Program
Guidelines
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Introduction Printable
version of Program Guidelines (Requires Adobe
Acrobat Reader) The Molecular & Cellular Biology Ph.D. Program at The University of Iowa is an interdepartmental program whose course of study leads to a Ph.D. degree in Molecular & Cellular Biology. The Program does not offer a Master’s degree (M.S.). A total of 73 faculty members participate in the Program and may direct the Ph.D. thesis research of molecular & cellular biology graduate students. The primary departmental affiliations of the faculty include the Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Dermatology, Internal Medicine, Microbiology, Ophthalmology, Orthodontics, Neurology, Pathology, Pediatrics, Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, and Radiation Oncology. As a member of the Molecular & Cellular Biology graduate program, you will receive full stipend and tuition support for the entire period of your graduate study at The University of Iowa, assuming that you remain in good academic standing and make good progress toward your dissertation. Although students are appointed as half-time Research Assistants, this award represents a full-time appointment as a graduate student in the Molecular & Cellular Biology Program. You are expected to commit full effort to progress toward your degree. Consequently, students with Graduate Research Assistantships are not permitted to work for financial support outside the Program. The curriculum is a sequence of required and elective courses, which provides students with a broad exposure to areas including molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, and integrative sciences. It ensures a comprehensive exposure to conceptual and experimental aspects of molecular & cellular biology. In addition, sufficient flexibility is provided so that students can adapt the program to permit specialization in their own area of interest. Flexibility in the program is particularly important due to the great diversity of biological research problems, which can be pursued using molecular biological approaches. It is expected that entering students will have a solid background in chemistry and mathematics, as well as the biological sciences. Prospective students should have taken undergraduate courses in introductory biology and chemistry, biochemistry, genetics, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, and calculus. Deficiencies in a particular area, as determined by the Graduate Student Affairs Committee, can be remediated by completion of appropriate courses during the first year of graduate study. Required Courses: To obtain the appropriate background knowledge and exposure the following courses are required:
Biochemistry / Chemistry or Pharmacology / Physiology core requirement (3 s.h. min.): Biochemistry / Chemistry selections: 099:241/242 Biophysical Chemistry (offered Fall and Spring) Pharmacology / Physiology selections: 071:135 Principles of Pharmacology (Spring)
Elective Courses: All students are required to take elective courses totaling at least 6 semester hours. These courses are selected from a list of courses approved by the Graduate Student Affairs Committee. Other courses may be taken for credit as elective courses upon approval of the Graduate Student Affairs Committee or the Director of the Program. The following courses are currently approved as electives in Molecular & Cellular Biology. The Graduate Student Affairs Committee reviews new offerings and remains open to new ideas for courses. EXAMPLES OF ELECTIVE COURSES AVAILABLE
Research Students are encouraged to obtain a maximum of laboratory research experience during the first two years of their graduate studies. To ensure that students will obtain early involvement in laboratory research, students are required to register for research credits during the first year of graduate school. Rotation Schedule (all dates are approximate): 1st rotation September 1* - November 30 * Some students may take about a week more to identify their 1st rotation lab During the first semester, the student identifies specific laboratories in which to conduct these research rotations after he/she has (a) discussed possible projects with at least several Program faculty members and (b) consulted with the Graduate Student Affairs Committee and the Director of the Program. It is recommended that students avoid finalizing all three laboratory rotation commitments prematurely, as it is often better to remain flexible and allow your choices to be guided by your experiences in both class and lab through the first year. At the end of the first and second semester, each student gives a short oral presentation (10-15 minutes) describing his/her rotation research project at the weekly Molecular & Cellular Biology workshop series. By the end of the Spring semester, students usually select a single laboratory for continued research in the second year. Typically, the research conducted during the second year forms the basis for a Ph.D. thesis project in the subsequent years. Upon successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination, taken at the end of the second year (see below), students are expected to devote the major portion of their effort toward their thesis research. An important aspect of your doctoral training includes gaining experience and proficiency in teaching and effectively communicating information to others. In order to meet this goal, all students in the program will have a one-semester teaching requirement. This teaching requirement must be met prior to your final thesis defense and graduation. It is recommended that it occur in year 3 following completion of the comprehensive exam. Academic Misconduct: Any form of cheating or plagiarism with respect to curricula, coursework, or examinations is grounds for dismissal from the Program. Plagiarism is defined as the act of taking another’s ideas, words, or creative works and presenting them as your own, or presenting them without proper attribution. Sexual