Microbiology

Subject abbreviation: MCBL College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Katherine Borkovich, Ph.D., Program Director Program Office, 1140 Batchelor Hall

• (800) 735-0717 or (951) 827-2599

microbiology.ucr.edu

Professors Michael Allen, Ph.D. (Plant Pathology and Microbiology) Katherine A. Borkovich, Ph.D. (Plant Pathology and Microbiology) James G. Borneman, Ph.D. (Plant Pathology and Microbiology) Wilfred Chen, Ph.D. President’s Chair (Chemical and Environmental Engineering) Quan (Jason) Cheng, Ph.D. (Chemical and Environmental Engineering) Michael D. Coffey, Ph.D. (Chemical and Environmental Engineering) Donald A. Cooksey, Ph.D. (Chemical and Environmental Engineering) David E. Crowley, Ph.D. (Environmental Sciences) Shou-Wei Ding, Ph.D. (Plant Pathology and Microbiology) Brian A. Federici, Ph.D. (Entomology) Sarjeet S. Gill, Ph.D. (Cell Biology and Neuroscience) Howard S. Judelson, Ph.D. (Plant Pathology and Microbiology) Ashok Mulchandani, Ph.D. (Chemical and Environmental Engineering) A.L.N. Rao, Ph.D. (Plant Pathology and Microbiology) Neal L. Schiller, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences) Richard Stouthamer, Ph.D. (Entomology) Marylynn V. Yates, Ph.D. (Environmental Sciences) Professor Emeritus Dennis D. Focht, Ph.D. (Plant Pathology) Assistant Professors Greg W. Douhan, Ph.D. (Plant Pathology and Microbiology) Karine Le Roch, Ph.D. (Cell Biology and Neuroscience) Wenbo Ma, Ph.D. (Plant Pathology and Microbiology) James Ng, Ph.D., (Plant Pathology and Microbiology) Joan Pedra, Ph.D., (Entomology) Caroline Roper, Ph.D. (Plant Pathology and Microbiology) Joel L. Sachs, Ph.D. (Biology) Jason E. Stajich, Ph.D. (Plant Pathology and Microbiology) 346 / Programs and Courses

Sharon Walker, Ph.D. (Chemical and Environmental Engineering) Jason Walter, Ph.D. (Plant Pathology and Microbiology) Emma Wilson, Ph.D. (Division of Biomedical Sciences)

The Microbiology program participates in the Biological Sciences major. See separate listing under Biological Sci ences, Microbiology Track.

The Graduate Program in Microbiology is an interdisciplinary program with participating fac- ulty from the departments of Biology, Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Chemistry, Entomology, Environmental Sciences, Plant Pathology and Microbiology, and the Division of Biomedical Sciences. Faculty research interests are concentrated in several disciplines in the areas of basic and applied microbiology. These disciplines include the following:

• • Animal Pathogens and Animal-Microbe

Interactions

• • Environmental Microbiology

• • Microbial Ecology and Evolution

• • Plant Pathogens and Plant-Microbe

Interactions

Admission For admission into the graduate pro- gram in Microbiology, a student must have a B.A. or B.S. degree from an accredited institu- tion and an academic record that satisfies the minimum admission standards established by the UCR Graduate Division. In addition, all applicants must submit results of the GRE General Test (verbal, quantitative and analyti- cal) at the time of application.

Although no specific undergraduate degree specialization is required, applicants should have an adequate background in the physical and biological sciences, including the following or equivalent courses:

CHEM 001A, CHEM 001B, CHEM 001C (General Chemistry), CHEM 112A, CHEM 112B, CHEM 112C (Organic Chemistry), BCH 110A, BCH 110B (Biochemistry), MATH 009A, MATH 009B (Calculus), STAT 100A or STAT 120A (Statistics), BIOL 102 (Genetics), BIOL 121A/MCBL 121A, BIOL 121L/MCBL 121L (Microbiology), BIOL 107A or BCH 110C (Molecular Biology)

This list is intended to represent the minimum background required for students wishing to pursue a graduate degree in Microbiology. Additional course work and laboratory experi- ence in microbiology, biochemistry or genetics is highly desirable. However, upon the recom- mendation of the graduate advisory committee, occasionally a student may be admitted into the graduate program with one or more course work deficiencies; such students must satisfy these course work deficiencies usually within the first and no later than within the second year of graduate study. Course work The program is designed to pre- pare students for teaching and research careers in colleges and universities, as well as basic and applied research in private, industrial and government laboratories. To attain this goal, a three-tiered curriculum has been designed whereby students are expected to complete the following:

• 1. A core sequence of classes in microbiology:

MCBL 201 (Microbial Physiology), BIOL 221/MCBL 221 (Microbial Genetics), and MCBL 211/SWSC 211 (Microbial Ecology)

• 2. A selection of elective courses in microbiology

and other relevant fields chosen in consulta- tion with the student's major professor and the advisory committee in order to develop depth in particular areas of specialization

• 3. Research training in specific areas of micro-

biology

The program stresses the importance of inno- vative and independent laboratory research as the major component of the student's education.

