Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program

Subject abbreviation: BMSC Division of Biomedical Sciences

Emma Wilson, Ph.D., Program Director Graduate Student Affairs Office, Webber Hall 1237

• (951) 827-4328;

medschool.ucr.edu/graduate

Professors Michael E. Adams, Ph.D. (Entomology) Bahman Anvari, Ph.D. (Bioengineering) Peter Atkinson, Ph.D. (Entomology) Monica J. Carson, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences) David A. Eastmond, Ph.D. (Cell Biology and Neuroscience) Iryna Ethell, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences) Byron Ford, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences) Ted Garland, Ph.D. (Biology) Cindy Larive, Ph.D. (Chemistry) Karine Le Roch, Ph.D. (Cell Biology and Neuroscience) Xuan Liu, M.D., Ph.D. (Biochemistry) David Lo, M.D., Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences) Paul Lyons, M.D. (Family Medicine) Manuela M. Martins-Green, Ph.D. (Cell Biology and Neuroscience) Dimitrios Morikis, Ph.D. (Bioengineering) Maurizio Pellecchia, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences) Michael C. Pirrung, Ph.D. (Chemistry) Victor Rodgers, Ph.D. (Bioengineering) Wendy Saltzman, Ph.D. (Biology) Neal L. Schiller, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences) Jerome Schultz, Ph.D. (Bioengineering) Aaron Seitz, Ph.D. (Psychology) Frances M. Sladek, Ph.D. (Cell Biology and Neuroscience) B. Glenn Stanley, Ph.D. (Cell Biology and Neuroscience/Psychology) Greer Sullivan, M.D. (Psychiatry) Ameae M. Walker, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences) Yinsheng Wang, Ph.D. (Chemistry) Associate Professors Djurdjica Coss, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences) Margarita C. Currás-Collazo, Ph.D. (Cell Biology and Neuroscience) Scott N. Currie, Ph.D. (Cell Biology and Neuroscience) Anupama Dahanukar Ph.D. (Entomology) Martín I. García-Castro, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences) Rong Hai, Ph.D. (Plant Pathology & Microbiology) Peter W. Hickmott, Ph.D. (Psychology) Kelly Huffman, Ph.D. (Psychology) Marcus Kaul, Ph.D. (Neuroscience) Jiayu Liao, Ph.D. (Bioengineering) Huinan Liu, Ph.D. (Bioengineering) Christian Y. Lytle, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences) Razak A. Khaleel, Ph.D. (Psychology) Morris Maduro, Ph.D. (Biology) Ernest Martinez, Ph.D. (Biochemistry) Declan McCole, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences) Hyle Park, Ph.D. (Bioengineering) Anandasankar Ray, Ph.D. (Entomology) Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program / 136 Seema K. Tiwari-Woodruff, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences) Emma Wilson, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences) Wenwan Zhong, Ph.D. (Chemistry) Assistant Professors Huiwang Ai, Ph.D. (Chemistry) Jun-Hyeong Cho, Ph.D. (Cell Biology and Neuroscience) Nicholas DiPatrizio, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences) Todd A. Fiacco, Ph.D. (Cell Biology and Neuroscience) Kaustabh Ghosh, Ph.D. (Bioengineering) Ansel Hsiao, Ph.D. (Microbiology) Ted Karginov, Ph.D. (Cell Biology and Neuroscience) Edward Korzus, Ph.D. (Psychology) Meera G. Nair, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences) Sean O’Leary, Ph.D. (Biochemistry) Jeffrey Perry, Ph.D. (Biochemistry) Sachiko Yamanaka, Ph.D. (Cell Biology & Neuroscience) Sika Zheng, Ph.D. (Neurobiology/Molecular Genetics)

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Associate Professor in Residence Devin Binder, M.D. (Biomedical Sciences) Assistant Professor in Residence Ashaunta Anderson, M.D. (Pediatrics) Adjunct Professor Andre Obenaus, Ph.D. (Biochemistry, Loma Linda University)

The multidisciplinary interdepartmental graduate program in Biomedical Sciences offers graduate instruction leading to a Ph.D. degree or a combined M.D.–Ph.D degree.

The aim of the graduate program is to provide students with training that crosses traditional boundaries between scientific disciplines and allows them to address modern biomedical research questions. The objective is to train scientists who have a broad knowledge of basic medical sciences, a high degree of expertise in an area of specialization, and effective teaching skills for a medical school or university environment.

The need for scientists who understand the interrelationships of various areas of medical science is readily apparent. For example, it is clearly advantageous for a scientist studying diabetes to understand the disease in depth. This requires a fundamental understanding of endocrinology (hormone secretion and action), cell biology (cell types that produce insulin and upon which insulin acts), biochemistry (insulin- receptor interactions, biochemical pathways regulated by insulin), genetics (hereditary factors in the development of diabetes), immunology (autoimmune mechanisms in diabetes), and anatomy (microvascular pathology). There is a growing need for scientists who can communicate among disciplines so that very effective research collaborations can be developed.

