Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Concentration
Overview
The Advanced Concentration in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is one of eight advanced concentrations leading to the Ph.D. degree under the auspices of the Graduate Program (BMS) in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Florida College of Medicine.
The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB) program of study is designed both to provide students with fundamental graduate-level training and to provide flexibility in tailoring a course of studies to fit with a student’s research interests. During the first year of studies, students take required coursework and do three six-week laboratory rotations. The rotations give students the opportunity to work in research laboratories of three different BMB faculty to aid in the selection of a research advisor. By the end of the first year, students select a research advisor, and in the second and subsequent years, the major focus of the graduate program is on supervised research. Students can pursue a broad range of research projects. In the second year, students begin working on dissertation projects in a research laboratory, prepare for a qualifying exam, and complete required coursework. The qualifying exam must be completed by the end of fall semester of the third year. After passing the qualifying exam, students officially advance to candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The average time students require to complete a Ph. D. degree in the BMB program is about 5 years.
The College of Medicine at the University of Florida enjoys a strong graduate education program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. BMB faculty are committed to providing students with an intellectually challenging and rewarding environment for graduate education in the molecular life sciences. Students in our Ph.D. program receive solid training in the disciplines of biochemistry and molecular biology. Detailed information about our training program, faculty, and research projects can be found through the links below.
Meet Andrew Berglund, Ph.D, professor and his mentee, Carl Shotwell:
Areas of Research
Faculty in the BMB program work in a diverse range of research areas and actively collaborate on interdisciplinary projects. Information about the research interests of individual BMS faculty members in the Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Concentration. Please check the following GPBS faculty search page for a list of BMB faculty: BMS faculty search page
- Aging
- Bacterial Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Pathogenesis
- Biochemical and Molecular Basis of Human Disease
- Bioinformatics
- Cancer Biology
- Cell Trafficking and Cytoskeleton
- Cellular Signaling Pathways
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology
- Enzyme Mechanisms and Structure-Function Relationships
- Epigenetics
- Gene Expression and Regulation
- Gene Therapy
- Genome Maintenance and Replication
- Immune and Inflammatory Responses and Disorders
- Membranes and Transport
- Neuronal Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- RNA Structure, Function, and Metabolism
- Structural Biology
- Viral Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Pathogenesis
Meet Mavis Agbandje-McKenna, Ph.D., professor and director of the Center for Structural Biology, and learn about her research on the structural biology of viruses:
Research Facilities
Student progress is facilitated by the availability of state-of-the-art instrumentation and research core laboratories:
- Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Facility
- Center for Mammalian Genetics
- Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research (ICBR)
- McKnight Brain Institute
- Powell Gene Therapy Center
- University of Florida Genetics Institute
- UF Health Cancer Center
Program of Study
The BMB program of study is designed to provide students with a strong foundation of knowledge in the disciplines of biochemistry and molecular biology, while at the same time, allowing the flexibility to design a course of study to fit individual research interests. All entering GPBS students enroll in the same curriculum in the fall semester of the first year which prepares students to participate in graduate-level research in any one of the six graduate programs including BMB. After the first semester, students have the freedom to select courses that meet their research interests. Examples of Individual Curricula are provided below.
The BMB program offers a wide range of courses, and in addition to these, students can select advanced courses from other disciplines. Many of these 3-hour courses have been divided into modules so that a student can take part of the course for credit. For example, a student could take the third section (BCH 6209) of the 3-credit metabolism course (BCH 6206) for 1 credit. Links to course listings are provided below.
Students typically take 6 hours of advanced courses in the spring of their first year and 3 hours in the fall and spring semesters of their second year for a total of 12 credits to complete the formal course requirements. Every semester, starting in the second year, students must register for the BMB Journal Club (BCH 6936). This coursework along with work on the research project prepares students for taking a qualifying exam for admission to candidacy for a Ph. D. degree. The qualifying exam must be completed by November of the third year. An Overview of BMB Program and Course Requirements is provided below. Specific questions can be answered by the graduate coordinators, Robert McKenna and Andy Berglund, or the graduate secretary, Elise Feagle.
Overview of BMB Program and Course Requirements
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Examples of Individual Curricula
Student Interest in Molecular Biology
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Student Interested in Structural Biology
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The Faculty and their Research
For a list of faculty members in the Biochemistry and Structural Biology advanced program, please click here.
Meet Jorg Bungert, Ph.D. and learn about his research on the regulation of human b-globin genes:
Concentration Contacts
Robert McKenna Ph.D.
Coordinator, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Concentration
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology – UF College of Medicine
Phone: (352) 294-8395 | E-mail: rmckenna@ufl.edu
Andrew Berglund, Ph.D.
Doctoral Graduate Coordinator, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Concentration
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology – UF College of Medicine
Phone: (352) 273-7889| E-mail: aberglund@ufl.edu
The BMB logo was designed and created by Nan Su, a talented graduate student and now an alumnus of the BMB program. It is an abstract representation of a human/pipetman intertwined with DNA.