Cellular & Molecular Biology
Program Overview
The Cellular and Molecular Biology program is designed to prepare creative research scientists for careers in teaching, research and biotechnology. This program emphasizes in-depth comprehension of experimental design at the cellular and molecular levels of biological organization, as well as competency in current techniques in the discipline. Because of the breadth of the Cellular and Molecular Biology program, faculty members are associated with two sub-programs; Cellular Biology and Structure and Molecular Biology and Genetics.
Specializations include:
signal transduction- biochemistry and pathobiology
- gene regulation
- cell systems biology
- cell and tissue ultrastructure
- membrane structure and function
- molecular aspects of neurobiology and endocrinology
- genetics and metabolism of microorganisms
- virology and immunology
- and enzymology with an emphasis on protein dynamics and folding as well as cytochrome P-450s
Job Placement
Graduates of this program normally face attractive postgraduate training and teaching options, including technical positions in academia, government, and industry as well as teaching positions in institutions of higher education.
Resources for the Cellular & Molecular Biology Program
Faculty in the Cellular & Molecular Biology Graduate Program are drawn from 12 different departments located at Kent State University, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Northeast Ohio Medical University, and The University of Akron. Additional faculty are located at area clinical facilities and hospitals. This multi-departmental and inter-institutional structure of the Cellular and Molecular Biology Program gives doctoral candidates access to the talents of a broadly diverse research faculty as well as significant research facilities and resources. State-of-the-art resources available for doctoral training include facilities for:
- proteomics and genomics
- NMR spectroscopy
- microscopy
- cell and tissue culture
- protein chemistry and structure
- genetics
- cellular imaging
- study of tumor viruses
- and numerous other facilities for the study of cellular and molecular events
Admission to the Cellular & Molecular Biology Program
Applicants to the Cellular and Molecular Biology Program:
- must meet the general program requirements for M.S. or Ph.D.
- have taken undergraduate preparation courses in genetics, chemistry through organic, either physical chemistry or biochemistry, one year of physics and one year of mathematics (including calculus).
A core program of instruction must provide a thorough grounding in the disciplines and techniques that contribute to modern research in Cellular and Molecular Biology. The curricula for each sub discipline –Cellular Biology and Structure and Molecular Biology and Genetics – contains core coursework but also allows flexibility in the selection of additional electives depending upon the interests of the student and the advisor. Additional information can be obtained by contacting the Director of the School of Biomedical Sciences.