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Aug 31, 2024
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2023-2024 Graduate & Professional Studies Catalog [Archived Catalog]
Computational Biomedicine and Biotechnology (MS)
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Return to: Academic Programs
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:
Mert Gur, PhD
Department of Computational and Systems Biology
800 Murdoch I Building
3420 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-3203
412-648-3333
gurmert@pitt.edu
Master’s Program Administrator:
Amanda L. Axelson, MBA
ama251@pitt.edu
cobb@pitt.edu
Executive Committee:
Mert Gur, PhD
Joseph Ayoob, PhD
James Faeder, PhD
Program Website:
www.csb.pitt.edu/cobb/
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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/IELTS/Duolingo Scores (for international applicants)
- Application Fee
Financial Assistance
Financial guidance is available through the University of Pittsburgh Office of Admissions and Financial Aid: https://financialaid.pitt.edu/graduate-students/. 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. Additionaly information can be found in the Student Handbook.
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 Biophysics
- 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 encouraged 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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