Top Masters Programs in Biophysics

Combined Bachelor of Science Master of Science (B.S. M.S.).

It is also an active and supportive community which comes together frequently for scientific and social events. Current postdocs can access the MB B Wiki for information on instrumentation, seminars, and other department resources prospective postdocs should contact the MB B postdoc group with any questions.

The MB B department offers plenty of opportunities to present your work to colleagues and receive feedback from professors, graduate students, and other postdocs. Subgroups in RNA, yeast genetics, structural biology, biophysics, and chemical biology host monthly seminars presented by graduate students and postdocs. Labs at the Medical School and on West Campus also participate in less formal research-in-progress talks.

Initiated in 1959 by Arthur K. Solomon, the Committee on Higher Degrees in Biophysics at Harvard University has a long history of important research achievements.

The program is designed to nurture independent, creative scientists. Applicants for graduate training should have sound preliminary training in the physical sciences, especially chemistry, physics, and mathematics. The primary objective of the program is to educate and train individuals with this background to apply the concepts and methods of the physical sciences to the solution of biological problems. Owing to the interdepartmental nature of the program, a student research options are increased greatly. Research programs may be pursued in any of the departments or hospitals mentioned previously.

Students should have a strong background in the physical sciences, especially chemistry, physics, and mathematics. Harvard course numbers are provided for further reference:.

Classical Mechanics (Physics 15a) Electromagnetism and Relativity (Physics 15b) Wave Phenomena (Physics 15c) Introductory Quantum Mechanics I (Physics 143a) Laboratory Electronics (Physics 123) Elementary Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics (Physics 181).

Introductory Molecular Biology (Biological Sciences 10) Basic Principles of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (Biological Sciences 11) Neurobiology (Biology 25) Classical and Molecular Genetics (Biochem 42) Physical Biochemistry (Biochem 61).

To connect to the Harvard University Graduate School of Arts Sciences Admissions Page.

All students accepted into the Biophysics program will be supported financially by fellowships from Harvard University or the National Institute of Health Training Programs. This stipend has been increased in past years to offset the higher cost of living. Outstanding students often win outside fellowships from the National Science Foundation, The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, or the Hertz or Ford Foundations.

Accommodations in graduate residence halls are available. In addition, there are approximately 1,500 apartments available for graduate students in Harvard-owned buildings. The 2003-2004 on campus housing rates range from $4,244 to $6,670.

Consequently, the course requirements for admission are elastic. The degree program is designed to be completed in a maximum of six years. The program is flexible, and special effort is has been devoted to minimizing formal requirments.

First YearSeveral rotations as well as course work are completed in the year to year-and-a-half of study.

Courses offered in BiophysicsComputational Biology Program within Biophysics.

Third Year and beyondStudent engages in a period of intensive research culminating in publications and the Ph.D. degree.

Michele Jakoulov is the Biophysics Program Administrator.

Medical School Campus Building C-2 Room 122 240 Longwood Avenue Boston, MA 02115.

You can also request a biophysics booklet here .

Links to other Harvard graduate programs (e.g. BBS, Virology, Neurosciences).

Harvard University Graduate School of Arts Sciences (GSAS).

The Biophysics Program offers instruction and research opportunities leading to the Ph.D. in Biophysics. Students admitted to the program may perform their graduate research in any appropriate department.

The Stanford Biophysics Program is an interdisciplinary, interdepartmental training program leading to the Ph.D. Degree in biophysics. The program centers on understanding biological function in terms of physical and chemical principles. Research in the Program involves two overlapping branches of biophysics: the application of physical and chemical principles and methods to solving biological problems, and the development of new methods.

The Biophysics Program aims to train students in quantitative approaches to biological problems, while also developing their perspective in choosing forefront biological problems. A balanced academic program is tailored to the diverse backgrounds of the students. The program requires graduate-level coursework in physical and biological sciences, participation in seminar series, and most importantly achievement of a high level of proficiency in independent research.

The Ph.D. is conferred upon candidates who have demonstrated substantial scholarship and the ability to conduct independent research and analysis in Biophysics. Through completion of advanced course work and rigorous skills training, the doctoral program prepares students to make original contributions to the knowledge of Biophysics and to interpret and present the results of such research.

For information on the University basic requirements for the Ph.D. degree, see the Graduate Degrees section of this bulletin.

A small number of qualified applicants are admitted to the program each year. The graduate course program, beyond the stated requirements, is worked out for each student individually with the help of appropriate advisers from the Committee on Biophysics. GRE general score is not required and GRE subject score is optional.

