The faculty members of the Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology provide multidisciplinary training to our graduate students. Our faculty members participate in classroom instruction, serve as preceptors and advisors for PhD candidates, and participate in the administration of the training programs.
Upon entry into our Graduate Training Program, you and your first-year faculty advisor will survey our training areas and faculty member’s research interests. Short (one to three month) laboratory rotations are set up utilizing your top two or three choices, allowing you to work within your chosen research teams. During this time, you will also take core curriculum courses (biomedical sciences, biostatistics, journal clubs, and seminars), as detailed in the Graduate School Handbook. By the end of your first year, you will choose a choice preceptor and dissertation topic.
The second year focuses on specialized topics that are often offered as modular courses, allowing you to choose from a wide array of topics. During the second year, no later than the end of the fifth semester, you must pass an oral qualifying examination, administered by our faculty committee, which tests your understanding of biological sciences.
The thesis proposal examination takes place during the third year. Our examination has two parts––a written thesis proposal and an oral defense of the proposal. The written proposal outlines the background and significance of the proposed research––the methods to be employed and the preliminary data that the student has already garnered. We model this part after the format of National Institutes of Health research grant application.
By the end of the fifth year, you should be completing your dissertation research, as well as preparing to defend your thesis to a committee and a public seminar.
Postdoctoral Fellowships
All postdoctoral research fellows are trained and mentored by our faculty members. These supervised relationships enhance trainee’s research experience, preparing them for a more independent position. As a fellow, you’ll develop a research project, in addition to attending departmental seminars and participating in our work-in-progress series––which give you the chance to present your work to the Department.