Biophysics

Subject abbreviation: BPHY See schedule of classes for courses

College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Roya Zandi, Ph.D., Program Director Program Office: 1140 Batchelor Hall

• (800) 735-0717 or (951) 827-6746

biophysics.ucr.edu

Professors

Mark Alber, Ph.D. Distinguished

Mathematics Bahman Anvari, Ph.D. Bioengineering Richard Cardullo, Ph.D. Evolution, Ecology,

and Organismal Biology Chia en Chang, Ph.D. Chemistry Meng Chen, Ph.D. Cell Biology Richard Debus, Ph.D. Biochemistry Li Fan, Ph.D. Biochemistry Theodore Garland, Jr., Ph.D. Distinguished

Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology Adam Godzik, Ph.D. Biomedical Sciences Russ Hille, Ph.D. Distinguished

Biochemistry Richard Hooley, Ph.D. Chemistry Darrel Jenerette, Ph.D. Botany and Plant

Sciences Ryan Julian, Ph.D. Chemistry Bahram Mobasher, Ph.D. Physics and

Astronomy Umar Mohideen, Ph.D. Physics and Astronomy Leonard Mueller, Ph.D. Chemistry Scott Pegan, Ph.D. Innate Immunity Maurizio Pellucchia, Ph.D. Biomedical

Sciences Louis Santiago, Ph.D. Botany and Plant

Sciences Jikui Song, Ph.D. Biochemistry Yinsheng Wang, Ph.D. Chemistry Roya Zandi, Ph.D. Physics and Astronomy Wenwan Zhong, Ph.D. Chemistry

Associate Professors

Kurt Anderson, Ph.D. Evolution, Ecology,

and Organismal Biology Gregor Blaha, Ph.D. Biochemistry Natalie Holt, Ph.D. Evolution, Ecology,

and Organismal Biology Zhenyu Jia, Ph.D. Quantitative Genetics Carolyn Rasmussen, Ph.D. Botany and Plant Sciences Assistant Professors

John Barton, Ph.D. Physics and Astronomy Weitao Chen, Ph.D. Mathematics Kevin Freedman, Ph.D. Bioengineering Joseph Genereux, Ph.D. Chemistry Thomas Kuhlman, Ph.D. Physics and

Astronomy Dawn Nagel, Ph.D. Botany and Plant Sciences Sean O’Leary, Ph.D. Biochemistry Giulia Palermo, Ph.D. Bioengineering John Jefferson Perry, Ph.D. Biochemistry Nicole Rafferty, Ph.D. Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology Carolyn Rasmussen, Ph.D. Botany and Plant Sciences Min Xue, Ph.D. Chemistry Linlin Zhao, Ph.D. Chemistry

The program offers the M.S. and Ph.D. degree in Biophysics.

The interdepartmental graduate program in Biophysics has participating faculty from the departments of Biochemistry; Bioengineering; Biomedical Sciences; Botany and Plant Sciences; Chemistry; Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology; Mathematics; and Physics and Astronomy.

The goal of the program is to promote teaching, training and research in the field of Biophysics. Areas of specialization include biological electron transfer, computational/ mathematical modeling of biological systems, structural biology, neurobiophysics, imaging and protein engineering. Biophysicists are needed by institutions of higher learning, and by federal, state and private research organizations.

Admission Students must have a B.A. or B.S. degree in Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Chemistry, Physics or in a related field from an accredited institution and an academic record that satisfies the minimum admission standards established by the UCR Graduate Division. Students admitted to regular standing will have satisfied all prerequisite course work. Under special circumstances, students who have not completed all undergraduate requirements may be admitted provided that the deficiencies are corrected early in their graduate studies. Undergraduate or other previous training must include the following coursework:

• One year of introductory biochemistry,

including laboratory • One year of introductory biology, including

laboratory • One year of introductory chemistry,

including laboratory • One year of organic chemistry, including

laboratory • One year of introductory physics, including

laboratory • One year of calculus, plus one upper

division mathematics course

Students with strong academic records may be admitted with coursework deficiencies, provided they are remediated during the first two years of graduate study.