The recommendations for applying to the Ph.D. Program in Biophysics include:.

Ph.D. students in the Program in Biophysics are required to complete the following course requirements:.

Methods in Molecular Biophysics (offered every other year).

And 4 graduate-level courses in physical or biological science, with.

In light of the benefits to trainee development and the likelihood that the IDP program will be a factor in NIH funding decisions, the Committee on Graduate Admissions and Policy (CGAP) has adopted a new policy requiring all Biosciences Ph.D. candidates and their mentors in the Schools of Medicine and H S to create and discuss the Individual Development Plan (IDP) on an annual basis.

See the Degree-Specific Requirements (Doctoral Degrees) section of this bulletin for University rules concerning doctoral degrees. See GAP 4.8, for further details on the Doctoral Dissertation Reading Committee.

Once a student have chosen a research adviser and begun thesis-related research, s he is required to select a reading committee. The individuals selected by the student serve as an advising and consultative group for the duration of their graduate studies. Students should consult with their research adviser on the selection of their reading committee.

The doctoral dissertation reading committee consists of the principal dissertation adviser and, typically, two other readers. The doctoral dissertation reading committee must have at least three members and may not have than five members. All members of the reading committee approve the dissertation. At least one member must be from the student major department. Normally, all committee members are members of the Stanford University Academic Council or are emeritus Academic Council members.

All examiners must hold a Ph.D. degree (or foreign equivalent). Former Stanford Academic Council members and non-Academic Council members may thus on occasion serve on a reading committee.

Any member of the Academic Council may serve as the principal dissertation adviser. If former Academic Council members, emeritus Academic Council members, or non-Academic Council members are to serve as the principal dissertation adviser, the appointment of a co-adviser who is currently on the Academic Council is required. This is to ensure representation for the student in the department by someone playing a major adviser role in completion of the dissertation. However, a co-adviser is not required during the first two years following retirement for emeritus Academic Council members who are recalled to active service. If the reading committee has four or five members, at least three members (comprising the majority) must be current or emeritus members of the Academic Council.

Audiovisual aids are not required, but may be useful if available.

Admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree is granted by the major department following a student successful completion of qualifying procedures. Students are expected to be admitted to candidacy by the end of the second year of doctoral study. Candidacy is valid for five years, subject to satisfactory academic progress.

Students with than one active graduate degree program must complete residency units between all active completed degree programs in order to apply for TGR status. See the Residency Policy for Graduate Students section of this bulletin for additional information.

The student must prepare a dissertation proposal defining the research to be undertaken, including methods of procedure. This proposal should be submitted by Autumn Quarter of the third year, and it must be approved by a committee of at least three members, including the principal research adviser, and at least one member from the Biophysics Program. The candidate must defend the dissertation proposal in an oral examination. The dissertation reading committee normally evolves from the dissertation proposal review committee. The student must present a Ph.D. dissertation as the result of independent investigation that expresses a contribution to knowledge in the field of biophysics. The student must pass the University oral exam, taken only after the student has substantially completed the dissertation research. The examination is preceded by a public seminar in which the research is presented by the candidate.

Grade toward the fulfillment of degree-program requirements and or alter program requirements as appropriate.

The Biophysics Program 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. Both the adviser and the advisee are expected to maintain professionalism and integrity.

Before advancing to candidacy for the degree, students are expected to identify a group of at least three thesis advisers (also known as the dissertation reading committee), including a primary thesis adviser. The thesis advisers are selected by the student on the basis of expertise relevant to the thesis project, after undertaking two to three rotations of approximately one quarter in length each.

As a best practice, advising expectations should be periodically discussed and reviewed to ensure mutual understanding. 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.

Chris Garcia (Molecular Cellular Physiology, Structural Biology).

Weis (Structural Biology, Molecular Cellular Physiology).

BIOPHYS 232. Advanced Imaging Lab in Biophysics.

The efficient transport of energy, mass, and momentum is essential to the normal function of living systems. Changes in these processes often result in pathological conditions. Transport phenomena are also critical to the design of instrumentation and devices for medical applications and biotechnology. The course aims to provide an introduction to the integrated study of transport processes and their biological applications. It covers the fundamental driving forces for transport in biological systems and the biophysics across a range of length scales from molecules, cells, tissues, organs to whole organisms. Topics covered include chemical gradients, electrical interactions, fluid flow and mass transport. Same as: ME 235.

BIOPHYS 242. Methods in Molecular Biophysics.

