Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, Ph.D.

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Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology is an interdisciplinary program. Study programs lead to the Doctor of Philosophy degree. Additionally, medical students 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 research areas of physiology, pharmacology, molecular biology, and cell biology.

Contact Information

Robert Renden, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Director, Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology Graduate Program
Physiology and Cell Biology/MS 0352
Anderson Health Sciences Room 105F
University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine
1664 North Virginia St.
Reno, NV 89557

Office: 775-784-4352
Lab: 775-784-4351 (AHS 110)
e-mail: rendenr@med.unr.edu
Physiology and Cell Biology Website: https://med.unr.edu/directory/robert-renden

Graduate Handbook *

Brief Introduction

The highly interactive program offers a wide range of study options dealing with contemporary research areas of physiology, pharmacology, molecular biology, and cell biology.

Program Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes

The program is designed to prepare the student for a competitive career in academic, government, or private industry research in contemporary pharmacology, physiology, or cell biology. A flexible, multidisciplinary basic sciences curriculum, combined with advanced coursework, provides the foundation of knowledge needed for subsequent research activities. Individual laboratory attention by the faculty allows the student to develop skills in experimental design, execution, and analysis; statistics; literature searching; grant writing; manuscript preparation; oral presentations; and laboratory management.

Admission Requirements

Applicants are expected to have a B.A. or B.S. in Biology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Chemistry or a similar discipline, with at least a 3.0 undergraduate grade point average (4-point system). The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) general exam is not required. A competitive Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam (Internet only) score is also required for students for whom English is their second language, with the following minimum scores: Reading 23, Listening 19, Speaking 23, Writing 24.

I. Program Requirements

* Curriculum requirements described in this catalog supersede the handbook.

a. Course Requirements

The minimum requirements for a Ph.D. are set at 71 graduate credits including at least 41 credits in course work. A maximum of 24 credits of course work (with grades of “B” or better) from a master’s degree program may be allocated toward the doctoral degree.

i. Required Courses (32 units)

The following courses (32 units) are required by the CMPP Graduate Program unless waived by the student’s Advisory / Examination Committee and the Executive Committee.

BCH 705 - Molecular Genetics (3 units)
CMPP 770 - Research Rotation (3 units) (6 units required)
CMPP 790 - Seminar (1 unit) (6 units required)
CMPP 794 - Colloquium (1 unit) (6 units required)
CMPP 795 - Comprehensive Examination (1 unit)
PCB 711 - Systems Physiology (5 units)
PHAR 710 - Molecular Pharmacology (3 units)
PHAR 725 - Ethics and Scientific Research (2 units)

ii. Elective Courses (9 units)

Nine elective units, to be selected/recommended by the student and the Advisory/Examination Committee, are required.

BCH 613 - Molecular Biophysics (3 units)
CHS 780 - Biostatistics in Public Health (3 units)
CMB 710 - Molecular Cell Biology (3 units)
CMPP 740 - Neuroeffector Pharmacology (3 units)
PHAR 730 - Introduction to Imaging and Optics (3 units)
PHAR 750 - Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Excitability (3 units)
PHAR 770 - Reproductive Pharmacology (3 units)
BCH 703 - Grant Writing for Molecular Biosciences (2 units)
BCH 705 - Molecular Genetics (3 units)
BCH 706 - Functional Genomics (3 units)
BCH 707 - Protein Structure and Function (3 units)
BCH 709 - Introduction to Bioinformatics (3 units)
BCH 740 - Enzymology (3 units)
MICR 700 - Biotechnology Today and Tomorrow (2 units)
MICR 780 - Introductory Cellular Immunology (3 units)

III. Dissertation (30 units)

Thirty dissertation units are required.

CMPP 799 - Dissertation (1 to 24 units)

b. Additional Program Requirements

All students working toward the doctoral degree must pass a comprehensive examination in which the student independently proposes a research project in the form of a written research grant proposal. The comprehensive exam is one (1) credit and will count toward the 71 credits required for the Ph.D. The comprehensive exam will also count toward the required 41 credits of 700-level course work. Following acceptance of the 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.

The written dissertation must describe the research project carried out by the student and must be approved by the student’s Advisory/Examination Committee. Following this approval, all doctoral degree candidates must present a public research seminar on their dissertation 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. Refer to the “Combined M.D./Ph.D.” description in the Division of Health Sciences section of this catalog for more information.

Graduate fellowships for the Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology program are available on a competitive basis. Contact the program office for more information.