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University of Pittsburgh    
2020-2021 Graduate & Professional Studies Catalog 
    
 
  Oct 12, 2024
 
2020-2021 Graduate & Professional Studies Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Computational Biomedicine and Biotechnology, MS


The Computational Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CoBB) Master’s of Science program trains leaders who can translate cutting-edge computational technologies into real-world advances in biomedicine and biotechnology. Seated in the Department of Computational and Systems Biology, the program focuses on the interface between computer science and applied biology. It is appropriate for students with backgrounds in either quantitative disciplines (computer science, engineering) or biological sciences and who seek to have an impact in the rapidly evolving field of computational biotechnology. Students in the CoBB program will learn to develop and apply novel computational, mathematical, statistical, and in silico techniques to meet current challenges in biotechnology. Our trainees will be equipped with the necessary skills for successful biomedical data science and biocomputing technology careers in the health care and biotechnology industry, government, and academia.

Contact Information

Executive Director:

Tim Lezon, PhD

Department of Computational and Systems Biology

800 Murdoch I Building

3420 Forbes Avenue

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-3203

412.383.8042

lezon@pitt.edu

 

Master’s Program Administrator:

Kristin Pierce

Department of Computational and Systems Biology

800 Murdoch I Building

3420 Forbes Avenue

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-3203

412.648.3333

kristin.pierce@pitt.edu

 

Executive Committee:

Joseph Ayoob, PhD

Ivet Bahar, PhD

Chakra Chennubhotla, PhD

James Faeder, PhD

 

Program Website:

www.csb.pitt.edu/cobb/

Admissions


CoBB welcomes students from various backgrounds, including life science, computer science, physical science, mathematics and statistics, and engineering majors, students with interdisciplinary or multi-disciplinary backgrounds.

 

Application

Required Materials:

  • The Online Application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Three letters of Recommendation
  • Unofficial Transcripts
  • Unofficial TOEFL Scores
  • Application Fee

Financial Assistance


Financial guidance is available through the University of Pittsburgh Office of Admissions and Financial Aid: http://oafa.pitt.edu/learn-about-aid/.  All students are responsible for their own tuition.

 

Degree Requirements


To receive the CoBB MS, all students are required to complete a minimum of 30 credits of masters-level coursework and to maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Curriculum


  • At least 4 research credits of independent study
  • A summer internship or additional directed study, worth 3 credits
  • 3 credits of Fundamentals of Computational Biology
  • 2 credits of Professional Development
  • One course (taken or waived) from each of the five groups
    • Computational Structural Biology
    • Computational Systems Biology
    • Computational Genomics
    • Computer Science
    • Electives

Directed Study


Gaining hands on experience in solving problems in computational biology is an essential part of CoBB training. Each student is therefore required to take a minimum of 4 credits of directed study with a University of Pittsburgh faculty member. Students are expected to select a research mentor for the directed study in their first semester, and to complete the research requirement in the second and/or third semesters.

Internship


To gain experience in the professional application of computational biology, students are required to participate in a 2 to 3 month summer internship at a company of their choosing. Acceptable internship sites include industrial labs, biotech/pharma companies, and governmental organizations.

Students will present a written report with well-defined structure and content at the end of their internship to summarize their experience and the skills they acquired during their experiential training, and to make recommendations for future work. They will also make an oral presentation to share their experience with others.

Completion of Degree


The program is structured in such a way that students can finish their degree within 12-20 months, depending on the background of the student. To complete the degree in one year, students must demonstrate proficiency in programming, calculus and linear algebra.

 

For more information on the program, please visit www.csb.pitt.edu/cobb/



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