College
College of Life Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Campus
Center City
Format
On Campus
Duration
4 - 5 Years
Contact Information
Program
233 South 10th Street
Bluemle Life Sciences Building, Suite 506
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Program Coordinator
1020 Locust Street
M-46 JAH
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Curriculum
The Program is focused on research training, which begins in the first year as rotations in different laboratories, and continues as the student begins potential thesis projects in a chosen mentor's laboratory. The PhD thesis research involves critical thinking and executing ideas in the laboratory through the use of sound scientific methods. Students are guided by their mentors and a selected thesis research committee, which meets on a routine basis throughout the training experience.
In the first year, students complete Foundations in Biomedical Sciences, a course that provides a foundation in Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Genetics, and Molecular Biology. They then proceed to basic courses in Genetics, followed by more advanced specialized training. Course work during the first year is enhanced by three laboratory rotations, in which students learn advanced laboratory techniques and the principles of sound experimental methods.
At the end of the first year, the student selects a faculty supervisor for his or her thesis research. During the second year, the student takes specialized courses that focus on different aspects of the genetics of cancer and human diseases, including the molecular genetics of growth control, oncogene activation, tumor suppression, regulation of gene expression, and receptor-ligand interactions and signal transduction. Additional credit hours of elective courses are available and are generally geared to meet the individual needs of students as they move into the specific areas of their thesis research.
Throughout their experience, students take part in weekly journal clubs and attend regularly scheduled faculty and student seminars in molecular genetics and cancer biology as well as seminars given by invited speakers. Students are also trained and encouraged to present their work at both in-house and outside scientific meetings.
Course requirements are completed by the end of the second year and students spend an average of another two to three years completing their individual thesis projects.
Typical areas of research include functional genomics and epigenetics, analysis of the human genome, genetics of cancer susceptibility, genetics of the immune system, molecular genetics of animal models of human disease, molecular genetics of hematopoietic neoplasias and solid tumors, mechanisms of altered growth regulation by oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, transcriptional regulation, chromatin organization and the control of gene expression, translational research, molecular therapeutics, and personalized medicine.
Note: Credits for the 910, 920, 930, and 940 Research courses and Electives are variable. Assign credits to Research and/or Electives to equal the target number of credits for each semester.
Year One
Fall Semester (20 Credits)
Course Title | Credits |
---|---|
GC 550 Foundations of Biomedical Sciences | 10 |
GC 640 Research Ethics | 1 |
GC 760 PhD Laboratory Rotations | 3 |
GE 710 Current Literature | 1 |
GE 715 Seminar | 1 |
GE 910 Research | Variable |
Spring Semesters (30 Credits)
Course Title | Credits |
---|---|
GC 770/780 PhD Laboratory Rotations | 3 |
GE 612 Adv. Topics in Molecular Genetics | 2 |
GE 637 Human Genetics | 2 |
GE 720 Current Literature | 1 |
GE 725 Seminar | 1 |
GE 920 Research | Variable |
Summer Semester (10 Credits)
Course Title | Credits |
---|---|
GC 750 PhD Laboratory Rotation | 3 |
GE 735 Seminar | 1 |
GE 930 Research | Variable |