Harassment: The University of Iowa has specific guidelines and regulations on sexual harassment. These guidelines are available from the University and should be reviewed by all members of the Molecular & Cellular Biology Program. They are also posted on the University web site: Supervision of Graduate Studies Program Chairperson: The Director of the Program provides overall supervision of the graduate studies, including helping students to select (a) their research rotations in the first year and (b) their Ph.D. thesis research advisor at the beginning of the second year. Students are encouraged to freely consult with the Program Director. Graduate Student Affairs Committee: This committee oversees the program of courses and directs the course of study for 1st and 2nd year students. The Committee evaluates undergraduate transcripts to ensure that prerequisites have been fulfilled and recommends remedial courses as needed. It reviews and evaluates new and current courses and approves new courses as electives as needed. The Committee reviews the progress of each student during the pre-comps phase of study and meets each semester with students individually to discuss this matter. In general, the Committee advises students on course requirements and research activities during their first two years. Students are encouraged to freely consult with the members of this Committee. Ph.D. Thesis Advisor: Upon successful completion of the first year of studies, the student identifies a member of the Molecular & Cellular Biology faculty with whom to conduct research during the second year. It is expected that this faculty member will serve as the student’s Ph.D. thesis advisor. The advisor is selected by mutual consent of the student and the faculty member after consultation with the Program Director and the Graduate Student Affairs Committee. Program Office: The Molecular & Cellular Biology Ph.D. Program shares office space with the interdisciplinary graduate program in Immunology. This office is located in room 1190 Medical Laboratories. It provides administrative and secretarial support for the Program Director, the Program committees, and the Program course instructors. It also has information about the Molecular & Cellular Biology Ph.D. Program, materials for applying to the Program, and forms for completing coursework registration, for taking the comprehensive and final exams, and for other documentation associated with your status as a graduate student. It is a great place to start if you have any questions about the official or institutional aspects of being a graduate student at The University of Iowa. Dissertation Committee Membership Before beginning the fourth semester (Year 2, Spring semester) of graduate training in the Program, the student shall identify his/her Dissertation Committee. The function of the Dissertation Committee is to advise and counsel the student during the research phase of training. The Dissertation Committee members will be chosen by the student in close consultation with the Thesis Advisor. The Thesis Advisor and three faculty members of the Dissertation Committee shall be active members of the Molecular & Cellular Biology Ph.D. Program. At least two different University Departments are always represented among these four Molecular & Cellular Biology Program faculty. The fifth member of the Dissertation Committee shall be a graduate faculty member from outside the Program.This Committee must be approved by the Graduate Student Affairs Committee and the Program Director. Ph.D. Dissertation Plan A Dissertation Plan shall be written and presented to the Dissertation Committee and the Comprehensive Examination Chair by March 15 (Year 2, Spring semester). The Plan shall describe the dissertation research project, including any pilot studies that have been carried out as part of the student’s research experience. Typically, the Plan is the foundation for the student’s Ph.D. dissertation research project. It is expected that this Plan shall arise from extensive discussions that have occurred while the student has been working in the laboratory of the Thesis Advisor; however, the Plan itself must be prepared independently by the student. The Plan must be the product of the student’s original and independent preparation. Students may consult with other students, post-docs, and faculty who are not members of his/her Dissertation Committee. The Plan should be prepared using the narrative elements found in an individual NIH research grant (PHS398 R01) – including Specific Aims, Background & Significance, Research Design & Methods. Instructions for writing NIH grants can be obtained from most Molecular & Cellular Biology faculty or from the University’s Office for Sponsored Programs. A suggested format for each Plan is as follows: Cover sheet: lists the plan’s title, the student’s name, the submission date, and the committee signature area (Program Office will provide this form). The Plan should be 10-12 pages using a double-spaced format with 1 inch margins and a 12 point font size. The page limit encompasses only parts A through C described above (excluding Figures).The best research proposals are simply and clearly written and have been revised by the student several times to achieve the most concise presentation. The Plan must be submitted to the Program Office for distribution to the Dissertation Committee at least one week prior to the oral presentation. The Thesis Advisor and Dissertation Committee must sign and approve submission and presentation of the Dissertation Plan. This meeting constitutes the student’s first Dissertation Committee meeting. If any significant revisions are requested by the Committee, they shall be due subsequent to the Comprehensive Examination and shall not delay progression to the Comprehensive Examination. Committee approval indicates that the student has given an acceptable first presentation of his/her dissertation research project. The Plan and its signed cover sheet shall be included in the student’s academic dossier found in the Program Office.
