http://utdallas.edu/nsm/biology/
Professors: Hans Bremer (emeritus),
Lee A. Bulla, Santosh R. D�Mello, Rockford K. Draper, Steven R. Goodman, Donald
M. Gray, Franklyn G. Jenifer, Betty S. Pace, Lawrence J. Reitzer, C. S. Rupert
(emeritus)
Associate Professors: Gail A.M.
Breen, John G. Burr, Jeff L. DeJong, Juan E. Gonz�lez, Ernest M. Hannig,
Stephen D. Levene, Robert C. Marsh, Dennis L. Miller,
Assistant Professors: Tianbing Xia
Senior Lecturers: Vincent P.
Cirillo, John Moltz, Scott A. Rippel, Illya Sapoznikov, Joseph Wood
The Graduate Program offers training in those aspects of molecular and cell
biology that are the bases of modern biological and biomedical sciences.
The Master of Science degree is designed for students who wish to learn the
methodology of research in molecular and cell biology and the fundamentals of
problem solving in these areas.
The Master of Science degree without thesis is intended for students who
wish to acquire a working knowledge of biotechnology, for other students who
seek to gain knowledge of modern biology without the intent to seek positions
as technical laboratory personnel, and for those students who are seeking
additional preparation for admission to professional schools.
The Master of Arts in Teaching degree in Science Education with a
specialization in Biology is designed to strengthen the knowledge of high
school teachers in fundamental aspects of biology and to bring them up to date
on advances in this rapidly developing field. For further information on this
program and for course descriptions, see the Science/Mathematics Education
section of this catalog.
The Doctor of Philosophy degree with a major in Molecular and Cell Biology
is appropriate for students who show a potential for originality in research
and is designed to develop a critical and analytical understanding of current
developments which will enable them to keep abreast of the rapid advances that
are likely to occur in the biological and biomedical fields.
The M.S. and Ph.D. degree plans offer students the opportunity to prepare
for academic careers in colleges and universities including medical and dental
schools, and for careers in industrial, hospital, public health, environmental
and governmental laboratories and organizations.
First-year students will normally complete a body of core courses that
emphasize fundamental aspects of biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology,
and cell biology. Students may then proceed to advanced course work in any of
these four general areas. Elective courses are open to all qualified students
as recommended by their supervising committees. First year students are also
encouraged to participate in rotations through research laboratories.
In the second year, research is initiated under the supervision of one or
more of the Molecular and Cell Biology faculty. The faculty and their research
interests are listed below. Prospective students should recognize that it is
possible to do research in closely related areas not mentioned in this list,
provided a faculty member is prepared to supervise the work.
Gail A.M. Breen, Isolation and
characterization of the genes that code for proteins of the mammalian
mitochondrion; mitochondrial biogenesis; eukaryotic gene regulation.
Lee A. Bulla, Molecular basis of
biopesticides.
John G. Burr, Eukaryotic growth
regulation; mechanism of viral oncogenic transformation.
Santosh D�Mello, Molecular control
of neuronal apoptosis
Jeff L. DeJong, Eukaryotic
transcription; initiation and activation of RNA polymerase II.
Rockford K. Draper, Membrane
traffic; protein toxins; bio-nanotechnology
Juan E. Gonz�lez, Cell-cell
interactions, role of exopolysaccharides in nodulation of legumes by rhizobia;
molecular genetics of plant-microbe interactions.
Steven R. Goodman, The spectrin
membrane skeleton�s role in blood and neurologic disorders; sickle cell
disease.
Donald M. Gray, Study of nucleic
acids and single-strand DNA binding proteins.
Ernest M. Hannig, Control of protein
synthesis; genetic and biochemical analysis of translation initiation factors;
protein-protein interactions.
�
Stephen D. Levene, Structure and
dynamics of nucleic acids and nucleic acid-protein complexes in solution.
Robert C. Marsh, Response of cells
to damage; protein cross-linking by transglutaminase; nuclear matrix.
Dennis L. Miller, Structure and
organization of mitochondrial DNA; mitochondrial gene expression; RNA editing;
mitochondrial biogenesis.
Betty S. Pace, Gene therapy, sickle
cell disease.
Lawrence J. Reitzer, Regulation of
gene expression and metabolism in prokaryotes.
