Ph.D Molecular Biosciences

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Molecular Biosciences is an interdisciplinary program in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences that includes faculty from the departments of Biology, Chemistry, and the School of Agriculture. It is a rigorous, research-oriented course of study that aims to help students develop an understanding of cellular function and biological or biochemical mechanisms at a molecular scale. This program focuses on the study of biological problems at the molecular level using chemical, computational, mathematical, physical, and statistical approaches as well as conventional biological approaches. The program helps each graduate develop in-depth research ability in a specific area within the sub-disciplines. Students engage in bench or field research with faculty mentors and learn to design and conduct research as independent scientists who contribute original knowledge to the discipline and complete and defend a thesis dissertation. Faculty are engaged in research areas such as biochemistry, biotechnology, cell biology, developmental biology, drug development, ecology, environmental toxicology, evolutionary biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular modeling, and structural biology. Students are required to make research presentations at national or international meetings, author journal articles, and contribute to an external grant proposal. Graduate teaching assistantships are available on a competitive basis. Research assistantships may also be available from program faculty. Only full-time students will be admitted.

Career Path

The Molecular Biosciences doctorate program aims to produce graduates who are fully prepared to pursue research careers in academia, industry, and at national labs. Most graduates either go on to do academic postdoctoral fellows, or are hired by industrial or medical biotechnology companies or the pharmaceutical industry.