http://www.utdallas.edu/nsm/biology/
Professors: Hans Bremer (emeritus),
Lee A. Bulla, Santosh R. D�Mello,
Rockford K. Draper, Juan E. Gonz�lez, Donald M. Gray,
Stephen D. Levene, Betty S. Pace, Lawrence J. Reitzer, C. S. Rupert (emeritus), Li Zhang
Associate Professors: Gail A.M.
Breen, John G. Burr, Jeff L. DeJong, Ernest M.
Hannig, Dennis L. Miller, Stephen Spiro�
Assistant Professors: Tianbing Xia
Senior Lecturers: Vincent P. Cirillo, Robert Marsh, John Moltz,
Scott A. Rippel, Illya Sapoznikov, Wen-ho Yu
Objectives
The Graduate Program offers
training in those aspects of molecular and cell biology that are the bases of
modern biological and biomedical sciences.
The Master of Science degree
is designed for students who wish to learn the methodology of research in
molecular and cell biology and the fundamentals of problem solving in these
areas.
The Master of Science degree
without thesis is intended for students who wish to acquire a working knowledge
of biotechnology, for other students who seek to gain knowledge of modern
biology without the intent to seek positions as technical laboratory personnel,
and for those students who are seeking additional preparation for admission to
professional schools.
The Master of Arts in Teaching degree in Science Education with a specialization
in Biology is designed to strengthen the knowledge of high school teachers in
fundamental aspects of biology and to bring them up to date on advances in this
rapidly developing field. For further information on this program and for
course descriptions, see the Science/Mathematics Education section of this
catalog.
The Doctor of Philosophy
degree with a major in Molecular and Cell Biology is appropriate for students
who show a potential for originality in research and is designed to develop a
critical and analytical understanding of current developments which will enable
them to keep abreast of the rapid advances that are likely to occur in the
biological and biomedical fields.
The M.S. and Ph.D. degree
plans offer students the opportunity to prepare for academic careers in
colleges and universities including medical and dental schools, and for careers
in industrial, hospital, public health, environmental and governmental
laboratories and organizations.
First-year students will
normally complete a body of core courses that emphasize fundamental aspects of
biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology, and cell biology. Students may
then proceed to advanced course work in any of these four general areas.
Elective courses are open to all qualified students as recommended by their
supervising committees. First year students are also encouraged to participate
in rotations through research laboratories (required for Ph.D.-track students).
In the second year, research
is initiated under the supervision of one or more of the Molecular and Cell
Biology faculty. The faculty and their research interests are listed below.
Prospective students should recognize that it is possible to do research in
closely related areas not mentioned in this list, provided a faculty member is
prepared to supervise the work.
Gail A.M. Breen,
Isolation and characterization of the genes that code for proteins of the
mammalian mitochondrion; mitochondrial biogenesis; eukaryotic gene regulation.
Lee A. Bulla, Molecular basis of biopesticides.
John G. Burr,
Eukaryotic growth regulation; mechanism of viral oncogenic
transformation.
Santosh D�Mello,
Molecular control of neuronal apoptosis
Jeff L. DeJong,
Eukaryotic transcription; initiation and activation of RNA polymerase II.
Rockford K. Draper, Membrane
traffic; protein toxins; bio-nanotechnology
Juan E. Gonz�lez,
Cell-cell interactions, role of exopolysaccharides in
nodulation of legumes by rhizobia; molecular genetics
of plant-microbe interactions.
Donald M. Gray, Study of nucleic
acids and single-strand DNA binding proteins.
Ernest M. Hannig,
Control of protein synthesis; genetic and biochemical analysis of translation
initiation factors; protein-protein interactions.
Stephen D. Levene,
Structure and dynamics of nucleic acids and nucleic acid-protein complexes in
solution.
Dennis L. Miller,
Structure and organization of mitochondrial DNA; mitochondrial gene expression;
RNA editing; mitochondrial biogenesis.
Betty S. Pace, Gene therapy, sickle
cell disease.
Lawrence J. Reitzer, Regulation of gene expression and metabolism
in prokaryotes.
Stephan Spiro,
Regulation of bacterial gene expression by environmental signals; genetic and
physiological adaptation to stress.
