Graduate Studies
Course of Study
Graduate Courses
A basic component of graduate education is coursework, which provides students with the fundamental concepts necessary to understand research in the life sciences. The BMMB graduate curriculum includes a set of four courses and one research colloquium required of all students in the program. After choosing a laboratory for their graduate research, students, in consultation with their research advisors, choose advanced courses in their area of interest. Most students finish all formal coursework by the fall semester of their second year. Students must complete 18 credits of coursework. A listing of course offerings and a brief description is below. For courses with instructors offered during the current academic year click here.
Required Coursework to be completed within the first year:
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits* | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMMB 501 | Concepts in Biomedical Sciences | 5 | Fall, 1st year |
| Description: Provide the fundamentals of biochemistry, genetics, cellular and molecular biology, and prepares students to enter any laboratory in the department, regardless of their background before coming to Penn State. | |||
| BMMB 509 | Ethics in Biomedical Sciences | 1 | Fall, 1st year |
| Description: This course will teach you how to
conduct research ethically and visits a number of interesting
contemporary topics regarding medical ethics |
|||
| BMMB 602 | Orientation and Teaching Assistant training | misc. | Fall, 1st year |
| Description: This course meets multiple times each
week to provide an orientation to the graduate program, brief
research seminars by faculty interested in accepting students
and instructions for being an effective teaching assistant. |
|||
| BMMB 507 | Seminar in BMMB | 1 | Spring, 1st year |
| Description: The objective is to help students improve the clarity of their thinking, discussions, lectures, seminars, etc. by providing experience in communicating scientific ideas and results using effective visual aides. Students typically organize and make two presentations during the semester and discuss methods for improving communication with different audiences. |
|||
| BMMB 590 | BMMB Colloquium | Spring, 1st year | |
| Description: Students attend the weekly BMMB seminar series. | |||
Elective coursework:
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits* | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMB 497A | Mass Spectroscopy in Proteomics | 1 | Spring |
| Description: This course will give students the background necessary to effectively design mass spectrometric experiments and interpret data. The instrumentation will be described and students will leave the course with a full understanding and effective use of mass spectrometric data in their research. |
|||
| BMB 497B | Metals in Biology | 1 | Spring |
| Description: TBP by instructor |
|||
| BMB 497C | Fluorescent Microscopic Techniques | 1 | Spring |
| Description: TBP by instructor |
|||
| BMMB 511 | Molecular Immunology | 2 | Fall |
| Description: TBP by instructor |
|||
| BMMB 515 | Macrophage Biology | 2 | Fall |
| Description: TBP by instructor |
|||
| BMMB 516 | Viral Evasion | 2 | Spring |
| Description: TBP by instructor |
|||
| BMMB 518 | T-cell receptors and development | 2 | Spring |
| Description: TBP by instructor |
|||
| BMMB 519 | Development of Hematopoesis and Vascular System | Fall | |
| Description: TBP by instructor |
|||
| BMMB 551 | Genomic | 3 | Fall |
| Description: This graduate course in Genomics deals with the structure and function of genomes including the use of some of the web-based tools and resources for studies and research in genomics. The course is taught by a team of faculty members active in genomics research from both University Park and Hershey (College of Medicine) campuses. | |||
| BMMB 597B | Bioinorganic Chemistry | 3 | Fall |
| Description: TBP by instructor |
|||
| BMMB 597D | Microbial Biology II | 3 | Fall |
| Description: This course is a literature-based seminar covering current topics and methods for understanding the extraordinary versatility and intricate regulatory patterns of microorganisms that allow them to cope with changing and stressful environments. |
|||
| BMMB 597F | Enzymatic Reaction Mechanisms | Fall | |
| Description: This course introduces students to the underlying chemical logic used by enzymes to catalyze reactions under mild conditions with amazing substrate selectivity and astronomical rate enhancements. |
|||
| BMMB 541 | Molecular Biol of Animal Dev. | 3 | Spring |
| Description: TBP by instructor |
|||
| BMMB 597I | Structure of Antibodies and Related Molecules | Fall | |
| Description: This course examines the structures of molecules from the immune system. Mechanisms of binding specificities and applications to the design of therapeutic agents were described. |
|||
| BMMB 598A | Integrative Plant Communication and growth | 4 | Spring |
| Description:This course offers an advanced study of current topics in plant communication, growth, and development. It covers molecular, cell biological, physiological, and whole plant aspects through lectures and problem solving. |
|||
| BMMB 598B | Biomolecular Function | 2 | Spring |
| Description: TBP by instructor |
|||
| BMMB 598C | Microbial Biology I | 4 | Spring |
| Description: This course will address fundamental questions about bacteria and fungi, and their interactions with humans, plants, other microorganisms, and the environment. The goal is to discuss current research questions in detail and at a very advanced level. | |||
| BMMB 598D | Eukaryotic Cell Biology | 3 | Spring |
| Description: Students will study topics in the area of cell biology, focusing on the structure, maintenance and function of the eukaryotic cell. We will use lectures, discussions and exploration of current, cutting-edge literature as resources. In addition, students will be presented with opportunities to develop valuable skills for experimental cell biologists, such as critical and creative thinking and proposal preparation. |
|||
| BMMB 598E | Biomolecular Structure | 2 | Spring |
| Description: This course will develop an understanding of the X-ray crystallography and the three-dimensional structures of biomolecules, emphasizing the relationship between structure and function of protein and nucleic acids. |
|||
| BMMB 598F | Introduction to computational analysis of biological data | 1 | Spring |
| Description: TBP by instructor |
|||
| BMMB 598I | Chromatin Structure and Gene Expression | 1 | Spring |
| Description: After sequencing the genome of humans and more and more other model organisms, the question how genetic information is translated into meaningful biology information remains. We will discuss gene expression in the context of chromatin structure in this class. Mechanisms underlying gene expression and chromatin functions, such as DNA methylation, RNA interference, and histone modifications will be included. |
|||
#some courses are taught every other year *one credit= one 50 minute class per week |
|||
Journal Clubs:
Journals clubs meeting once a week for one hour during the Fall and Spring semesters. Students and faculty present current literature to the group
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits* | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course: | Description: | Credits: | Meets: |
| BMMB 510, Section 1 | Curr Lit Mol Biol-Molecular Biology | 1 | Fall/Spring |
| BMMB 510, Section 2 | Curr Lit Mol Biol-Immunology | 1 | Fall/Spring |
| BMMB 510, Section 3 | Curr Lit Mol Biol-Enzyme Mechanisms | 1 | Fall/Spring |
| BMMB 510, Section 4 | Curr Lit Mol Biol-Microbiology | 1 | Fall/Spring |
Privacy and legal statements.
If you would like to communicate with the keepers of the BMB Web server, send electronic mail to: support@www.bmb.psu.edu