The graduate program in Cell and Molecular Biology is an interdisciplinary degree-granting program that involves over 100 faculty members from 17 departments and 6 colleges who share common interests in cell and molecular biology. The PhD program includes core coursework in molecular genetics and cell biology and rigorous and reproducible research. Elective courses cover specialized areas, including grant writing, ethical conduct of research and statistics. Two alternating graduate seminar series allow students to present their research and to attend presentations by CSU faculty and nationally prominent scientists. Core courses typically are completed during the first year and most students advance to candidacy by the end of their 5th semester. The PhD degree can generally be completed within five years. There is an option to include a Cancer Biology Specialization.
Most students admitted to the PhD program rotate through three laboratories in their first year to identify a PhD advisor. Current focus areas of research include, but are not limited to, Cancer Biology; Gene Expression; Genome Structure, Evolution & Repair; Infectious Disease; Metabolism & Physiology; Microbiomes; Plant Molecular Biology; Prions & Neurobiology; Stem Cells & Development; Synthetic Biology and STEM Communication. Students are encouraged to complete coursework in computational/quantitative approaches, and an emphasis is placed on effective communication with various audiences. The CMB program supports a student association and aims to create an inclusive and welcoming culture for all.
Students interested in this program should refer to the Graduate and Professional Bulletin or visit the Cell and Molecular Biology website for further details.
Program Learning Objectives
Graduates from our program will have strong foundations in core cell and molecular biology principles, state-of-the-art training in technical laboratory and computational skills, and leadership and communication skills necessary for professional achievement. After completing the Ph.D. program, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate and apply detailed knowledge of the molecular processes by which genetic material is replicated, expressed, and regulated and/or the cellular processes involved in membrane formation, organelle biogenesis, cell communication/shape/motility and how these are linked with growth, aging, and death.
- Evaluate primary research papers in the field of cell and molecular biology, including discerning the major questions/hypotheses being addressed, critically interpreting the data presented, assessing whether the conclusions are adequately supported by evidence, and relating the findings to the broader context and significance in the field.
- Apply appropriate, ethical, and technically competent research practices to generate and analyze data and determine statistical and biological relevance.
- Write publication-quality scientific manuscripts in the field of cell and molecular biology based on research findings.
- Formulate new hypotheses based on the literature in the field of cell and molecular biology and design appropriate experimental and analytical approaches to test them and refine those approaches/hypotheses based on initial findings.
Institutional Learning Objectives
The curriculum for the program is aligned with CSU’s institutional learning objectives (creativity, reasoning, communication, responsibility, and collaboration) in the following ways:
- First, through a combination of coursework and research experience, students will be trained to develop novel hypotheses that address fundamental questions in the field of cell and molecular biology and/or design creative approaches to test those hypotheses.
- Second, students will develop critical thinking and reasoning skills to interpret findings from the scientific literature and their own research data.
- Third, students will gain experience in multiple modes of science communication, including writing (research papers and literature reviews), oral presentations (talks at program seminars and research conferences), and visualization (figures in papers, talk slides, and poster presentations).
- Fourth, students will become responsible members of the scientific community through mentorship, workshops, and courses on ethical, rigorous, and reproducible conduct of research.
- Fifth, students will complete their studies within a collaborative and interdisciplinary environment with a curriculum designed to support cohorts of students distributed across colleges, departments and campuses at CSU.
Effective Fall 2024
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CM 510 | Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology | 1 |
| CM 544/MIP 544 | Reproducible Biomedical Research Methods | 3 |
| CM 792 | Cell and Molecular Biology Seminar 1, 2 | 4-10 |
| CM 793 | Seminar 1, 2 | 4-10 |
| Select one course from the following: | 4 | |
| Molecular Genetics | ||
| Molecular Regulation of Cell Function | ||
| Independent Study and Dissertation (select a minimum of 6 credits): | 6-30 | |
| Independent Study 2 | ||
| Dissertation 2 | ||
| Ethics Elective (see list below) | 1-3 | |
| Statistics Elective (see list below) | 3 | |
| Topics Elective (see list below) | 1 | |
| Writing Elective (see list below) | 1 | |
| Cell & Molecular Biology Elective 3 | 3 | |
| Master's Degree Credit (a maximum of 30 credits may be accepted from a master's degree) | 30 | |
| Program Total Credits: | 72 | |
A minimum of 72 credits are required to complete this program.
