Microbiology and Immunology
Rance Berg, Ph.D., Graduate Advisor
Research and Education Building 416T
817-735-2121
Graduate Faculty: Berg, Hodge, Jones, Kim, P. Mathew, S. Mathew, Simecka, Vishwanatha
Infectious diseases have a major impact on health around the world. New infectious agents have emerged, and diseases caused by known pathogens have reestablished themselves. Many of these infections result in life-threatening diseases. To complicate matters, many of these infectious agents have developed resistance to antibiotics routinely used in treatments. Thus, prevention and treatment of these infections are of tremendous importance. The development of new antibiotics and vaccines is dependent on an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms of disease caused by these organisms and their basic biology. Also, many findings arising from the investigation of the molecular biology of microbes has significantly contributed to our understanding of the molecular basis of cancer.
Cancer continues to be a significant health problem and is associated with genetic factors, diet and exposure to environmental insults and infectious agents. Cells of the body normally are limited in their growth. In contrast, cancer cells are derived from normal cells and divide uncontrollably, forming tumors. Also, cancer cells spread (metastasize) from primary tumors to distant tissues in the body. Understanding the biology of cancer and the process of metastasis will provide important clues in prevention and treatment of cancer.
Immunology is the study of the defense mechanisms of the host against infectious diseases, cancers and other diseases. By inducing immune responses, as in the case of vaccines, infection and disease can be prevented. Enhancement of appropriate immune responses can also result in the destruction of cancer cells. Research in immunology has a tremendous potential in developing new treatments to prevent or recover from cancer and infectious disease.
Faculty maintain active and productive research programs with special emphasis on infectious disease, microbiology, cancer and immunology. Research interests of the faculty include regulation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic gene expression; T cell and NK cell biology; host response to respiratory infections, molecular immunology; tumor immunology, vaccine development; regulation and function of cytokines; cancer biology and metastasis. Faculty programs are funded by extramural sources including the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.
Students may enter the program with a variety of academic backgrounds, providing that they have fulfilled prerequisite courses. The graduate training program involves basic courses in microbiology and immunology, molecular biology, biochemistry and advanced courses in selected topics. Students participate in seminars and discussion of current research and receive extensive training in techniques of contemporary microbiology, molecular biology and immunology. Students perform original, publishable research and present their research findings at national scientific meetings. About two years are required to complete the Master of Science. Approximately four to five years are required to complete the Doctor of Philosophy.
Graduates with advanced degrees find employment in higher education, industry and government agencies.
Degree Plans
The following are typical degree plans for students in the Microbiology and Immunology discipline. It is advantageous to the student to begin graduate student in the fall semester. This degree plan may vary depending upon availability of course offerings in a given semester and each student's progress toward thesis and dissertation research.
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MS Degree Plan for Microbiology and Immunology |
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Year 1: Fall |
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BMSC 5600 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences I: Principles of Biochemistry |
4 SCH |
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BMSC 5610 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences II: Molecular Cell Biology |
4 SCH |
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BMSC 5935 |
Introduction to Faculty Research Programs |
1 SCH |
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BMSC 5650 |
Lab Rotations |
2 SCH |
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BMSC 5960 |
Biomedical Ethics |
1 SCH |
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12 SCH |
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Year 1: Spring |
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| At least one of the following: | ||
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BMSC 5700 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences III: Physiology |
3 SCH |
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BMSC 5705 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences IV: Pharmacology |
2 SCH |
| And | ||
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BMSC 5710 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences V: Immunology and Microbiology |
3 SCH |
| BMSC 5930 | Individual Research for MS Students | 3-4 SCH |
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BMSC 5935 |
Introduction to Faculty Research Programs |
1 SCH |
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MICR 5120 |
Current Topics in Immunology |
1 SCH |
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MICR 5940 |
Seminar in Current Topics |
1 SCH |
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12 SCH |
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Year 1: Summer |
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BMSC 5200 |
Biostatistics for BMSC |
4 SCH |
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BMSC 5930 |
Individual Research for MS Students |
2 SCH |
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6 SCH |
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Year 2: Fall |
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BMSC 5010 |
Scientific Communications |
3 SCH |
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BMSC 5930 |
Individual Research for MS Students |
7 SCH |
| MICR 6300 | Advanced Molecular Biology | 2 SCH |
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12 SCH |
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Year 2: Spring |
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BMSC 5950 |
Thesis |
6 SCH |
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MICR 5050 |
Advanced Immunology |
3 SCH |
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9 SCH |
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TOTAL |
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51 SCH |
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PhD Degree Plan for Microbiology and Immunology |
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Year 1: Fall |
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BMSC 5600 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences I: Principles of Biochemistry |
4 SCH |
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BMSC 5610 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences II: Molecular Cell Biology |
4 SCH |
|
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BMSC 5935 |
Introduction to Faculty Research Programs |
1 SCH |
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BMSC 5650 |
Lab Rotations |
2 SCH |
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BMSC 5960 |
Biomedical Ethics |
1 SCH |