Following presentation and approval of the Dissertation Plan, the student shall complete the Comprehensive Examination. It is a written and oral examination completed by each student by the end of his/her second full year of training in the Program. It is administered by the Comprehensive Examination Committee. Committee Membership: The Comprehensive Examination Committee is the Dissertation Committee excluding the Ph.D. Thesis Advisor. The Chair of the Comprehensive Examination Committee must be an active faculty member in the Molecular & Cellular Biology Program and is chosen by the student in close consultation with the Thesis Advisor. Before beginning the fourth semester (Year 2, Spring semester) of graduate training in the Program, the student shall identify his/her Comprehensive Examination Committee Chair. This Committee Chair must be approved by the Graduate Student Affairs Committee and the Program Director. By February 1, the Program Director should meet with all second year Molecular & Cellular Biology graduate students to (a) describe the examination procedures, (b) discuss expectations for the abstracts, proposals and examination, and (c) answer any questions the students may have about the process. Timetable: Students are expected to complete the Comprehensive Examination, both written and oral components, before the beginning of their third year in the Program. The abstract (see below) can be submitted to the Committee anytime after approval of the Dissertation Plan but must be submitted before May 1. The Comprehensive Examination Committee evaluation of the abstract will be returned to the student within one week. A rejected abstract must be revised and resubmitted within 3 weeks. The abstract must be accepted by majority vote of the Committee before a student can proceed with development of a full proposal, and only two rounds of resubmission are allowed. Following acceptance of the abstract, the student must submit the written proposal within 6 weeks. The Committee may have at least two weeks to review the written document, but the oral presentation to defend the written proposal may be scheduled as early as one week following distribution of the final document to the Committee. Typically, the oral defense examination date is dependent upon the availability of the Committee members. It is expected that all examinations of second year students will be completed by August 15 (end of Year 2 in graduate training). Sample timelines:
Abstract: The student shall provide each member of the Committee with one abstract describing a topic in molecular/cellular biology that may be within the discipline area of his/her thesis research. The abstract/proposal shall not overlap with the student’s research project nor one that he/she has worked on previously. It shall not represent a research project that is being pursued within the laboratory group of the Thesis Advisor. The student may consult with the Comprehensive Examination Committee Chair to discuss the chosen topic and ensure that it represents an appropriate area for development. The abstract should be double-spaced and shall not exceed 5 pages. The abstract should clearly, but briefly, state the purpose of the proposed research, give the specific aims and hypotheses, provide sufficient background to understand the work’s significance, summarize the experiments and list a few key references. The Comprehensive Examination Committee will decide if the abstract proposal is appropriate for development into a full proposal for subsequent examination. In particular, the Committee will judge whether the proposal is sufficiently distinct from the student’s Dissertation Plan and from ongoing research projects in the Thesis Advisor’s lab. If the abstract proposal is judged too overlapping, or it is obviously flawed or poorly developed, then the student will be asked to prepare another abstract. The Committee may need to meet to more fully discuss the submitted abstract. It may also request to meet with the student to more fully discuss the abstract. When the abstract is accepted by the Exam Committee, the student may write the full non-thesis proposal as described below. Research Proposal: For the Comprehensive Exam, the student prepares and orally defends a written research proposal. The proposal must be the product of the student’s original and independent preparation and must be on a topic in molecular /cellular biology that may be within the discipline area of his/her thesis research. Ideas for this proposal may arise from seminars, coursework, journal clubs, and/or the current literature. The student’s thesis advisor shall have no input whatsoever into the development and preparation of this proposal. Students are encouraged to consult with other students, post-docs, and faculty who are not members of his/her Comprehensive Exam Committee. A “mock” practice exam with fellow students just prior to the actual Comprehensive Exam is strongly recommended. Cover sheet: lists the plan’s title, the student’s name, and the submission date. The proposal should not exceed 20 pages. It should be prepared with a double-spaced format using 1 inch margins and a 12 point font size. The 20-page limit encompasses parts A through C described above (including Figures). The best proposals are simply and clearly written and have been revised by the student several times to achieve the most concise presentation. The proposals shall not include the personnel and financial pages of a conventional NIH grant. The final version of the non-thesis proposal must be submitted to each exam committee member at least two weeks before the examination. General Knowledge: Questioning