Best Universities offering graduate programs in Biochemistry

The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology studies how biomolecules operate and interact to drive the complex and diverse behaviors of living systems. Research encompasses all areas of modern biochemistry, including structural biology, biophysics, and biomolecular engineering and design.The department is distinguished by its intellectual rigor and collaborative style. Interdisciplinary interactions are further facilitated by its presence in the Gordon Center for Integrative Sciences, which brings together a large and diverse group of biological and physical scientists to pursue common research goals. Members of the department ask broad and multifaceted questions, and as a result, trainees are well equipped for future academic and industrial careers in biochemistry and biophysics.

Courses offered by the Biochemistry are listed under the subject code BIOC on the Stanford Bulletin ExploreCourses web site.

Biochemistry is a department within the School of Medicine, with offices and labs located in the Beckman Center for Molecular and Genetic Medicine at the Stanford Medical Center. Courses offered by the department may be taken by as well as graduate and medical school students.

Advanced courses offered in specialized areas emphasize recent developments in biochemistry, cell biology, and molecular biology. These courses include the physical and chemical principles of biochemistry, enzyme reaction mechanisms, membrane trafficking and biochemistry, molecular motors and the cytoskeleton, mechanisms and regulation of nucleic acid replication and recombination, the biochemistry of bacterial and animal viruses, the molecular basis of morphogenesis, the molecular and cell biology of yeast, and the structure and function of both eukaryotic and prokaryotic chromosomes.

Opportunities exist for directed reading and research in biochemistry and molecular biology, using the most advanced research facilities, including those for light and electron microscopy, chromatography and electrophoresis, protein and nucleic acid purification, rapid kinetic analysis, synthesis and analysis, single molecule analyses using laser light traps, microarray generation and analysis, and computer graphic workstation facilities for protein and nucleic acid structural analysis. Ongoing research uses a variety of organisms from bacteria to animal cells.

Requirements for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees are described in the Graduate Degrees section of this bulletin. The department does not offer degrees.

The Biochemistry offers a Ph.D. program which begins in the Autumn Quarter of each year. In addition to the requirement for a Ph.D. dissertation based on original research, students are required to complete six advanced courses in biochemistry and related areas among the 135 total units required for the Ph.D. Selection of these courses is tailored to fit the background and interests of each student. All Ph.D. students are expected to participate actively in the department seminar program, and students are encouraged to attend and to present papers at regional and national meetings in cellular biochemistry and molecular biology. Teaching experience is an integral part of the Ph.D. curriculum and is required for the degree.

The Biochemistry offers an M.S. degree only to students already enrolled in the Ph.D. program. Students should contact the Graduate Studies adviser for details.

Those applying for graduate study should have at least a baccalaureate degree and should have completed work in cell and developmental biology, basic biochemistry and molecular biology, and genetics. Also required are: at least one year of university physics differential and integral calculus and organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry. The department is especially interested in those applicants who have research experience in biology or chemistry. Students must submit an application, including transcripts and letters of recommendation, by December for admission in the following Autumn Quarter.

Applications should be submitted at the Office of Graduate Admissions web site. Applicants are notified by March 31 of decisions on their applications. Stanford University requires scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (verbal, quantitative, and analytical), and applicants are encouraged to submit scores from the GRE Subject Test in biochemistry, biology, or chemistry. Applicants should take the October GRE exam.

Postdoctoral research training is available to graduates who hold a Ph.D. or an M.D. degree.

At present, the primary research interests of the department are the structure and function of proteins and nucleic acids, the biochemistry and control of development processes, molecular motors and the cytoskeleton, the trafficking of proteins between membrane-bound organelles, the control and regulation of gene expression, bioinformatics protein structure design, and the application of microarrays to problems in human health and disease.

The Biochemistry is committed to providing academic advising in support of graduate student scholarly and professional development. When most effective, this advising relationship entails collaborative and sustained engagement by both the adviser and the advisee. As a best practice, advising expectations should be periodically discussed and reviewed to ensure mutual understanding. Both the adviser and the advisee are expected to maintain professionalism and integrity.

Graduate students are active contributors to the advising relationship, proactively seeking academic and professional guidance and taking responsibility for informing themselves of policies and degree requirements for their graduate program.

For a statement of University policy on graduate advising, see the Graduate Advising section of this bulletin.

The variability of the human genome and the role of genomic information in research, drug discovery, and human health. Concepts and interpretations of genomic markers in medical research and real life applications. Human genomes in diverse populations. Original contributions from thought leaders in academia and industry and interaction between students and guest lecturers. Same as: BIO 109A, BIOC 209A, HUMBIO 158.

Continuation of 109A 209A. Genetic drift: the path of human predecessors out of Africa to Europe and then either through Asia to Australia or through northern Russia to Alaska down to the W. Coast of the Americas. Support for this idea through the histocompatibility genes and genetic sequences that predispose people to diseases. Guest lectures from academia and pharmaceutical companies. Prerequisite: Biology or Human Biology core. Same as: BIO 109B.

