First and Second Year Course Requirements
Students
in the IPiB program immediately engage in laboratory rotations during
the first semester with a goal of selecting a laboratory in which to
conduct Ph.D. thesis research. By the second semester, most students
have begun their thesis research. During the second semester, students
assemble their faculty thesis committees and meet to determine overall
curriculum. During the first two years, the coursework requirements are
as follows:
First Year
Fall semester
Biochemistry 660 - Biochemical Techniques
Biochemistry/BMC 701 - Professional Development in Biochemistry
Breadth Requirement - Biological Science Course or Physical Science Course
Laboratory rotations
Laboratory orientation
Spring Semester
Biochemistry 875/BMC 710 - Exploring Biochemical Functions of Macromolecules
Breadth Requirement - Biological Science Course or Physical Science Course
Advanced Seminar
Teaching Requirement*
Second Year
Fall semester
Advanced Seminar
Coursework recommended by committee
Teaching Requirement*
Spring Semester
Prepare preliminary exam proposal
Advanced Seminar
Coursework recommended by committee
*The Program requires two semesters of teaching, normally during the second or third year, to
acquaint graduate students with education methods and provide important teaching
experience.
Course Details
Biochemistry/BMC 701 Professional Development in Biochemistry
This
class provides an introduction to aspects of research including the
scientific method, research documentation, publication, grant writing,
critical thinking, ethics, and societal impact.
Biochemistry/BMC- Biochemical Functions of Macromolecules
This class is directed at offering a two-semester survey of concepts and approaches in
contemporary biochemical research. Teams of faculty members will focus
on research problems utilizing interdisciplinary approaches. Focus
topics include protein structure, enzyme catalysis, gene transcription,
RNA structure and function, metabolism and regulation, biology of the
cell cycle and development, membrane structure and function, virus life
cycles and the immune system.
Breadth
requirement: Students will take one course from a list of physical
science courses and one course from a list of biological sciences courses.
Biochem 660 Biochemical Techniques is focused on understanding biochemical
methods and is taught by individuals utilizing a wide range of methods
in their research.
Advanced Seminar
Departmental Seminar Series
Attending seminars on a wide range of subjects is also part of the formal Ph.D. program. Each year, there are departmental (Biochemistry and a href="http://www.bmolchem.wisc.edu/events">Biomolecular Chemistry)
seminar series with a different focus.
Milestones for the Ph.D. Program
Thesis Committee:
In
consultation with their major professor, students select the faculty
members they would like to have serve on their committee. The first
graduate committee is convened prior to the start of the second year to
consult on coursework and discuss the student's research program.
Annual progress meetings are held until the time of the Ph.D. thesis
defense.
Preliminary examination:
Students complete the preliminary exam by the end of the spring
semester of their second year. The student prepares a written research
proposal along the lines of an NIH grant application. Successful
defense of the proposal advances the student to dissertator status.
Ph.D. defense:
Successful completion of a research program culminates in the written
and oral presentation of the work and its defense to the thesis
committee. Students generally reach this final stage in ~5 years.
MD/PhD Program Link