Experimental methods in molecular biophysics from theoretical and practical standpoints. Emphasis is on X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and fluorescence spectcroscopy. Same as: SBIO 242.

Mechanical cues play a critical role in development, normal functioning of cells and tissues, and various diseases. This course will cover what is known cellular mechanotransduction, or the processes by which living cells sense and respond to physical cues such as physiological forces or mechanical properties of the tissue microenvironment. Experimental techniques and current areas of active investigation will be highlighted. This class is for graduate students only. Same as: BIOE 283, ME 244.

Required of Biophysics graduate students. May be repeated for credit.

BIOPHYS 311. Biophysics of Multi-cellular Systems and Amorphous Computing.

BIOPHYS 392. Topics in Molecular Biophysics: Biophysics of Functional RNA (BIOPHYS 392).

BIOPHYS 399. Directed Reading in Biophysics.

Program in Cell, Molecular, Developmental Biology, and Biophysics.

Biophysics research plays a leading role in uncovering the beauty and intricacies of how biology works. Coupling math and physics with biochemistry, the strength of biophysics lies in analyzing biological systems in a quantitative fashion. In the Thomas C. Jenkins Biophysics, we use cutting edge experimental techniques and modeling to gain mechanistic insight into a wide range of key biological questions.

The Jenkins Biophysics Program is designed for students interested in obtaining a doctorate in biophysics. This program is financially supported through departmental funds, and therefore can support international students who are ineligible for NIH training grants.

As a theorist, I am excited to be in the field of biophysics, as it provides a rich of experimental phenomena that benefit from a rigorous application of quantitative frameworks.

Thesis Title: Imaging Glutamate in the Human Brain at Ultra-High Magnetic Field: Advances and ApplicationsMentor Comment: Abby is one of the outstanding graduate students from my group.

Thesis Title: Identifying a Novel Vunerability at the Intersection of Copper ostasis and Glycolytic Metabolism in Hepatocellular CarcinomaPost-PhD Plans:Medical Writer, PRECISIONscientia.

Thesis Title: Elucidating the Role of the African-Centric P47S Variant of TP53 in Metabolism and FerroptosisMentor Comment: Keerthana was my first graduate student from Penn, and boy did I get lucky.

Zachary MarchMentor: Jim Shorter, PhD Saul Winegrad Dissertation Award.

Thesis Title: Therapeutic Genetic Variation Revealed in Diverse HSP104 HomologsPost PhD Plans: Postdoctoral Fellow in the Priyanka Narayan Lab in the Human Disease Section at the National Institutes of Health.Mentor Comment: Zach March is a truly exceptional young scientist. He is erudite, skillful, shrewd, and displays huge grit.

Erin MasucciMentors: Erika Holzbaur, PhD, and Michael Ostap, PhD.

Thesis Title: Control of Systemic Lipid Metabolism by Adipocyte mTOR SignalingPost-PhD plans: Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale University School of Medicine.

It has been an absolute pleasure to see Nick grow from a passionate researcher to a thoughtful leader and role model for younger graduate students.

Thesis Title: Mechanisms of Activation and Inhibition of Arp2 3 ComplexPost-PhD Plans: Associate, McKinsey Company.

Physiology, Biophysics Systems BiologyToggle Physiology, Biophysics Systems Biology menu options.

Weill Cornell Graduate School Physiology Biophysics System Biology.

Physiology, Biophysics Systems Biology graduate program at WCGS is designed to engage students with research at the forefront of biomedical engineering sciences: physiology, the functions of cells, tissues, and organs biophysics, the application of principles of physics to biological processes and systems, the complex interactions between components of a biological system. The outlook of the education and research program is quantitative, based on state of the art approaches in genomics, bioinformatics and computational biology, major areas of molecular and cellular biophysics (including fluorescence microscopy and single molecule imaging, crystallography, electrophysiology and membrane systems, stem cells, and computational simulations of macromolecular systems), computational and systems neuroscience, organogenesis and development, learning, memory, and behavior.

Graduate students in PBSB participate in the design and evolution of these approaches and in their innovative application to state-of-the-art research in human structure and function. The course of study in the PBSB program is organized into modular courses and seminars offering education at the conceptual level, as well as in the experimental and computational tools of the component disciplines (physiology, biophysics and systems biology), and emphasizes quantitative methods and approaches.

We are pleased to announce that in the Fall 2021, Weill Cornell Medicine is expanding its PhD program in Physiology, Biophysics, and Structural biology (PBSB) to a new site at Houston Methodist Academic Institute, the education and research arm of Houston Methodist. This partnership extends the 16-year academic affiliation between WCM and Houston Methodist to provide graduate training.

