Focus on biochemistry and molecular biology in a variety of subject areas. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB) is an interdisciplinary PhD program at Michigan Technological University. Built on the strengths of graduate programs in Biological Sciences, Chemistry, and the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, BMB students and faculty come together to seek answers to some of the world's most pressing problems.
Develop Skills in Demand Worldwide
Society’s growing need to understand and respond to problems at the biochemical and molecular levels is boundless. Researchers are rapidly developing powerful tools in order to analyze and model complex processes and systems in the areas of human health, medicine, forestry, and agriculture. Advancements being made include mapping complete genomes, creating multi-scale computer models, and employing technologies such as pharmacogenomics, or the science of designing specific therapies for people based on individual genomes.
Areas of Interest
- Algal extracellular polymers
- Antisense therapeutics
- Bioinformatics and systems biology
- Biotechnology
- Cancer and MEMS
- Cellular Identity
- Conservation genetics
- Computational biology
- Ecological and population genetics of trees
- Evolution and development of complex animal color patterns in Drosophila
- Evolution of mushroom poison resistance in Drosophila
- Functional genomics of plant defences
- Gene silencing and microRNAs
- Genomics
- Glycobiology
- Histones and bromodomains
- Human diseases including diabetes and cancer
- Human health
- Molecular genetics
- Nanobiomaterials
- Nanotechnology and nanomedicine
- Nucleic acid chemistry
- Phytoremediation
- Plant biology
- Plant genetics and secondary metabolism
- Plant–microbe interactions
- Plant phosphoinositides and phytases
- Plant comparative and functional genomics
- Protein-aggregation diseases and protein misfolding
- Stem cell and tissue engineering and biomaterials
- Synthetic methodologies
- Transcriptional, developmental, and cancer biology
- Tree biotechnology
- Vascular Engineering
Degree Options
Curriculum
Course requirements are designed to ensure that all students have a firm understanding of the fundamentals of biochemistry and molecular biology, including the principles underlying biochemical structure, biochemical dynamics, molecular biology, genomics, and biotechnology. These principles will be covered in three core courses: BMB6010, BMB6020 and BMB6030. The set of core courses will be offered annually; this ensures that students will be able to complete the core courses and be prepared to take the qualifying examinations during their second year.
Required Core Courses
Three 6000-level courses (3 credits each), a seminar course (BMB6040; 1 credit), and doctoral research (BMB6990) will form the core of the curriculum for the BMB doctoral program.
The three core courses, which are developed and team taught by the BMB core faculty, provide the necessary background in the areas of biochemistry and molecular biology, including genomics and biotechnology:
One of the following graduate seminar courses can be substituted for BMB6040:
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Courses
In addition to the core course credits listed above, students may be required to take other courses to provide the breadth and depth necessary for graduate research, depending on their academic background. The necessary courses will be suggested by the student’s advisor in consultation with the advisory committee. The courses may be at the 3000-, 4000-, 5000-, or 6000-level. Students conducting research will enroll in BMB6990. Students will need a total of 60 credits beyond a bachelor’s degree or 30 credits beyond a master’s degree as per Graduate School requirements. The minimum requirement for a student to graduate with BMB degree is 20 credits of BMB6990 and 10 credits of required core courses.
Biological Sciences
Chemistry
Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Advisory Committee
A student’s advisory committee will consist of at least four members of the graduate faculty. At least one of these faculty members will be from outside the student's administrative home department or school. Three members of the advisory committee are required to be BMB faculty.
Proposal Defense
The student will present a proposal followed by an oral defense of the research plan to the advisory committee. The proposal should be submitted within one year of successfully completing the qualifying examinations and no later than the completion of the third year in the PhD program. The student's advisory committee must unanimously agree that the research plan is acceptable.
Doctoral Dissertation and Final Oral Examination
The research conducted by the student will be presented to the advisory committee as a written dissertation. An oral presentation of that dissertation will be made following the completion of the written work. The dissertation is acceptable if the advisor and at least two of the remaining three members of the advisory committee concur on its acceptance.