Enrollment limited to MD candidates. Fundamental concepts of biochemistry as applied to clinical medicine. Topics include vitamins and cofactors, metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids and nucleotides, and the integration of metabolic pathways. Clinical case studies discussed in small-group, problem-based learning sessions.

Open to first year Biochemistry students and to other PhD students with consent of instructor. Hands-on, week-long immersion in biochemical methods and practice, high-throughput sequencing and data analysis, theory and application of light microscopy, and computational approaches to modern biological problems.

The variability of the human genome and the role of genomic information in research, drug discovery, and human health. Concepts and interpretations of genomic markers in medical research and real life applications. Human genomes in diverse populations. Original contributions from thought leaders in academia and industry and interaction between students and guest lecturers. Same as: BIO 109A, BIOC 109A, HUMBIO 158.

The Teaching of Biochemistry.

Required for teaching assistants in Biochemistry. Practical experience in teaching on a one-to-one basis, and problem set design and analysis. Familiarization with current lecture and text materials evaluations of class papers and examinations. Prerequisite: enrollment in the Biochemistry Ph.D. program or consent of instructor.

The physical and chemical basis of macromolecular function. Topics include: forces that stabilize macromolecular structure and their complexes thermodynamics and statistical mechanics of macromolecular folding, binding, and allostery diffusional processes kinetics of enzymatic processes the relationship of these principles to practical application in experimental design and interpretation. The class emphasizes interactive learning, and is divided equally among lectures, in-class group problem solving, and discussion of current and classical literature. Enrollment limited to 40. Prerequisites: Background in biochemistry and physical chemistry recommended but material available for those with deficiency in these areas with consent of instructor only. Same as: BIOE 241, BIOPHYS 241, SBIO 241.

Directed Reading in Biochemistry.

Biochemistry 2nd year PhD students with permission of instructor only. Students place their thesis research into a broader scientific perspective, identify important questions to ask, and learn to communicate these clearly. The initial focus is on developing the equivalent of a specific aims page for a research grant.

Biochemistry 3rd and 4th year PhD students with permission of instructor only. Students foster broad familiarity with the biomedical literature and learn to develop new research directions. Topics well outside of each student research topic are chosen for regular informal journal club presentations. Students work collectively to create a model research proposal on a topic of general interest to the group, and then individually to develop an original proposal on a topic of each student choice.

Graduate Research and Special Advanced Work.

The Graduate Group in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (BMB) is devoted to the education and training of doctoral students in quantitative, mechanistic and molecular frontiers of biochemistry and biophysics, broadly conceived. The goal is to produce the next generation of scientists, scholars, educators and leaders in biomedical sciences.

View the University’s Academic Requirements for PhD Degrees.

The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2019 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.

Graduate students in the Duke Biochemistry Department engage in faculty-mentored research and graduate coursework that develops an understanding of fundamental concepts in biochemistry, physical biochemistry, as well as the critical analysis of published research. Students choose thesis topics from a wide range of research projects under current study by primary and secondary faculty in the department, which include: enzyme mechanisms, signal transduction, cell cycle control, cytoskeleton structure, prokaryotic and eukaryotic transcription, genetic diseases, glycoproteins, DNA partitioning/segregation, plasma membrane receptors, cellular differentiation, gene regulation, mechanisms of DNA repair and DNA repair defects in tumor biology, processing of DNA, RNA modification, mRNA decay and translational control, multidrug resistance and tolerance, membrane vesicle biogenesis, microbial toxin activity, endocytosis, insertion of proteins into membranes, ion channel structure and function, metalloproteins, post translational modification, drug design, analysis and design of protein and RNA structure, and X-ray crystallography and NMR studies on macromolecular structure and folding. The department is located in a large, research-oriented medical center, which is immediately adjacent to the arts and sciences campus, fostering a productive and collaborative scientific community.

The graduate program in the Field of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology offers a Ph.D. degree only. The goal of our program is to educate and introduce students to the fascination of this scientific area, as well as provide them with the tools necessary to succeed in it. To this end, we have assembled a flexible program that includes lecture and laboratory courses and teaching experiences, together with the opportunity to undertake forefront research with access to the latest technology and equipment.

All Graduate School Requirements, including the TOEFL IELTS Exam for Non-Native English Applicants.

Free Memberships for Cornell Graduate Students and Postdocs.

Pause and Unplug: Yoga for Graduate and Professional Students.

The Department offers two distinct Ph.Ds. - one in Chemistry and one in Biochemistry. These programs encompass all areas of modern chemical research, including organic, physical, inorganic, and analytical chemistry, as well as biochemistry, molecular biology and biophysics. Interdisciplinary research is highly valued, and it is not uncommon to find chemists and biochemists in the Department working side by side, researching different aspects of a major scientific challenge.