In addition to the above course work, students must attend one seminar per week each quarter in programs collaborating with Microbiology. Students are also required to present one seminar each year. These seminars can be either on the student's thesis research or related topics and can be presented in any of several program student seminar series.

Upon entering the program, a student advisory committee is appointed for each student to help plan a program of study. The committee consists of the student's major professor, who serves as chair, and two other professors from the program with expertise in the student's area of interest. Graduate students must meet at least annually with their advisory committee to plan their courses; however, students are encouraged to meet with their committee more often. Minutes of the meeting, prepared by the chair, are approved by the rest of the committee and then placed in the student's file. In addition, prior to advancement to candidacy, students present the advisory committee with a written summary of their research progress and plans at the beginning of each academic year.

M.S. students must fulfill the requirements for Plan I (Thesis) of the Graduate Council. They must complete the core series of courses and three additional graduate level courses chosen in consultation with the student advisory committee. Plan I requires 36 units, of which 24 must be in graduate level courses. No more than 6 units of MCBL 290 level courses may be used to satisfy this unit requirement. The student must also submit an acceptable research thesis. The M.S. thesis committee, consisting of three members, which may be the same as the student advisory committee, is nominated by the graduate advisor after con- sultation with the student. The committee, once approved by the graduate dean, becomes responsible for the student's academic guidance and evaluation. The master's degree is conferred at the end of the academic quarter in which all requirements have been satisfied.

Normative Time to Degree 6 quarters

Ph.D. students must meet all requirements of the Graduate Council. Students satisfactorily complete the core class requirements and a program of courses approved by the student advisory committee. The Ph.D. degree is awarded upon passing the preliminary and qualifying examinations and demonstrating an ability to carry out original research by preparing and submitting an acceptable dissertation.

Students enrolled in the Ph.D. program are expected to become actively engaged in a research project no later than the end of their first year, and research progress is monitored by the student's advisory committee until the student advances to candidacy and a dissertation committee is appointed.

Preliminary Examination The preliminary exami- nation, consisting of a written, comprehensive examination is based on general microbiology and required material in the student's area of specialization. If a student fails this examination, the advisory committee recommends either additional course work in specific areas of weakness, transfer to a terminal M.S. degree program, or withdrawal from the program. The preliminary examination may only be repeated once and must be passed for the student to continue in the Ph.D. program. The preliminary examination is normally taken in the spring quarter of the second year.

Oral Qualifying Examination After completion of the preliminary examination, the qualifying committee is established, and the oral qualifying examination is normally taken no later than the eighth quarter (year three) of academic work, not counting summer quarters.

A qualifying committee is nominated by the graduate advisory committee and submitted to the graduate dean for approval. Suggestions of potential members of the qualifying committee may be submitted to the advisory committee by the student and the student's major professor. The qualifying committee is composed of five faculty members: three with expertise in the area of specialization in microbiology, one representing a different area from microbiology, and one outside member. The student's major professor may not serve on the qualifying committee. Prior to the oral qualifying examina- tion, the student submits a written dissertation research proposal to the members of the quali- fying committee. The oral examination covers the student's area of specialization and research field and must be passed for the student to continue in the program. Upon successful completion of the qualifying exami- nation, the student is advanced to candidacy. The qualifying examination may be repeated only once.

Dissertation and Final Oral Examination The dis- sertation committee is nominated by the gradu- ate advisor for approval by the graduate dean Microbiology / 347 (upon successful completion of the qualifying examination) and is composed of the student's major professor and at least two other faculty members suggested by the student and the student's major professor. Before approval of the dissertation, the student is expected to present orally the dissertation research at an announced defense seminar.

Teaching Requirement One quarter of teaching experience is required, which may be satisfied by serving as a teaching assistant in any of the microbiology courses listed.

Foreign Language Requirement None

Normative Time to Degree 15 quarters