Tianbing Xia, molecular recognition; RNA structure
and RNA-protein interaction; conformational dynamics; femtochemistry
Zhang, Li, molecular mechanisms of
cell signaling, heme signaling and oxygen sensing,
genomics, and systems biology
Major
items of equipment used by the faculty and available for graduate student
research include a Leica TCS SP2 AOBS confocal microscope system, ThermoFinnigan
LC QDECA XP ion trap mass spectrometer, complete Spectra-Physics femtosecond laser system, Becton Dickson fluorescence
activated cell sorter, Veeco MultiMode
SPM atomic force microscope, Perkin Elmer DNA chip reader, Molecular Dynamics PhosphoImagers, BioRad real-time
polymerase chain reaction instruments, Beckman scintillation counters and
Optima ultracentrifuges, and a Jasco J-715 spectropolarimeter. Individual laboratories are
well-equipped with instrumentation needed for research in molecular and cell
biology, including thermal cyclers, spectrophotometers, chromatography and
electrophoresis systems, chemical hoods, and mammalian cell culture facilities.
Other shared biology
facilities include environmental chambers, a staffed media kitchen with
autoclaves and washing machines, a darkroom with an x-ray film developer, and
an electronics workshop. There is a modern research animal housing facility on
campus, as well as a GE 500 MHz FT multinuclear magnetic resonance
spectrometer.
The University�s general
admission requirements are discussed here.
For full participation in the
Graduate Program in Molecular and Cell Biology, the student should have a good
background in calculus, general physics, organic chemistry, biochemistry, and
general biology, including genetics. Entering students not having this
background may be required to take some additional course work in their first
year or in the summer immediately preceding entry. A minimum GRE score of 1000
(verbal plus quantitative) is advisable based on our experience with student
success in the program.
The University�s general
degree requirements are discussed here.
Upon satisfactory completion
of the core courses (and, for Ph.D. candidates, a favorable evaluation
following the Spring semester as described below), a
Supervising Committee is appointed for each student (except non-thesis M.S.
students) based upon mutual agreement between student and faculty. The
Supervising Committee, with the Supervising Professor as chairperson, will help
the student plan an elective course curriculum and will oversee the student�s
research and thesis or dissertation.
All students seeking the
Master of Science degree in Molecular and Cell Biology must satisfactorily
complete a total of at least 36 graduate semester hours which must include the
following core courses: BIOL 5410, BIOL 5420, BIOL 5430, and BIOL 5440.
M.S. students intending to
submit a thesis must, in addition to the core courses specified above,
satisfactorily complete a further 20 hours of Biology courses which includes
BIOL 6193, BIOL 8398, and a minimum of 6 credit hours of general electives for
which a letter grade is assigned. The remainder of the credit hours usually
reflects experimental research but may also be based on literature research as
determined by mutual agreement of the student and Supervising Committee. For
M.S. (thesis) students, the maximum number of Pass/Fail credits allowed within
the 36 credit hour minimum is 13 semester credit hours.
M.S. (non-thesis) students
must, in addition to the core courses specified, satisfactorily complete a
minimum of four general elective courses in Biology (for which a letter grade
is assigned) for a minimum of 9 credit hours, up to 11 semester credit hours of
special electives, and/or, with approval of the Graduate Adviser, other
graduate courses. For non-thesis M.S. students, the maximum number of Pass/Fail
credits allowed within the 36 credit hour minimum is 11 semester credit hours.
A Master of Science Degree in Biotechnology
is also offered through the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology.
In addition to the
above Master of Science Degrees, a Master of Science in Bioinformatics and
Computational Biology (BCBM) is offered jointly by the Departments of
Mathematical Sciences and Molecular and Cell Biology. This program combines
coursework from the disciplines of biology, computer science, and mathematical sciences.
Faculty from both Mathematical Sciences (MMS) and Molecular and Cell Biology
(MCB) participate in the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology program, with
the Mathematical Sciences Department serving as the administrative unit. Both
departments participate in advising students.
See the Department of Mathematical
Sciences for more information on this degree program.
All Ph.D. students must
satisfactorily complete a total of at least 90 credit hours beyond the
bachelor�s degree. Generally, all core courses are mandatory. In special cases
the requirement for a core course can be substituted, but only with the
permission of the instructor and the graduate adviser, and usually only after
examination. Students must include a minimum of four general elective courses
in Biology (for which a letter grade is assigned) for a minimum of 9 credit
hours. After core courses BIOL 5410, BIOL 5420, BIOL 5430 and BIOL 5440 [and,
in addition, two laboratory rotations, BIOL 6V02 �(The
Art of Scientific Presentation) and BIOL 6193] have been completed, students
are evaluated following the Spring semester. The evaluation is based upon
performance in the core classes, laboratory rotations, and performance as
teaching assistants (if applicable). Students who pass this evaluation must
then pass an oral qualifying examination within three semesters to determine
the student�s aptitude for continuation of dissertation research. A
dissertation defense will be conducted after the dissertation has been written.
All students are required to submit a minimum of one manuscript for publication
in an internationally recognized, peer-reviewed scientific journal. There is no
foreign language requirement.