(file last updated: [8/10/1998 - 15:21:22])
Graduate Program in Biophysicsand Structural Biology
The interdepartmental graduateprogram in biophysics and structural biology, leading to the degreeof doctor of philosophy, is designed to develop the student'scapacity for independent research. The program is focused on theapplication of the physical sciences to important problems inmolecular and cellular biology. It offers opportunities for studyand research in a variety of fields, including protein crystallographyand magnetic resonance spectroscopy, molecular microscopy, biophysicalchemistry, neuroscience, sensory transduction, and chemo-mechanicalenergy transduction. Applicants are expected to have strong backgroundsin physical sciences with undergraduate concentrations in anyrelated field, such as biology, biochemistry, chemistry, engineering,mathematics, or physics. The course requirements for the Ph.D.degree are formulated individually for each student to complementthe student's previous academic work, with the goal of providinga broad background in the physics and chemistry of biologicalprocesses.
Research for the Ph.D. dissertationis carried out under the personal supervision of a faculty advisor;advisors can be from any department within the School of Science.Prospective applicants should obtain the complete list of facultyresearch interests and recent publications from the program orview this information on the World Wide Web at: www.bio.brandeis.edu/pages/faculty/BioPhysicsFaculty.html.
The general requirements foradmission to the Graduate School are given in an earlier sectionof this Bulletin. Applications should include, in additionto letters of reference, a personal statement describing the reasonsfor the applicant's interest in the field and previous researchexperience, if any. Applicants are required to take the GraduateRecord Examination and are encouraged to visit Brandeis for interviews,if possible.
Jeff Gelles, Chair
(Biochemistry, Center for ComplexSystems)
Carolyn Cohen
(Biology, Rosenstiel Center)
David DeRosier
(Biology, Rosenstiel Center)
Seth Fraden
(Physics, Center for ComplexSystems)
Judith Herzfeld
(Chemistry)
John Lisman
(Biology, Center for ComplexSystems)
Christopher Miller
(Biochemistry)
Gregory Petsko
(Biochemistry and Chemistry,Rosenstiel Center)
Thomas Pochapsky
(Chemistry)
Dagmar Ringe
(Biochemistry and Chemistry,Rosenstiel Center)
Program of Study
The graduate program does notnormally admit students to pursue the M.S. degree. In specialcases, however, the M.S. degree may be awarded upon completionof an approved program of study consisting of at least six graduate-levelcourses in biology, physics, biochemistry, or chemistry with agrade of B- or better. Generally, the courses include BIOP 200b,BIOP 300a, and BIOP 300b.
Residence Requirement
The minimum residence requirementis one year.
Language Requirement
There is no language requirement.
Thesis
To qualify for the M.S. degree,a student must submit a thesis reporting a substantial piece oforiginal research carried out under the supervision of the researchadvisor.
Program of Study
The graduate program in biophysicsand structural biology is designed to accomodate students withprevious academic concentrations in a wide range of fields, includingbiology, physical chemistry, engineering, and physics. Consequently,the course requirements for the Ph.D. degree are tailored to theneeds of the particular student. In consultation with each enteringstudent, the program chair formulates a program of study for thestudent based on the student's previous academic accomplishmentsand scientific interests. Successful completion of the courseslisted in the program of study fulfills the course requirementsfor the Ph.D. degree. Ordinarily, the required program of studyconsists of seven one-semester courses, of which six are completedin the student's first year. The first year courses generallyinclude the proseminar (BIOP 200b) and two courses of laboratoryrotations (BIOP 300a,b). In addition to the courses listed inthe program of study, the noncredit course CONT 300b (EthicalPractice in Health-Related Sciences) is required of all first-yearstudents.
Residence Requirement
The minimum residence requirementis three years.
Language Requirement
There is no foreign languagerequirement. However, students must demonstrate proficiency incomputer programming as a requirement for the Ph.D. degree.
Financial Support
Students may receive financialsupport (tuition and stipend) throughout their participation inthe Ph.D. program. This support is provided by a combination ofUniversity funds, training grants, and faculty research grants.
Teaching
As part of their Ph.D. training,students are required to participate as teaching assistants fora total of two semesters.
Qualifying Examinations
To qualify for the Ph.D. degree,each student must write and defend in oral examinations threepropositions related to research in biophysics or structural biology.The subject of the second proposition must be outside the immediatearea of the student's dissertation research.
Dissertation and Defense
The dissertation must reportthe results of an original scientific investigation into an approvedsubject and must demonstrate the competence of the Ph.D. candidatein independent research. The dissertation research must be presentedand defended in a Final Oral Examination.
BIOP 200b Seminar in BiophysicalResearch
Introduces students to quantitativeapproaches to biological problems through critical evaluationof the biophysical literature. Gives students practice in attackingproblems in a wide range of areas through the use of physicaland mathematical reasoning. Each week, one or two papers suitedto quantitative analysis are chosen and prepared by students.Discussion aims at identifying the core ideas of the papers andat transforming these ideas into quantitative, testable predictions.Topics include macromolecular structure and function, spectroscopicmethods of structure determination, thermodynamics of ligand-macromoleculeinteractions, stochastic approaches to electrophysiology, andelectrostatics of macromolecular surfaces, among others. In consultationwith the instructor, each student develops a research propositionbased on independent reading and prepares a research plan in theform of a mock-thesis proposal. Open to graduate students in othersciences with permission of the instructor. Usually offered everyyear.
Staff
BIOP 300a and b Introductionto Research in Biophysics
Students carry out projectsin the research laboratories of faculty members. Projects andfaculty are selected from the departments of biochemistry, biology,chemistry, and physics. Offered every year.
Staff
Students register for DissertationResearch in the 400 series with a faculty member in the programin which they are doing their research.
CONT 300b Ethical Practicein Health-Related Sciences
Required of all first-yeargraduate students in health-related science programs. Not forcredit.
Scientists are becoming increasinglyaware of the importance of addressing ethical issues and valuesassociated with scientific research. This course, taught by Universityfaculty from several graduate disciplines, covers major ethicalissues germane to the broader scientific enterprise, includingareas or applications from a number of fields of study. Lecturesand relevant case studies are complemented by two public lecturesduring the course. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Ringe
Physical Chemistry of Macromolecules
Statistical Biophysics andBiochemistry
Molecular Biology
Protein X-Ray Crystallography
Enzyme Mechanisms
Microtubule-Based Mechanoenzymes
Mechanisms of Transcriptionand Transcriptional Regulation
Structural Molecular Biology
Mechanisms of Cell Functions
Structural Approaches to CellBiology
Computational Chemistry
Advanced Organic Chemistry:Spectroscopy
Kinetics
Special Topics in InorganicChemistry: Introduction to X-Ray Structure Determination
Introductory Neuroscience
The Neurobiology of Memory
Integrative Neuroscience