Genetics, Genomics & Cancer Biology

College

College of Life Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

Campus

Center City

Format

On Campus

Duration

4 - 5 Years

Contact Information

Program

Name: Lucia Languino, PhD
Position: Program Director

233 South 10th Street
Bluemle Life Sciences Building, Suite 506
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Contact Number(s):

Program Coordinator

Name: Danielle Park
Position: Program Coordinator
Organization: Jefferson

1020 Locust Street
M-46 JAH
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Contact Admissions

Contact Number(s):

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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.

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

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  

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

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

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