- Selection of a thesis laboratory
- Completion of the preliminary exam and thesis defense
-
Completion of course requirements
Laboratory Rotations for Selection of Thesis Laboratory
Admitted students will participate in three rotations in different laboratories, chosen by the student, during the fall semester of the first year of the program. These rotations will last approximately 4-5 weeks and will allow the student to work on a small project in the chosen laboratories to help the student and faculty decide which laboratory is the best fit for the student and their research interests. At the end of the fall semester in the first year, the student will choose a permanent laboratory to complete the remainder of their thesis project.
Fall 2021 Rotation Schedule
Important Dates
Aug 11–Aug 17 Graduate Orientation Week
Aug 20 Student's first rotation requests due to Dr. Hollenhorst (no later than 12 pm)
Aug 23–Sept 24 First rotation period (five weeks)
Sept 22 Student's second rotation requests due to Dr. Hollenhorst (no later than 5 pm)
Sept 27–Oct 29 Second rotation period (five weeks)
Oct 27 Student's third rotation requests due to Dr. Hollenhorst (no later than 5 pm)
Nov 1–Dec 8 Third rotation period (five weeks one day, not including R/F of Thanksgiving week)
Dec 13 Student thesis lab request due to Dr. Hollenhorst (no later than 5 pm)
Dec 15 Students are informed of thesis lab assignment and begin thesis research
Completion of Exams
All students will be required to write a thesis project proposal and orally defend this proposal to their thesis committee during the fall semester of the third year of the program to reach candidacy. After completion of the thesis project, students will be required to provide a written thesis and give an oral defense to their thesis committee.
Course Requirements
A total of 90 credit hours are required for partial fulfillment of the Cell, Molecular and Cancer Biology PhD degree. Of these, 24.5 credits are earned by completing the course requirements for the Cell, Molecular and Cancer Biology major (see below). An additional 6-12 credits are earned by completing the requirements for a minor (not listed below). All remaining credits are earned through enrollment in M800, independent thesis research. Required courses for the major include:
- BIOT-T 540: Structure, Function and Regulation of Biomolecules
- BIOL-L585: Genetics and Bioinformatics
- MSCI-M 510: Research Methods
- BIOL-L 523: Critical Analysis of Scientific Literature
- MSCI-M 580 Molecular Biology of Cancer
- MSCI-M 509: Basics of Scientific Communication
- MSCI-M 512: Grant Writing
- MSCI-M 508: Precision Medicine of Cancer
- MSCI-M 550: Seminar in Cancer Biology
- MSCI-M 800: Research
Timeline
| Year One | Year Two | Year Three | Year Four | |
| Fall |
|
|
|
|
| Spring |
|
|
|
|