Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology (PhD)

Admission Requirements and Procedures

Students with at least a baccalaureate degree in physics, chemistry and mathematics or cellular and molecular biology are encouraged to apply.  Admissions are based upon the student’s academic record, CV, letters of recommendation, previous research experience, written statement of interest, and a personal interview.  Applicants who are citizens of countries where English is not the official language (and the Province of Quebec in Canada) are required to submit evidence of English Language proficiency by submitting the official results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A minimum TOEFL score of 600 (paper) or 100 (iBT), or IELTS score of at least 7.00 is required for admission to the Program. We actively seek qualified applicants from underrepresented minorities and students with disability.

Additional information and a link to the online application can be a found at http://www.mbsb.pitt.edu/index.php/apply-for-the-mbsb-program.

Financial Assistance

All students receive complete financial support in the form of stipend, tuition, and health insurance.

Degree Requirements

All students enter the Program in the fall session and after performing three rotations identify an advisor and area of research. Areas of research focus include: Macromolecular recognition; Virus, lipid and protein structure and interactions; Principles of protein structure and dynamics; Membrane proteins; Gene regulation and signaling; Cellular biophysics; Chemical structure and dynamics. Methodologies employed comprise NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, cryo electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy and computational molecular biology. Required coursework is completed during the first two years. Students are required to complete the Comprehensive Exam by August 31 of their second year in the graduate program.

A minimum of 72 credits beyond the baccalaureate degree is required for the PhD degree. The 72 credits are completed by taking required and elective course work as well as dissertation research credits upon being admitted to candidacy.

• MSMBPH 2000 - LABORATORY RESEARCH ROTATIONS or
• MOLBPH 2000 - LABORATORY RESEARCH ROTATIONS - taken during the first fall, spring & summer term of the first year.

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• INTBP 2000 - FOUNDTNS OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE - taken during the fall term of the first year

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• MSMBPH 2001 - MOLECULAR BIOPHYSICS 1: STRUCTURE or
• MOLBPH 2001 - MOLECULAR BIOPHYSICS 1: STRUCTURE - taken during the fall term of the first year

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• MSMBPH 2012 - MOLECULAR BIOPHYSICS 2: MOLECULAR INTERACTIONS AND DYNAMICS or
• MOLBPH 2012 - MOLECULAR BIOPHYSICS 2: MOLECULAR INTERACTIONS AND DYNAMICS - taken during the spring term of the first year

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• 09763 - MOLECULAR MODELING AND COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY  taken during the spring of the first year

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• INTBP 2290 - SCIENTIFIC ETHICS AND THE RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH - taken during the summer term of the first year

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• INTBP 2013 - D2K: FROM DATA TO KNOWLEDGE- BIOMEDICAL EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND ANALYSIS - taken during the summer term of the first year

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• MSMBPH 2020 - STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY/MOLECULAR BIOLOGY SEMINAR or
• MOLBPH 2020 - STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY/MOLECULAR BIOPHYSICS SEMINAR - taken every fall and spring term through graduation

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• MSMBPH 2030 - DATA AND LITERATURE CLUB or
• MOLBPH 2030 - DATA AND LITERATURE CLUB - beginning with the spring term of the first year, D&L Club is taken every fall and spring term through graduation

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• MSMBPH 2040 - TA: MBSB or
• MOLBPH 2040 - TA: MBSB taken once in any term