Cell Biology/Physiology research areas include function of transcription factors in develop- ment, disease, and in the promotion of regen- eration; fluid and electrolyte pathophysiology in cystic fibrosis; molecular genetics of human cell response to environmental carcinogens; tu- mor suppressor genes in malignant melanoma; factors controlling lymphocyte differentiation; mechanisms of action of cytotoxic lymphokines; physiological aspects of host–parasite interac- tion; host defense mechanisms in infectious disease; and mucosal immunity and molecular approaches to vaccine development.

Endocrinology/Pharmacology research areas include regulation and actions of the vitamin D endocrine system; mechanism of action of insulin and insulin-like growth factors; prolactin as a growth factor in health and disease; hormonal and electric field regulation of bone development and growth; and molecular mechanisms for carcinogenesis (glioblastoma, breast and prostate cancer).

Neurosciences research areas include studies of the hypothalamic control of homeostatic and sexual function; molecular mechanisms of neurodevelopment, neuronal death and neurodegeneration with emphasis on the following diseases: Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Autism, Fragile X/ intellectual disability, multiple sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, stroke and pathogen-induced encephalitis.

Admission Applicants should have completed an undergraduate degree in one of the physical or biological sciences and must submit scores from the GRE General Test (verbal and quantitative). (GRE requirement not applicable to UCR Biomedical Sciences students applying for the M.D.–Ph.D.) Courses required for admission include one year each of general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and calculus and at least two years of biological sciences. Preferred upper-division courses in biology include vertebrate or human anatomy and physiology, embryology, genetics, cell biology, microbiology, immunology, and neurosciences.

The aim of the graduate program in Biomedical Sciences is to train Ph.D. scientists in a specific area of research specialization who also have enough general knowledge in the basic medical sciences to apply their research expertise to unraveling the basis of disease. This approach includes understanding not only pathogenic manifestations of disease but also the normal physiologic state. To accomplish this, the student completes a core and elective curriculum, the latter tailored to the student’s research interests.

Core requirements include:

• 1. BMSC 229: Foundations of Translational

Research

• 2. BMSC 232, 233, 234 and 235: Foundations

of Medicine Series

• 3. BMSC 260A, BMSC 260B, BMSC 260C:

Topics in Biomedical Research. The entire 3 quarter series is required in the second year of graduate education.

• 4. BMSC 261: Methods in Biomedical

Research. Enrollment required all 3 quarters of the first year of graduate education.

• 5. BMSC 252: General seminar in Biomedical

Sciences (enrollment required each quarter)

• 6. BMSC 254: Graduate seminar in Biomedical

Sciences (enrollment required each quarter)

• 7. BMSC 302: (one-quarter requirement, not

required of M.D.–Ph.D. students)

Under normal circumstances, each student should complete core course work requirements 1-4 during the first year of studies.

At the end of the student’s first full year of residence, the advisory committee for each student evaluates the progress of the student and recommends to the faculty whether the student should continue in the program.

In addition, prior to advancement to candidacy and at the beginning of each academic year, the student presents a written summary of the research progress and plans to the advisory committee. Continuation in the program depends on the advisory committee’s positive evaluation of the student’s research progress.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations Prior to advancement to candidacy, students must complete both parts of a qualifying examination. Part I consists of the preparation of a research proposal, to be written in the form of a grant proposal, including literature review, description of methods and experimental plans for the dissertation. This proposal should outline the research progress of the student to date and delineate the planned dissertation research aims and objectives. Part I is usually completed in the spring quarter of year 2 and no later than the fall quarter of year 3 of a student’s graduate training. Part II consists of an oral comprehensive examination administered by a committee of five faculty members, at least one of whom is from outside the program. The student’s research advisor does not serve on the oral qualifying committee. The oral comprehensive examination includes examination of the student’s knowledge and understanding of material covered in the core courses and in the student’s area of specialization. Part II must be completed no later than the end of year 3 of the student’s graduate training.

Research Project, Dissertation and Final Oral Examination After successful completion of the qualifying exam and advancement to candidacy, the student completes the research project, submits a written dissertation, and defends the dissertation in a final oral examination.

Normative Time to Degree 15 quarters

Admission The combined degree is offered to students admitted to the medical school and to exceptional students from other four-year LCME-accredited medical schools. Normally, a student completes the first two years of medical school, and then spends approximately three years in the Ph.D. part of the program before completing the M.D. degree. However, the track is also offered to students who have completed the M.D. degree. UCR Biomedical Sciences students may apply for admission concurrently with their applications to the medical school or any time after acceptance to the medical school. For these students only, 137 / Programs and Courses

the MCAT is accepted in lieu of the GRE.

Students from other medical schools should apply in the fall of their sophomore or senior year. Applications from sophomores must be accompanied by official permission for an appropriate leave of absence. The GRE requirement is the same as for regular Ph.D. students.

The Biomedical Sciences Graduate Group of- fers an M.S. degree. No students are admitted directly into the program for work toward the master’s degree. However, a Plan I (Thesis) or Plan II (Comprehensive Examination) M.S. degree is available in special circumstances when work leading to the Ph.D. degree cannot be completed. The student’s advisory commit- tee decides whether the master’s degree is an appropriate alternative to the Ph.D. degree. This decision may be made at the end of the student’s first year of residence or at other times in the student’s career, particularly at the time of the qualifying examination.

All Biomedical Sciences courses are listed and described under Biomedical Sciences.

Further information regarding graduate studies in Biomedical Sciences may be obtained from medschool.ucr.edu/graduate/.