The program offers the Ph.D. degree in Biophysics.

Course Work Thirty-six (36) units of 100 or 200 series courses, of which at least twenty-four (24) units must be in the graduate 200 series; includes the program’s graduate core curriculum and courses from a list of approved electives. A minimum of sixteen (16) units of coursework other than courses in the 290 series must be completed in fulfillment of the twenty-four (24) unit program requirement for graduate coursework.

All students are required to take a sequence of core courses (BCH 184, BCH 210, and PHYS 246) in their first year, and complete a series of research rotations in laboratories of participating faculty under BPHY 297 as part of the thesis advisor selection process. Participation in the Biophysics Graduate Seminar (BPHY 252) is also required for each quarter the student is enrolled; each student is expected to present a formal research seminar in this course prior to graduation. Students who present will receive a letter grade.

Approved Elective Courses include: BCH 186, BCH 187, BCH 230F, BIEN 135, BIEN 142, BIEN 160, BIEN 165, BIEN 242, BIEN 245, BIEN 249, BIEN 251, CHEM 201A, CHEM 201B, CHEM 201C, CHEM 201D, CHEM 201E, CHEM 206A, CHEM 206B, CHEM 209M, CHEM 211D, CHEM 229Q, PHYS 145A, PHYS 145B, PHYS 145C, PHYS 212A, PHYS 212B

Comprehensive Examination At the end of the first year, and no later than the end of the second year, students must pass a written comprehensive examination consisting of questions provided by the participating faculty, with topics taken from the core curriculum.

Qualifying Examination and Advancement to Candidacy Doctoral students must complete a written research proposal based on their dissertation work and taking the form of a grant application to the National Science Foundation or National Institutes of Health. Once the proposal is deemed satisfactory, the student must pass an oral examination that will consist of a defense of the written research proposal before the student’s qualifying exam committee. Upon successful completion of all coursework and passing of the Qualifying Examination, the student will advance to candidacy.

Dissertation Students are expected to complete laboratory rotations and select a dissertation advisor by the end of their first academic year. The dissertation advisor will chair a Ph.D. Dissertation Committee that will meet annually to assess progress and provide input to the research project. A written dissertation will be completed by each student in the program.

Final Defense Doctoral candidates will defend their dissertations in a public oral presentation at a time announced to members of the University community. The Dissertation Committee will then make a recommendation to the Graduate Division as to whether the degree of Ph.D. be conferred. Oral Qualifying Exam and Final Defense Modality for the Ph.D. degree The student, in agreement with their committee chairperson, will determine the modality for their Oral Qualifying Exam and final defense. The modalities will be as follows: In-Person or Hybrid.

Students taking the oral qualifying exam/ presenting a final defense in person are expected to present on campus with all committee members physically present.

Students taking the oral qualifying exam/ presenting a final defense hybrid have the option for some or all committee members/ students to attend in person and some or all committee members/students to attend remotely.

The Hybrid options can be selected if the student or faculty member cannot attend in person due to travel or health reasons. The student, in agreement with their committee chairperson, will determine the modality.

Professional Development Biophysics students must complete an annual research evaluation, complete a minimum of 2 quarters as a teaching assistant, and complete GDIV 403.

Normative Time to Degree 15 quarters

The program offers the M.S. degree in Biophysics.

Students will normally be admitted to the Ph.D. program. Upon advancement to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree the student may petition the Graduate Division for conferral of the M.S. degree.

Students enrolling in the master’s degree in Biophysics must meet the requirements for the Plan II of the UCR Graduate Council, take core courses as described above and pass a Comprehensive Examination.

Plan II (Comprehensive Exam) Thirty-six (36) units of 100 or 200 series courses, of which at least eighteen (18) units must be in the graduate 200 series; includes the program’s graduate core curriculum and courses from a list of approved electives. Students must enroll in BPHY 252 each quarter offered. Students must pass a three-hour Comprehensive Examination consisting of questions provided by the participating faculty, with topics taken from the core-curriculum.

Professional Development Biophysics students must complete GDIV 403.

Normative Time to Degree 6 quarters