Courses
Students will typically take three courses per semester along with a fourth class devoted to either MCAT/GRE preparation, interview preparation, or application strategies. Students can structure their training to meet their individual career goals.
Biological Sciences | Chemistry | Additional Courses | Career/Skills Development
Biological Sciences
BSCI 2201 Cell Biology
Structure and function of cells, subcellular organelles, and macromolecules. Fundamentals of organelle function, membrane transport, energy production and utilization, cell motility, cell division, intracellular transport and mechanisms of signal transduction.
BSCI 2205 Evolution
Evolutionary theory, with emphasis on evolutionary mechanisms. Microevolutionary processes of adaptation and speciation and macro-evolutionary patterns. Evidence from genetics, ecology, molecular biology, and paleontology in the historical context of the neo-Darwinian synthesis.
BSCI 2210 Principles of Genetics
Basic principles and mechanisms of inheritance discussed and related to other biological phenomena and problems.
BSCI 5520 Advanced Biochemistry
Structure and mechanism of action of biological molecules, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and polysaccharides. Enzymology. Carbohydrate metabolism.
BSCI 3226 Immunology
The molecular and cellular basis of immunity. Emphasis on molecular structure, the genetic origin of diversity in B-cell and T-cell receptors, antigen presentation, and the cellular interactions leading to the immune response. Tolerance, tumor and transplantation immunity, autoimmune and immunodeficiency diseases, and allergy.
BSCI 3234 Microbiology
Microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and mobile genetic elements. The origins and universality of microbial life, modes of genome evolution, symbioses between microbes and animals, biotechnology, and human microbiome.
BSCI 3253 Cellular Neurobiology
Structure and function of nerve cells. Emphasis on electrical excitability, synaptic transmission, and sensory transduction. Cellular mechanisms underlying simple behaviors, sensory information processing, and learning and memory.
BSCI 3272 Genome Science
Aims and importance of the science. Retrieval of genome data from public databases; experimental and computational methods used in analysis of genome data and their annotation. Functional aspects of genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics; use of phylogenetics and population genomics to infer evolutionary relationships and mechanisms of genome evolution.
BSCI 4265 Nucleic Acid Transactions
Biochemistry of the expression, transmission, and maintenance of genetic information. DNA transcription, replication, recombination, and repair. Structural mechanisms and biological functions of DNA processing proteins.
BSCI 4266 Advanced Molecular Genetics
Principles of classical and molecular genetic analysis: mutation and recombination, mapping, and the application of genetic methodology to the study of complex systems. Special emphasis on modern genomic approaches.
Chemistry
Chem 2100 Analytical Chemistry
Fundamental quantitative analytical chemistry with emphasis on principles of analysis, separations, equilibria, stoichiometry and spectrophotometry.
Chem 2221 2222 Organic Chemistry
Fundamental types of organic compounds. Nomenclature and classification. Preparations, reactions, and general application.
Chem 3020 Bioinorganic Chemistry
Functions of inorganic elements in living cells. The manner in which coordination can modify the properties of metallic ions in living systems.
Chem 3310 Biophysical Chemistry: Thermodynamics in Chemical and Biological Systems
Chemical thermo- dynamics and equilibrium, their statistical foundation, and applications to chemical and biological phenomena in biomedical research.
Chem 3630 Macromolecular Chemistry
Synthesis and characterization of macromolecular materials including linear, branched, dendrimetric, and star polymers. Mechanical and physiochemical properties of polymeric types. Kinetics of living polymerization. Applications to nanostructures, templates, and advanced devices.
Chem 3710 Chemical Biology
Essential metabolites including vitamins, steroids, peptides, and nucleotides. Consideration of phosphate esters and the synthesis of oligodeoxynucleotides.
Chem 4720 Drug Design and Development
Concepts of drug design; physical chemistry of drug interactions with receptors, enzymes, and DNA; drug absorption and distribution. Organic chemistry of drug metabolism; mechanism of action for selected therapeutic classes.
Additional Courses
BMS 8002 Narrative-based Healthcare
Full realization of narrative medicine crosses the disciplines of medicine and the humanities to include issues of bioethics, cultural competency, and social determinants of health. To better understand patient relationships, students will engage in readings and discussion focusing on provider-patient communications.
BMS 7001 Scientific Communication
Weekly reading assignments will be accompanied by writing assignments in which students will communicate their own life lessons in the context of assigned readings. A goal will be for each student to define personal motivation to pursue careers in the biomedical sciences.
BSCI 8999 Research
Chem 7999 Master’s Thesis Research
IGP 8001, 8002, Bioregulation I & II
I: Fundamental aspects of the utilization of genetic material from DNA to RNA to protein. This includes macromolecular structure and function, cell biology, and the regulation of cell growth. II: Fundamental aspects of cell-cell communication and information flow through multicellular organs and the overall regulation of these processes. Includes immunologic defense, endocrine signaling, neuroscience, and molecular aspects of disease.
MP&B 8342 Introduction to Physiology, Metabolism and Endocrinology
This course is designed to introduce first-year students in the “Masters Program in Biomedical Sciences” to essential basic concepts in the fields of physiology, metabolism and endocrinology. In the first part of the course the lecturers will discuss basic concepts in physiology with respect to: the circulatory system, heart, the pulmonary system, kidney, acid/base balance, muscle, liver and the autonomic nervous system. In the second part of the course the lecturers will discuss basic concepts in metabolism with respect to: glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, fatty acids and amino acids. This section will use exercise to illustrate how metabolism changes under different physiological conditions. In the third part of the course the lecturers will discuss basic concepts in endocrinology with respect to: thyroid hormone, insulin, glucagon and glucocorticoids. This section will also describe the critical role of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis in regulating secretion of multiple hormones with an emphasis on the regulation of energy balance and how this balance is perturbed in obesity.
MP&B 8327 Molecular Endocrinology
A survey of the molecular biology of hormone action from the target cell surface to the nucleus. Special emphasis on (i) diabetes and obesity and (ii) how receptors and intracellular messengers mediate hormone action, (iii) how hormones regulate gene expression, and (iv) signaling in adipocytes. Discussion of the use of genetic, molecular biology, and biochemical techniques to study hormone action. The faculty encourage an interactive atmosphere in the class through the discussion of seminal papers. This is an advanced course so some prior background in cell signaling is recommended.
NSC 3891 Neurobiology of Addiction
Neural basis of the regulation and dysregulation of reward processing. Pathophysiology of addiction.
NURO 8340 Systems Neuroscience
Learn the general organization of the nervous system and its circuitry and understand the fundamental molecular and cellular bases underlying its development and function in normal and pathological conditions. In addition, the students learn how the cellular systems in the brain relate to the major branches of cognitive neuroscience. Emphasis on systems in the brain and principles of cognition.
NURO 8345 Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology
Learn the general organization of the nervous system and its circuitry and understand the fundamental molecular and cellular bases underlying its development and function in normal and pathological conditions. In addition, the students learn how the cellular systems in the brain relate to the major branches of cognitive neuroscience. Emphasis on cellular and molecular aspects of neuroscience.
NURO 8365 Neurobiology of Disease
Provides comprehensive understanding of pathology and pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders. The course is divided in three modules: neurodevelopmental, neurological/neurodegenerative and psychiatric/addiction diseases. The course prepares students for intensive collaborations along the basic-translational-clinical continuum. The lectures will discuss clinical presentation and pathological features epidemiology, treatment, status of clinical research, animal models, and postulated cellular/molecular bases for >30 diseases
Advanced Biochemistry*
Career & Skills Development
MCAT Preparation
Application Strategies and Preparation
Interview Preparation
Physician Shadowing