University General Course Catalog 2015-2016

Nov 27, 2024

University General Course Catalog 2015-2016 ARCHIVED CATALOG: LINKS AND CONTENT ARE OUT OF DATE. CHECK WITH YOUR ADVISOR.

Cellular and Molecular Biology, M.S.

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I. Contact Information

Patricia Berninsone, Ph.D., Graduate Program Director
(775) 784-1391
berninsone@unr.edu

Mailing Address:

University of Nevada, Reno
Department of Biology, Mail stop 0314
1664 North Virginia Street
Reno, NV 89557

II. Brief Introduction

Cell and Molecular Biology is an interdisciplinary program, part of the Molecular Biosciences graduate programs along with Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Cell and Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology. The CMB program includes faculty across campus, including the School of Medicine, the College of Science, and the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources. Study programs lead to the Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy degree. Additionally, medical students in the School of Medicine may earn a M.D. /Ph.D. degree through the program.
The highly interactive program offers a wide range of study options dealing with contemporary cell and molecular biology. Graduate fellowships for the cellular and molecular biology program are available on a competitive basis. Contact the program office for more information.

III. Program Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes

The Molecular Biosciences graduate programs at the University of Nevada at Reno provide an integrated course of study for students seeking a PhD or MS degree in biomolecular-related research. Over 60 participating Faculty members are drawn from nine different departments. The program provides a supportive environment for over 100 graduate students with excellent opportunities in a broad range of biological and biomedical research areas.

IV. Admission Requirements

Applicants to the CMB program must meet all requirements of the Graduate School. Although students will be evaluated on an individual basis, the admissions requirements include general GRE scores, undergraduate GPA, and TOEFL scores (if required) for international students. Students admitted to the program will be expected to have obtained at least a 3.0 undergraduate grade point average (4 point system; 2.75 for the MS program.), and a combined GRE score of 300 (2012 scoring system).
Students who seek admission to the program should have completed the following course requirements: eight credits of both organic chemistry and biology, six credits of physics and four credits of calculus, and an undergraduate or graduate level course in statistics. If a student is admitted with a deficiency in these courses, the required courses must be completed during the first year of graduate study.

V. Program Requirements

A. CMB Core Courses (14 units)

CMB 710 - Molecular Cell Biology (4 units)
BCH 705 - Molecular Genetics (3 units)
CMB 701 - Laboratory Practicum I (3 units)
CMB 790 - Graduate Seminar (1 unit) (2 units required)
CMB 794A-F Colloquium OR
BCH 794 - Colloquium OR
BIOL 794 - Colloquia OR
CMPP 794 - Colloquium (2 units)

B. Additional Course Requirements

PHAR 725 - Ethics and Scientific Research (2 units) (fall of even years only)
Statistics (if not previously taken)

C. Electives

BCH 605 - Molecular Biology (3 units)
BCH 610 - Plant Physiology (3 units)
BCH 617 - Metabolic Regulation (3 units)
BCH 706 - Functional Genomics (3 units)
BCH 709 - Introduction to Bioinformatics (3 units)
BCH 740 - Enzymology (3 units)
Biology Courses
BIOL 604 - Population Genetics (3 units)
BIOL 605 - Molecular Biology (3 units)
BIOL 615 - Evolution (4 units)
BIOL 654 - Genomic Conflict, Epigenetics & Human Disease (3 units)
BIOL 656 - Molecular Basis of Epigenetics (3 units)
BIOL 666 - Developmental Biology (3 units)
BIOL 675 - Neurobiology (3 units)
BIOL 677 - Genes, Brain, and Behavior (3 units)
BIOL 682 - Cell Biology of Disease (3 units)
BIOL 705 - Current Topics in Cell and Molecular Biology (2 to 3 units)
CMB 793 - Independent Study (1 to 6 units)
Chemistry Courses

The Chemistry Department offers courses of interest to some students.
Microbiology Courses
MICR 653 - Immunology (3 units)
MICR 670 - Microbial Pathogenesis (3 units)
MICR 700 - Biotechnology Today and Tomorrow (2 units)
MICR 780 - Introductory Cellular Immunology (3 units)

D. Additional Program Requirements

During the first year of residence in the CMB program students will complete their laboratory rotations. These are designed to expose students to research in cellular and molecular biology and to aid them in selecting an advisor. Normally, the number of rotations is three. Rotations can vary in length from a month to a semester. However, if a student has a Masters degree, this may be reduced to one rotation, usually in their home laboratory.

Before the third semester of residence in the CMB program, each student must select, in consultation with the CMB program director and the desired faculty member, a research/thesis advisor from among the CMB faculty. Selection depends on a mutual agreement between the student and the desired advisor, and the program can not guarantee the availability of any particular advisor. This advisor will serve as chair of the student’s advisory/examination committee.

Academic requirements as determined by the Graduate School and the Program will be met by all CMB students. Required courses will be chosen from core and elective courses as outlined above. The final decision on courses to be taken is made by each individual student’s advisory/examination committee, and approval by the CMB director.

All students working toward the doctoral degree must pass a comprehensive examination before the end of year 2 in which the student independently proposes a research project in the form of a written research grant proposal. Following acceptance of the written proposal by an examining committee, the proposal must be defended orally before the committee. All doctoral degree candidates must present a public seminar of their thesis research and pass an oral defense of the dissertation. Candidates for the M.D. /Ph.D. degree must meet the requirements as outlined in the M.D. /Ph.D. program.

VI. Total Units

30 units

VII. Undergraduate Prerequisites

Students who seek admission to the program should have completed the following course requirements: eight credits of both organic chemistry and biology, six credits of physics and four credits of calculus, and an undergraduate or graduate level course in statistics. If a student is admitted with a deficiency in these courses, the required courses must be completed during the first year of graduate study.