Year Two
Fall Semester (20 Credits)
Course Title | Credits |
---|---|
Elective(s) | Variable |
GE 636 Tumor Cell Signaling & Cell Cycle | 3 |
GE 710 Current Literature | 1 |
GE 715 Seminar | 1 |
GE 910 Research | Variable |
Spring Semesters (30 Credits)
Course Title | Credits |
---|---|
GC 660 Statistical Methods | 3 |
GC 730 Planning & Writing a Research Grant | 1 |
GE 720 Current Literature | 1 |
GE 725 Seminar | 1 |
Elective(s) | Variable |
GE 920 Research | Variable |
Summer Semester (10 Credits)
Course Title | Credits |
---|---|
GE 735 Seminar | 1 |
GE 930 Research | Variable |
Comprehensive Examination |
Year Three
Fall Semester (20 Credits)
Course Title | Credits |
---|---|
GE 710 Current Literature |
1 |
GE 715 Seminar |
1 |
GE 910 Research |
Variable |
Spring Semesters (30 Credits)
Course Title | Credits |
---|---|
GE 720 Current Literature | 1 |
GE 725 Seminar | 1 |
GE 920 Research | Variable |
Summer Semester
Course Title | Credits |
---|---|
GE 735 Seminar | 1 |
GE 930 Research | Variable |
MD/PhD Curriculum
Fall Semester (20 Credits)
Course Title | Credits |
---|---|
GC 640 Research Ethics | 1 |
GC 710 MDPhD Translational Seminar & Journal Club | 1 |
GC 725 Enrich Clinical Skills | 1 |
GE 636 Tumor Cell Signaling & Cell Cycle | 3 |
GE 710 Current Lit | 1 |
GE 715 Seminar | 1 |
GE 910 Resaerch | Variable |
Spring Semesters (30 Credits)
Course Title | Credits |
---|---|
GC 660 Statistical Methods | 3 |
GC 675 Cancer Immunology (optional) | 2 |
GC 712 MDPHD Translational Seminar & Journal Club | 1 |
GC 725 Enrich Clinical Skills | 1 |
GC 730 Planning & Writing a Research Grant | 1 |
GE 612 Adv. Topics in Molecular Genetics | 2 |
GE 637 Human Genetics | 2 |
GE 720 Current Literature | 1 |
GE 725 Seminar | 1 |
GE 920 Research | Variable |
Summer Semester
Course Title | Credits |
---|---|
GE 930 Research | Variable |
Common Electives
Course Title | Semester | Credits |
|
---|---|---|---|
* indicates Career Development Course | |||
CB 615 Developmental Biology I - Embryology | Fall | 3 | |
*GC 510 Database Design & Mgmt | Summer | 2 | |
*GC 520 Cultural Humility | Fall, Spring | 2 | |
GC 558 Intro to Unix and C Programming | Summer | 3 | |
GC 559 Intro to R Programming | Summer | 3 | |
GC 560 Data Visualization | Summer | 2 | |
GC 561 Data Structures & Algorithms | Spring | 3 | |
GC 562 Computational Genomics | Fall | 3 | |
GC 563 Computational Transcriptomics | Spring | 3 | |
GC 564 Data Mining & Knowledge Discovery | Fall | 3 | |
GC 565 Functional Genomics | Summer | 3 | |
*GC 600 Managerial and Teamwork Skills | Fall | 3 | |
*GC 605 Database Design & Mgmt |
Summer |
2 |
|
*GC 610 Strategic Management | Fall | 2 | |
*GC 615 Grants & Contracts Management | Spring | 2 | |
*GC 617 ManagPharm DrugDevelopProjects |
Spring |
2 |
|
*GC 621 Biotechnology Venture Mgmt | Summer | 2 | |
*GC 625 Drug Development Essentials |
Summer |
2 |
|
*GC 630 Fundamentals of Clinical Trials |
Fall |
3 |
|
*GC 635 Intro to Clin Trials Mgmt | Fall | 2 | |
*GC 636 Principles of Care Management-Diverse BM Careers | Spring | 2 | |
GC 642 Introduction to Microscopy |
Spring |
2 |
|
*GC 645 Genomics and Bioinformatics |
Spring |
3 |
|
*GC 650 EconAnal of HealthcareInterven | Spring | 3 | |
GC 675 Cancer Immunology | Spring | 2 | |
*GC 690 Reg Issu in Human Subjects Res | Fall | 2 | |
*GC 720 Scientific Writing | Spring | 2 | |
*GC 723 Comm Sci as Storytelling | Summer | 2 | |
*GC 740 Principles of Pedagogy | Fall | 1 | |
*GC 741 Principles of Science Pedagogy | Spring | 1 | |
*GC 746 Online Course Dev & Teaching I | Fall | 2 | |
*GC 747 Teaching & Learning Online | Spring | 2 | |
*GC 748 Learner-Centered Education | Spring | 2 | |
*GC 749 The Science of Learning II | Fall | 2 | |
*GC 751 Instructional Tech & Learning | Spring | 2 | |
*GC 752 Curriculum & Instructional Des | Fall | 2 | |
GE 651 Pathobiology of Cancer | Spring | 2 |