The application requires a personal statement describing the student background and specific interest in the PBSB program. Applicants are not required to take the General Graduate Record Examination. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the TOEFL examination.

The ACE consists of two parts: a uniform written exam and an oral exam, which includes discussion of a written research proposal. Students are expected to take this exam by the end of June of their second year. The exam provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate that they have attained the requisite breadth of knowledge to continue in the PhD program and are prepared to undertake full-time thesis research.

The culmination of the student successful progression through the program is the final examination (the defense ) and certification by the Special Committee that the thesis represents an official piece of research that satisfies the requirements of the Graduate School for a PhD degree.

There is an incredible diversity of research at Weill Cornell, and all completely accessible to graduate students.

Weill Cornell Medicine Graduate School of Medical Sciences1300 York Ave.

The Biophysics PhD program offers the opportunity for inter and multi-disciplinary research in physics, chemistry, biochemistry, and biological, and computational sciences in an exploration of our experimental and theoretical understanding of how biology works at the molecular level.

Official transcripts from each post-secondary institution one must show conferral of a bachelor degree. (Due upon enrollment).

Education and training of doctoral students is a core mission of the Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics.

At any given time approximately 50 graduate students are conducting doctoral research in laboratories within the department. After completion of the doctorate, the majority of students go on to postdoctoral positions at leading research institutions.

Prospective students interested in research at the department laboratories most commonly apply through the Integrated Program in Cellular, Molecular, and Biomedical Studies or the Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, both of which are within the Coordinated Doctoral Programs.

The program presents students with a unique opportunity to obtain individualized training in basic cell and molecular biology, microbiology, structural biology, biophysics, genetics, immunology, neurobiology, and computational biology, as well as translational biomedical disease-related research.

The Program in Neurobiology and Behavior is founded on the principle that the study of the biological roots of behavior is essential for an understanding of animal and human behavior, as well as for insights into the causes and cures of nervous system disorders. The program offers a diverse set of research and academic experiences that reflect the interdisciplinary nature of neuroscience.

The Biophysics Graduate Group is an interdisciplinary PhD program hosted by the California Institute for the Biosciences (QB3). Our program trains graduate students for careers at the interface of the biological and physical sciences. This interdisciplinary group provides an opportunity for interested students to receive training leading to the PhD in Biophysics.

The Program in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Michigan is an interdisciplinary gateway program that coordinates admissions and the first year of Ph.D. studies for 14 department programs, including Biophysics.

PIBS offers you the flexibility and convenience of applying to any of our participating programs through one application. We invite you to thoroughly explore Biophysics and the other 13 programs before selecting your top preferences when you apply.

Initiated in 1949, the Biophysics Ph. D. program is one of the first such programs in the world. Beer, H.R. Crane, C. Levinthal, H.M. Randall, G. Sutherland, C. Thomas, and R.

To provide graduate students with both intellectual and technical training in biophysics to prepare them for a career in biophysical research and teaching. This is achieved by providing our students with a solid working knowledge in three key areas: physics, chemistry, and biology.

Students are offered the opportunity to conduct research in a variety of areas of contemporary biophysics, including:.

Biophysics promotes interdisciplinary partnerships, and the opportunity to work in this environment of a scientific melting pot encourages our students to learn each other’s scientific language and acquire the essential skill sets to become biophysicists.

The Program provides coursework in three areas: the physical sciences, the biological sciences, and biophysics. All students take four core courses in biophysics: Biophysical Chemistry (theory, methods, and techniques), Intro to the Biophysics Lab and Professional Development, as well as 7 terms of Biophysics Seminar and two additional cognates electives.

Although there are no formal teaching requirements, as part of their training students are strongly encouraged to teach at least one semester as a Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) in Biophysics, Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry or Physics.

Two main student constituencies are served by the Biophysics IDP: students with a training in the physical sciences (physics, chemistry, engineering, and mathematics) who wish to apply their expertise and perspectives to biological systems, and students with background in the life sciences (biology, biochemistry, molecular biology) who wish to incorporate the powerful tools of the physical sciences in their work and or to apply a quantitative approach to basic biomedical research.

Biophysics begins each year with an exciting Program Retreat jam-packed with student presentations and special break-out sessions. Biophysics hosts weekly tea socials, as well as many other student appreciation events. Biophysics has an active Graduate Student Council which organizes social and professional development events throughout the year as well as assisting in planning the annual Biophysics student symposium in the spring.