by the Comprehensive Examination Committee is not strictly limited to the topics presented in the proposal. This examination is intended to test the student’s knowledge of important background material or subject matter needed for a full interpretation of the proposed experiments. As described in the Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College, The University of Iowa: “This examination, administered only on campus, is intended to be an inclusive evaluation of the candidate’s mastery of the major and related fields of study, including the tools of research in which competence has been certified.” In practice, the examination will usually concentrate on subjects related to the proposal; however, the student should review and be prepared to discuss all aspects of fundamental molecular and cellular biology. The oral examination is usually about two hours in length. Outcomes of the Comprehensive Examination: Based on the student’s performance on the Comprehensive Exam (oral and written), the Exam Committee usually makes one of three possible recommendations to the Graduate College. 1. Satisfactory - The student passes the Comprehensive Examination and proceeds toward completion of the Ph.D. degree. 2. Reservations - The Exam Committee has reservations on minor but essential and significant points. The student is given the opportunity to eliminate these reservations by revising the proposal within a maximum time limit as specified by the Committee. The Comprehensive Examination Committee Chair will inform the student in writing and outline the deficiencies and remedies required to remove the reservations. The Committee may either ask for another meeting with the student or make its decision based on the revised document provided by the student. 3. Unsatisfactory – The Exam Committee identifies major deficiencies, and the student is not recommended for continuation in the Ph.D. program. However in accordance with the Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College, University of Iowa, the student may consult with his/her advisor and opt to make a a second effort to successfully pass the Exam. If the student elects to try a second time, he/she will follow the instructions of the Comprehensive Examination Committee. This may include making additions or revisions to the first proposal, additional preparation for the oral defense of the proposal, or may require development of a new proposal that would require submission of a new original abstract. The revised proposal or new abstract cannot be submitted sooner than four months following the first exam; however, no longer than 6 months after the first Exam can elapse. Where necessary the process and timetable described above is repeated. The same committee will administer this exam. Post-comprehensive examination Dissertation Committee meetings The Dissertation Committee shall meet with the student at least once a year (near the end of the third and subsequent years) and is available for consultation and advice at any time. If at all possible, the student is strongly encouraged to coordinate and to schedule his/her presentation of research at the Molecular & Cellular Biology Workshop with a Dissertation Committee meeting. The annual meetings are intended to help the student (and the advisor) evaluate his/her progress and to anticipate potential problems. The student and mentor must file a brief progress report annually with the Molecular & Cellular Biology Program Office. Prior to actual writing of the Ph.D. thesis, the Committee should review with the student, in a special meeting if needed, all of the material to be incorporated into the dissertation. The purpose of this meeting, which usually occurs 4-6 months before the final examination, is to ensure that the student and the Dissertation Committee agree in general terms on the material to be included in the thesis dissertation. Final Examination for the Ph.D. The written thesis dissertation is prepared and submitted to the Graduate College according to specific guidelines available from the Graduate College. After consultation with the Program Director and the Graduate Student Affairs Committee, the student schedules a seminar in which to present the results of his/her thesis research. A final draft of the thesis dissertation should be given to each member of the Committee at least two weeks before the scheduled date of the seminar/thesis defense. The seminar is open to the public and is announced according to the Graduate College guidelines. Questions, comments, and discussion typically follow the seminar. After the seminar, the student and the Dissertation Committee meet in a closed session for the final oral defense of the thesis. This examination usually lasts 0.5-2 hours and focuses on the research described in the seminar and the thesis dissertation. The outcome of the exam can range from approval to a request for more experiments. In normal situations, the student is expected to finish all of the requirements for the Ph.D., including preparation of the thesis, in less than six years after entry into the Program. Upon successful completion of all degree requirements, including the seminar, evaluation of the written dissertation and successful oral defense of the dissertation, the Ph.D. in Molecular & Cellular Biology is awarded by the Graduate College. Vacations and sick leave Graduate training is a full-time, 12-month professional commitment with your mentor and with the Program. The University policy on vacation and sick leave for graduate research assistants is negotiated with COGS, the graduate student union.
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