Ethics Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select at least one course from the following: | ||
| BC 601 | Responsible Conduct in Biochemistry | 1 |
| GRAD 544 | Ethical Conduct of Research | 1 |
| MIP 554 | Research Policies and Regulations | 1 |
| NSCI 575/GRAD 575 | Ethical Issues in Big Data Research (preferred course) | 1 |
Statistics Electives
A minimum of 3 credits are required. This list is not exhaustive.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ERHS 535 | R Programming for Research | 3 |
| ERHS 537A | R Programming: Research I | 1 |
| ERHS 537B | R Programming: Research II | 2 |
| ERHS 544/STAT 544 | Biostatistical Methods for Quantitative Data | 3 |
| STAR 501 | Data Wrangling/Visualization for Researchers | 2 |
| STAR 502 | Multivariate Analysis for Researchers | 2 |
| STAR 511 | Design and Data Analysis for Researchers I | 4 |
| STAR 512 | Design and Data Analysis for Researchers II | 4 |
| STAR 513 | Regression Models for Researchers | 2 |
| STAR 514 | Experimental Design/Analysis for Researchers | 2 |
| STAR 531 | Generalized Regression Models for Researchers | 2 |
| STAR 532 | Mixed Models for Researchers | 2 |
| STAR 534 | Machine Learning for Researchers | 2 |
| STAT 540 | Data Analysis and Regression | 3 |
| VS 562 | Applied Data Analysis | 3 |
| VS 733 | Advanced Veterinary Epidemiology | 4 |
Topics Electives
Topics Electives provide guided practice in reading, interpreting, and critiquing scientific literature relevant to the field of Cell & Molecular Biology. A minimum of 1 credit is required.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Preferred Course: | ||
| CM 700 | Critical Analysis of Scientific Literature | 1 |
| Courses that may substitute for CM 700 (select in consultation with advisor: | ||
| BMS 796A/NB 796C | Group Study: Topics in Neuroscience | 1-4 |
| BMS 796B | Group Study: Cardiopulmonary Physiology | 1-18 |
| BMS 796C | Group Study: Reproductive Physiology | 1-18 |
| BSPM 502B | Topics in Plant Pathology: Plant Bacteriology | 1 |
| CHEM 651B | Special Topics in Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry | 1-4 |
| FSHN 650A | Recent Developments in Human Nutrition: Topics in Community Nutrition | 2 |
| FSHN 650B | Recent Developments in Human Nutrition: Carbohydrates, Lipids, and Energy | 2 |
| FSHN 650C | Recent Developments in Human Nutrition: Genomic, Proteomics, and Metabolomics | 2 |
| MIP 700 | Topics in Microbiology | 1 |
| SOCR 730 | Topics in Plant Breeding and Genetics | 1 |
Writing Electives
A minimum of 1 credit is required.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BC 701 | Grant Proposal Writing and Reviewing | 1 |
| BSPM 530/SOCR 530 | Scientific Writing | 1 |
| BZ 544 | Presenting Research in Biology | 2 |
| HES 700 | Professional Skills in Bioenergetics | 3 |
| MIP 643 | Grant Writing for Microbiology/Pathology | 1 |
| MIP 666 | Writing Scientific Manuscripts | 3 |
| NB 771 | Writing, Submitting, and Reviewing Grants | 1 |
Cell & Molecular Biology Electives
A minimum of 3 credits of electives related to the student's research area are required. Some possible options are listed, but this list is not exhaustive.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AB 511 | Microbiome of Plant Systems | 3 |
| ANEQ 505 | Microbiome of Animal Systems | 3 |
| ANEQ 545 | Molecular Methods in Animal Genetics | 3 |
| ANEQ 575 | Computational Biology in Animal Breeding | 3 |
| BC 511 | Structural Biology I | 4 |
| BC 563 | Molecular Genetics | 4 |
| BC 565 | Molecular Regulation of Cell Function | 4 |
| BC 571 | Quantitative Biochemistry | 1 |
| BC 611 | Structural Biology II | 2 |
| BC 663 | Gene Expression | 2 |