Tianbing Xia, molecular recognition; RNA structure and
RNA-protein interaction; conformational dynamics; femtochemistry
Major
items of equipment used by the faculty and available for graduate student
research include a Leica TCS SP2 AOBS confocal microscope system,
ThermoFinnigan LC QDECA XP ion trap mass spectrometer, complete Spectra-Physics
femtosecond laser system, Becton Dickson fluorescence activated cell sorter,
Veeco MultiMode SPM atomic force microscope, Perkin Elmer DNA chip reader,
Molecular Dynamics PhosphoImagers, BioRad real-time polymerase chain reaction
instruments, Beckman scintillation counters and Optima ultracentrifuges, and a
Jasco J-715 spectropolarimeter. Individual laboratories are well-equipped with
instrumentation needed for research in molecular and cell biology, including
thermal cyclers, spectrophotometers, chromatography and electrophoresis
systems, chemical hoods, and mammalian cell culture facilities.
Other shared biology facilities include environmental chambers, a staffed
media kitchen with autoclaves and washing machines, a darkroom with an x-ray
film developer, and an electronics workshop. There is a modern research animal
housing facility on campus, as well as a GE 500 MHz FT multinuclear magnetic
resonance spectrometer.
The University�s general admission requirements are discussed here.
For full participation in the Graduate Program in Molecular and Cell
Biology, the student should have a good background in calculus, general
physics, organic chemistry, biochemistry, and general biology, including
genetics. Entering students not having this background may be required to take
some additional course work in their first year or in the summer immediately
preceding entry. A minimum GRE score of 1000 (verbal plus quantitative) is
advisable based on our experience with student success in the program.
The University�s general degree requirements are discussed here.
Upon satisfactory completion of the core courses (and, for Ph.D. candidates,
a favorable evaluation following the Spring semester as described below), a
Supervising Committee is appointed for each student (except non-thesis M.S.
students) based upon mutual agreement between student and faculty. The
Supervising Committee, with the Supervising Professor as chairperson, will help
the student plan an elective course curriculum and will oversee the student�s
research and thesis or dissertation.
All students seeking the Master of Science degree in Molecular and Cell
Biology must satisfactorily complete a total of at least 36 graduate semester
hours which must include the following core courses: BIOL 5410, BIOL 5420, BIOL
5430, and BIOL 5440.
M.S. students intending to submit a thesis must, in addition to the core
courses specified above, satisfactorily complete a further 20 hours of Biology
courses which includes BIOL 6193, BIOL 8398, and a minimum of 6 credit hours of
general electives for which a letter grade is assigned. The remainder of the
credit hours usually reflects experimental research but may also be based on
literature research as determined by mutual agreement of the student and
Supervising Committee. For M.S. (thesis) students, the maximum number of
Pass/Fail credits allowed within the 36 credit hour minimum is 13 semester
credit hours.
M.S. (non-thesis) students must, in addition to the core courses specified,
satisfactorily complete a minimum of four general elective courses in Biology (for
which a letter grade is assigned) for a minimum of 9 credit hours, up to 11
semester credit hours of special electives, and/or, with approval of the
Graduate Adviser, other graduate courses. For non-thesis M.S. students, the
maximum number of Pass/Fail credits allowed within the 36 credit hour minimum
is 11 semester credit hours.
In addition to the Master of Science degree
in Molecular and Cell Biology, a Master of Science in Bioinformatics and
Computational Biology (BCBM) is offered jointly by the Departments of
Mathematical Sciences and Molecular and Cell Biology. This program combines
coursework from the disciplines of biology, computer science, and mathematical
Sciences. Faculty from both Mathematical Sciences (MMS) and Molecular and Cell
Biology (MCB) participate in the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology program,
with the Mathematical Sciences Department serving as the administrative unit.
Both departments participate in advising students.
See the Department of Mathematical Sciences for more
information on this degree program.
All Ph.D. students must satisfactorily complete a total of at least 90
credit hours beyond the bachelor�s degree. Generally, all core courses are
mandatory. In special cases the requirement for a core course can be
substituted, but only with the permission of the instructor and the graduate
adviser, and usually only after examination. Students must include a minimum of
four general elective courses in Biology (for which a letter grade is assigned)
for a minimum of 9 credit hours. After core courses BIOL 5410, BIOL 5420, BIOL
5430, BIOL 5440, BIOL 5V50 and BIOL 5V51 [and, in addition, BIOL 6V02 �(The Art
of Scientific Presentation) and BIOL 6193] have been completed, students are
evaluated following the Spring semester. The evaluation is based upon
performance in the core classes, laboratory rotations, and performance as
teaching assistants (if applicable). Students who pass this evaluation must
then pass an oral qualifying examination within three semesters to determine
the student�s aptitude for continuation of dissertation research. A
dissertation defense will be conducted after the dissertation has been written.
All students are required to submit a minimum of one manuscript for publication
in an internationally recognized, peer-reviewed scientific journal. There is no
foreign language requirement.