Molecular and Cellular Biology
Director
- Frederick Domann (Pathology/Radiation Oncology/Surgery)
Affiliated faculty
- Christopher Adams (Internal Medicine/Molecular Physiology and Biophysics), Lee-Ann Allen (Microbiology/Internal Medicine), Nikolai Artemyev (Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences/Molecular Physiology and Biophysics), Sheila Baker (Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences/Biochemistry), Alexander Bassuk (Pediatrics/Neurology), Gail Bishop (Microbiology), Daniel Bonthius (Pediatrics/Neurology), Charles Brenner (Biochemistry), Anil Chauhan (Internal Medicine), Amit Choudhury (Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation/Anatomy and Cell Biology), John Colgan (Internal Medicine/Anatomy and Cell Biology), Robert Cornell (Anatomy and Cell Biology), Beverly Davidson (Internal Medicine/Neurology/Molecular Physiology and Biophysics), Brandon Davies (Biochemistry), Kris DeMali (Biochemistry/Dermatology), Mishtu Dey (Chemistry), Frederick Domann (Pathology/Radiation Oncology/Surgery), Adam Dupuy (Pathology/Anatomy and Cell Biology), John Engelhardt (Internal Medicine/Anatomy and Cell Biology), Rory Fisher (Pharmacology/Internal Medicine), C. Andrew Frank (Anatomy and Cell Biology), Ernesto Fuentes (Biochemistry), Minnetta Gardinier (Pharmacology), Pamela Geyer (Biochemistry/Obstetrics and Gynecology), Paloma Giangrande (Internal Medicine/Radiation Oncology), Apollina Goel (Pathology/Radiation Oncology), Pedro Gonzalez-Alegre (Neurology), Prabhat Goswami (Radiation Oncology), Steven Green (Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery/Biology), Justin Grobe (Pharmacology), Isabella Grumbach (Internal Medicine), Hasem Habelhah (Pathology), Raymond Hohl (Pharmacology/Internal Medicine), Douglas Houston (Biology), Jon Houtman (Microbiology/Internal Medicine), Aloysius Klingelhutz (Microbiology/Radiation Oncology), J. Stacey Klutts (Pathology), Amnon Kohen (Chemistry), John Koland (Pharmacology/Internal Medicine), Gloria Lee (Internal Medicine), Steven Lentz (Internal Medicine), Kimberly Leslie (Obstetrics and Gynecology), Dana Levasseur (Internal Medicine), Fang Lin (Anatomy and Cell Biology), Jim Jung-Ching Lin (Biology), John Manak (Pediatrics/Biology), Wendy Maury (Microbiology), Paul McCray (Microbiology/Internal Medicine/Pediatrics), Stephen McGowan (International Programs/Internal Medicine), James McNamara (Internal Medicine), Jeffery Meier (Internal Medicine), Jessica Moreland (Pediatrics), David Motto (Internal Medicine/Pediatrics), Scott Moye-Rowley (Internal Medicine/Molecular Physiology and Biophysics), Jeffrey Murray (Pediatric Dentistry/International Programs/Epidemiology/Pediatrics/Nursing/Public Policy Center/Biology/Anatomy and Cell Biology), Chioma Okeoma (Microbiology), Bryan Phillips (Biology), Matthew Potthoff (Pharmacology), David Price (Biochemistry), Miles Pufall (Biochemistry), Hank Qi (Anatomy and Cell Biology), Dawn Quelle (Pharmacology/Pathology), Kamal Rahmouni (Pharmacology/Internal Medicine), George Richerson (Neurology/Molecular Physiology and Biophysics), Peter Rubenstein (Internal Medicine/Pediatrics/Biochemistry), Andrew Russo (Molecular Physiology and Biophysics/Neurology), Thomas Rutkowski (Internal Medicine/Anatomy and Cell Biology), Curt Sigmund (Pharmacology/Internal Medicine/Molecular Physiology and Biophysics), Kathleen Sluka (Nursing/Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science), Sarit Smolikove (Biology), Peter Snyder (Internal Medicine/Molecular Physiology and Biophysics), Mark Stamnes (Internal Medicine/Molecular Physiology and Biophysics), Jack Stapleton (Microbiology/Internal Medicine), Stefen Strack (Pharmacology/Pathology), Fayyaz Sutterwala (Internal Medicine), Eric Taylor (Biochemistry), Christie Thomas (Internal Medicine/Obstetrics and Gynecology), Tina Tootle (Anatomy and Cell Biology), Budd Tucker (Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences), Lori Wallrath (Biochemistry), Todd Washington (Radiation Oncology/Biochemistry), Daniel Weeks (Pediatrics/Biochemistry), Michael Welsh (Internal Medicine/Neurosurgery/Molecular Physiology and Biophysics), Mary Wilson (International Programs/Microbiology/Internal Medicine/Epidemiology), Marc Wold (Radiation Oncology/Biochemistry), Charles Yeaman (Internal Medicine/Anatomy and Cell Biology), Joseph Zabner (Internal Medicine), Fenghuang Zhan (Internal Medicine), Weizhou Zhang (Pathology)
Web site: http://molcellbio.grad.uiowa.edu
The Molecular and Cellular Biology Program provides interdisciplinary training in the concepts and methodologies fundamental to the investigation of biological mechanisms at the molecular level. Faculty members are involved in a variety of research projects related to gene expression and regulation.
