated and quantitative approach to biomolecular studies.  The three courses of the core sequence will be taught by faculty in the departments of Biological Sciences (BMOL 601), Chemistry and Biochemistry (BMOL 602), and Physics (BMOL 603), in order to expose students in the program to the perspectives of each of these fields. The goal of the program is to train scientists to conduct high-quality independent research and work as part of an interdisciplinary team to improve the understanding of the complex nature of molecules in biological systems.

Student Responsibilities

Each student works under the guidance of an interdisciplinary supervisory committee chaired by the student’s major advisor. In addition to completing the required coursework and passing the preliminary and comprehensive exams, students must complete a research dissertation which must represent an original and significant research contribution in the biomolecular sciences.