Biochemistry is an underpinning of all modern biomedical science. The mission of the Biochemistry Department at Vanderbilt University is teaching, service and research.

Ph.D. students in biochemistry are trained to take up roles as investigators and teachers in biomedical research, and our department provides this background for all Vanderbilt IGP Ph.D. students at Vanderbilt regardless of which direction their future training may take.

Return to IGP pageReturn to IGP Program and First Year Curriculum.

The interdisciplinary Graduate Group in Comparative Biochemistry administers the PhD degree for students interested in a biochemical and molecular approach to problems in the biological sciences.

The following minimum requirements apply to all graduate programs and will be verified by the Graduate Division:.

If the applicant has completed a basic degree from a country or political entity (e.g., Quebec) where English is not the official language, adequate proficiency in English to do graduate work, as evidenced by a TOEFL score of at least 90 on the iBT test, 570 on the paper-and-pencil test, or an IELTS Band score of at least 7 on a 9-point scale (note that individual programs may set higher levels for any of these) and.

The Graduate Council views academic degrees not as vocational training certificates, but as evidence of broad training in research methods, independent study, and articulation of learning. Therefore, applicants who already have academic graduate degrees should be able to pursue new subject matter at an advanced level without the need to enroll in a related or similar graduate program.

Applicants with doctoral degrees may be admitted for an additional doctoral degree only if that degree program is in a general area of knowledge distinctly different from the field in which they earned their original degree.

Applicants may apply only to one single degree program or one concurrent degree program per admission cycle.

Unofficial transcripts must contain specific information including the name of the applicant, name of the school, all courses, grades, units, degree conferral (if applicable).

Letters of recommendation: Applicants may request online letters of recommendation through the online application system. Hard copies of recommendation letters must be sent directly to the program, by the recommender, not the Graduate Admissions.

Evidence of English language proficiency:All applicants who have completed a basic degree from a country or political entity in which the official language is not English are required to submit official evidence of English language proficiency. However, applicants who, at the time of application, have already completed at least one year of full-time academic course work with grades of B or better at a US university may submit an official transcript from the US university to fulfill this requirement. The following courses will not fulfill this requirement:.

Courses conducted in a language other than English,.

Courses that will be completed after the application is submitted, and.

Official TOEFL score reports must be sent directly from Educational Test Services (ETS). Official IELTS score reports must be sent electronically from the testing center to University of California, Berkeley, Graduate Division, Sproul Hall, Rm 318 MC 5900, Berkeley, CA 94720. TOEFL and IELTS score reports are only valid for two years prior to beginning the graduate program at UC Berkeley. Note: score reports can not expire before the month of June.

The normative time for Comparative Biochemistry is five years. Requirements include completion of course work, an oral qualifying exam, and a Ph.D. dissertation. The exact courses taken will vary depending on the student research focus and goals.

Expand all course descriptions [+]Collapse all course descriptions [-].

The lectures will cover a wide range of interdisciplinary research topics reflecting the breadth of the Group. The course will be conducted in a seminar format and is required for students new to the Graduate Group. It is also recommended for advanced students currently in the Group.Comparative Biochemistry Seminar: [+].

Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.

Terms offered: Spring 2023, Fall 2022, Spring 2022 Graduate student research.Graduate Research: [+].

Prerequisites: Graduate standing in the Comparative Biochemistry Graduate Group.

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Master of Applied Chemical Sciences.

Master of Applied Chemical Sciences offers the following degree(s):.

Master of Applied Chemical Sciences its own site.

MASTER OF APPLIED CHEMICAL SCIENCES.

Research in Biochemistry at UVA seeks to identify biologically relevant molecules and study their synthesis, degradation, and role in biological processes.Since molecules interact in complex ways in living organisms, modern biochemical research is a collaborative, interdisciplinary effort. Approaches that are used include molecular biology, genetics, epigenetics, bioinformatics, computational biology, structural biology, and many others.

Research in biochemistry at UVA ranges from computational analysis to clinical applications for cancer and cardiovascular disease. Biochemical studies of interacting proteins, DNA, and sub-cellular structures in normal and disease states provide a wide array of research opportunities. This research, coupled with a broad collection of graduate courses, furnish our students with the skills and background necessary for successful careers in biomedical research and education.

Spatiotemporal Regulation of Biological Signaling Protein Engineering for Imaging, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics.

Biophysical Chemistry: Membrane protein structure, function, and dynamics.

Clinical Chemistry and Toxicology. Medical Automation Research. Neurotransmitters, cell surface receptors and intracellular second messengers.

Chemical Biology, Lipid Biochemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, and Mass Spectrometry.

Transport of biopolymers across biological membranes with a particular interest in polysaccharide and protein translocation.