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Graduate Program of Study
- Doctor of Philosophy in molecular and cellular biology
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Doctor of Philosophy
The Doctor of Philosophy program in molecular and cellular biology requires a minimum of 72 s.h. of graduate credit. The program is sufficiently flexible to accommodate students with a wide range of backgrounds in the biological and physical sciences. Entering students are expected to have a solid background in science, including introductory biology and chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, calculus, genetics, and biochemistry. Students can remedy deficiencies in particular areas by taking appropriate courses during the first year of graduate study.
The curriculum consists of a sequence of required, core, and elective courses that provide didactic training in molecular and cellular biology and that ensure comprehensive exposure to concepts and experimental methodologies in the field. Students engage in laboratory research immediately upon enrollment and progress rapidly to original thesis projects that lead to a Ph.D.
Because of the diversity of biological research problems that can be pursued by employing molecular and cellular approaches, the program provides options for specialization in particular areas of interest.
The Ph.D. in molecular and cellular biology requires the following course work.
Didactic Course Work
All of these:
These, if recommended by the advisor:
Students take electives in addition to the courses listed above to total 18 s.h. of credit in didactic course work.
Seminars and Professional Development
All students take both of these:
Precomprehensive students take this each semester:
Postcomprehensive students take this each semester:
Thesis Research and Dissertation
After successfully completing the comprehensive examination, usually at the end of the second year of graduate study, students advance to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. They devote their time to completing thesis research and writing their Ph.D. dissertation. Upon successful completion of all requirements, including the dissertation and its oral defense, students are awarded a Ph.D. in molecular and cellular biology.
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Admission
For application materials and information about graduate training in molecular and cellular biology, contact the Molecular and Cellular Biology Program or visit its web site.
Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College or the Graduate College section of the Catalog.
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Financial Support
Graduate students in the Molecular and Cellular Biology Program receive stipends and tuition support from institutional and extramural sources, including University of Iowa fellowships and graduate research assistantships, and training grants from the National Institutes of Health.
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Facilities
Training is conducted primarily in laboratories and teaching facilities of the Carver College of Medicine Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Internal Medicine, Microbiology, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Neurology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pathology, Pediatrics, Pharmacology, and Radiation Oncology; and in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Departments of Biology and Chemistry. Faculty laboratories and central research facilities available to students provide access to the most up-to-date research equipment.
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Courses
| 142:215 (MCB:6215) Transcription and Multi-Functional Regulation by RNA | 1 s.h. |
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Principles and techniques for investigating mechanisms of controlling eukaryotic gene expression; basic genome organization, chromatin structure, transcription, RNA processing, translation; cloning methods, use of electronic sequence databases, footprinting, chromatin immunoprecipitation, in vivo and in vitro transcription assays, DNA microarray analysis, information retrieval. Prerequisites: 156:201 (BISC:5201).
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| 142:217 (MCB:6217) Epigenetics, Cancer, and Mouse Models of Disease | 1 s.h. |
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Epigenetic mechanisms of transcriptional control; regulation of chromatin structure and its relation to disease; fundamental concepts in cancer; mouse models for understanding the molecular basis for human disease; based on research publications. Prerequisites: 156:201 (BISC:5201).
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| 142:220 (MCB:6220) Mechanisms of Cellular Organization | 3 s.h. |
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Current understanding of basic cell biological processes; key experiments that led to guiding insights; mechanisms that cells use for compartmentalization and how those mechanisms are regulated; biogenesis of major organelles (e.g., mitochondria, peroxisomes, nucleus, secretory/endocytic membrane system); functions of cytoskeleton in cell motility, organelle motility, and cell division. Prerequisites: 099:130 (BIOC:3130).
Same as 072:220 (MPB:6220), 060:216 (ACB:6220). | | |
| 142:240 (MCB:6240) Inflammatory Cell Signaling and Targeted Cancer Therapy | 1 s.h. |
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Introduction to topics in important cancer signaling pathways; promises and challenges of targeted cancer therapy; emphasis on current fundamental topics in cancer cell signalings; how altered protein ubiquitination/deubiquitination, constitutive activation of proteins kinases, and transcription factors underpin uncontrollable proliferation and survival of cancer cells in tumor microenvironment; translation of knowledge to targeted cancer therapy; promotion of critical thinking. Recommendations: 099:243 (BIOC:5243), 142:225 (MCB:6225), and 142:227 (MCB:6227).
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| 142:280 (MCB:6280) Topics in Molecular and Cellular Biology | 1 s.h. |
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Opportunity to work closely with participating faculty to gain skill in critical reading of research literature and facility in presenting material to an audience. Requirements: advanced graduate standing.
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| 142:290 (MCB:7290) Seminars in Molecular and Cellular Biology | 1 s.h. |
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Research findings in molecular biology. Requirements: molecular and cellular biology graduate standing.
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| 142:299 (MCB:6250) Mechanisms of Parasitism Journal Club | 1 s.h. |
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Reviews of recent publications in molecular parasitology research and thesis research by training grant or journal club students.
Same as 061:299 (MICR:6250). | | |
| 142:305 (MCB:7305) Molecular and Cellular Biology Research | arr. |
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Requirements: molecular and cellular biology graduate standing.
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