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12 SCH |
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Year 1: Spring |
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At least one of the following: |
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BMSC 5700 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences III: Physiology |
3 SCH |
|
| BMSC 5705 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences IV: Pharmacology |
2 SCH | |
| and | |||
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BMSC 5710 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences V: Immunology and Microbiology |
3 SCH |
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BMSC 5935 |
Introduction to Faculty Research Programs |
1 SCH |
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| BMSC 6940 | Individual Research | 3-4 SCH | |
| MICR 5120 | Current Topics in Immunology | 1 SCH | |
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MICR 5940 |
Seminar in Current Topics |
1 SCH |
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12SCH |
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Year 1: Summer |
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BMSC 5200 |
Biostatistics |
4 SCH |
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BMSC 6940 |
Individual Research |
2 SCH |
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| Qualifying Exam | 0 SCH | ||
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6 SCH |
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Year 2: Fall |
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BMSC 5010 |
Scientific Communications |
3 SCH |
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BMSC 6940 |
Individual Research |
7 SCH |
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MICR 6300 |
Advanced Molecular Biology |
2 SCH |
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12 SCH |
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Year 2: Spring |
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BMSC 6940 |
Individual Research |
9 SCH |
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BMSC 6010 |
Grant Writing |
3 SCH |
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Qualifying Examination |
0 SCH |
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12 SCH |
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Year 2: Summer |
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BMSC 6940 |
Individual Research |
6 SCH |
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Year 3: Fall |
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BMSC 6940 |
Individual Research |
10 SCH |
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| MICR 5120 | Current Topics in Immunology | 1 SCH | |
| MICR 5940 | Seminar in Current Topics | 1 SCH | |
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12 SCH |
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Year 3: Spring |
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BMSC 6940 |
Individual Research |
3 SCH |
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MICR 5050 |
Advanced Immunology |
3 SCH |
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6 SCH |
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Year 3: Summer |
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BMSC 6940 |
Individual Research |
6 SCH |
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Year 4: Fall |
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BMSC 6940 |
Individual Research |
6 SCH |
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Year 4: Spring |
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BMSC 6950 |
Doctoral Dissertation |
6 SCH |
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Year 4: Summer |
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BMSC 6950 |
Doctoral Dissertation |
6 SCH |
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TOTAL |
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102 SCH |
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Advancement to Doctoral Candidacy Qualifying Examination
The qualifying examination ensures that the doctoral student has mastered information needed to succeed as a Ph.D. in the field of microbiology and immunology. A list of key topics, compiled by the Microbiology and Immunology faculty, will be distributed to the student after completion of the first year of course work. The student is expected to become knowledgeable in each of these topics through their course work, reading of textbooks and scientific literature, and discussion with faculty members.
The oral qualifying examination is administered by a committee comprised of members of the Microbiology and Immunology graduate faculty and the student's university member. The oral examination consists of questions from a selected list of topics provided to the student.
The qualifying exam will be administered during the summer after completion of the core course work. Two attempts to successfully pass the qualifying examination are allowed. Failure of the student to pass the qualifying examination results in dismissal of the student from the doctoral program. A doctoral student who does not pass may be allowed to complete the requirements for a Master of Science degree.
Grant Writing (6010)
Successful completion of Grant Writing (BMSC 6010) requires the preparation and oral defense of an original NIH grant proposal. Two attempts to successfully accomplish this are allowed. BMSC 6010 should be registered for during the spring of the student's second year.
The graduate advisor will serve as the examination coordinator and select an examination committee consisting of four graduate faculty, including a committee chair. The student's major professor may not serve as a committee member. The student's university member will oversee the entire examination process.
The faculty coordinator instructs the student on the regulations of the course and assists in initiating and preparing the proposal. The student should submit a report which presents the hypothesis, experimental strategy and specific aims for the proposal to the examination committee by mid-semester. The proposal must consist of the student's original ideas and is expected to significantly extend scientific knowledge in the chosen research area if the proposed experiments were actually conducted. The proposal should be unrelated to any previous research performed by the student and unrelated to any research currently being pursued in the major professor's laboratory. The committee must approve this summary of the research proposal.
The student must prepare a detailed written report of the research proposal in NIH format after the summary has been approved. The final proposal will be typed and presented to the committee at least two weeks prior to the oral defense. The grant proposal and presentations will be evaluated on the basis of originality and ability to synthesize and communicate this information.
If the proposal and defense are satisfactory, the committee will recommend that the student be advanced to candidacy. This recommendation is presented to the discipline's graduate faculty for approval by the faculty coordinator. Upon successful completion of this course, the student is advanced to candidacy.
Two attempts to successfully complete Grant Writing (BMSC 6010) will be allowed. Failure to pass Grant Writing (BMSC 6010) will result in dismissal from the doctoral program. In this case, a student may be allowed to complete the requirements for a Master of Science degree.
This page last updated Jun 05, 2008
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