| BC 665A | Advanced Topics in Cell Regulation: Microscopic Methods | 2 |
| BZ 565/MIP 565 | Next Generation Sequencing Platform/Libraries | 1 |
| BIOM 525/MECH 525 | Cell and Tissue Engineering | 3 |
| BIOM 533/CIVE 533 | Biomolecular Tools for Engineers | 3 |
| BMS 500 | Mammalian Physiology I | 4 |
| BMS 501 | Mammalian Physiology II | 4 |
| BZ 570 | Molecular Aspects of Plant Development | 3 |
| BZ 576/BZ 476 | Genetics of Model Organisms | 4 |
| CBE 560 | Engineering of Protein Expression Systems | 3 |
| DSCI 511 | Genomics Data Analysis in Python | 2 |
| DSCI 512 | RNA-Sequencing Data Analysis | 1 |
| MIP 530 | Advanced Molecular Virology | 4 |
| MIP 543 | RNA Biology | 3 |
| MIP 545 | Microbial Metagenomics/Genomics Data Analysis | 2 |
| MIP 670 | Molecular Immunology and Immunogenetics | 3 |
| MIP 730/ERHS 730 | Principles of Flow Cytometry & Cell Sorting | 2 |
| NB 503/BMS 503 | Developmental Neurobiology | 3 |
| NB 501 | Cellular and Molecular Neurophysiology | 2 |
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Students must complete at least one credit from each CM 795 and CM 799, and select enough independent study, dissertation, seminar, and other elective course credits to bring the program total to a minimum of 72 credits, with approval of graduate advisory committee.
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Course selection depends on each student's focus within Cell & Molecular Biology and must be approved by the student's graduate advisory committee.
For more information, please visit Requirements for All Graduate Degrees in the Graduate and Professional Bulletin.
Summary of Procedures for the Master's and Doctoral Degrees
NOTE: Each semester the Graduate School publishes a schedule of deadlines. Deadlines are available on the Graduate School website. Students should consult this schedule whenever they approach important steps in their careers.
Forms are available online.
| Step | Due Date |
|---|---|
| 1. Application for admission (online) | Six months before first registration |
| 2. Diagnostic examination when required | Before first registration |
| 3. Appointment of advisor | Before first registration |
| 4. Selection of graduate committee | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 5. Filing of program of study (GS Form 6) | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 6. Preliminary examination (Ph.D. and PD) | Two terms prior to final examination |
| 7. Report of preliminary examination (GS Form 16) - (Ph.D. and PD) | Within two working days after results are known |
| 8. Changes in committee (GS Form 9A) | When change is made |
| 9. Application for Graduation (GS Form 25) | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 9a. Reapplication for Graduation (online) | Failure to graduate requires Reapplication for Graduation (online) for the next time term for which you are applying |
| 10. Submit thesis or dissertation to committee | At least two weeks prior to the examination or at the discretion of the graduate committee |
| 11. Final examination | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 12. Report of final examination (GS Form 24) | Within two working days after results are known; refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 13. Submit a signed Thesis/Dissertation Submission Form (GS Form 30) to the Graduate School and Submit the Survey of Earned Doctorates (Ph.D. only) prior to submitting the electronic thesis/dissertation | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website. |
| 14. Submit the thesis/dissertation electronically | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 15. Graduation | Ceremony information is available from the Graduate School website |