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Department of Biochemistry
School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Graduate Program
Introduction and Philosophy
The Department of Biochemistry is dedicated to excellence in biochemical research problems, with faculty members actively pursuing exciting research problems. As part of this effort, faculty members train graduate students to assume full partnership in research within a chosen area of biochemistry. Indeed, who the faculty are is the most important question you are faced with when considering a graduate program. In addition to academic excellence, the two most important things faculty should offer students are diversity of research experience and demonstrated commitment to graduate training. The department's strength lies in its faculty, drawn from a wide variety of backgrounds. The faculty in the department have diverse research interests representing essentially every area of modern biochemistry and modern biology. These areas include:
- Molecular Genetics, Genome Integrity, and Gene Expression
- Membrane Structure, Function, and Transport
- Protein Structure and Function
- Metabolic Regulation
- Molecular Basis of Disease
- Molecular Signaling in Growth and Development
- Genomics and Bioinformatics
Underlining this diversity, however, is a common theme: how living cells work. Obviously, each faculty member and his or her students study a specific component or process within cells. But the objective of all the research is to determine how that specific component or process works. In large measure, the department's research follows the pathway from gene to protein to cell. Because of this common thread, the strategies and techniques used are overlapping and complementary.
The department participates in the Ph.D. Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences. The community of scientists in the department actually extends into several other departments within the university. Many are members of larger bodies of researchers and teachers who have shared interest in specific experimental problems. Some examples of these School and/or University-side groups of faculty researchers are:
- Center for Microbial Pathogenesis
- Graduate Group on DNA Replication
- Focus Group on Molecular Signaling
The University is embarking on a new vision in teaching and research that is called UB2020. As part of this initiative the School's Administration has targeted several key areas for expansion. One of these Strategic
Strengths is Molecular Recognition in Biological Systems; Biochemistry Department Faculty are playing a significant role in the development of new plans to extend and take advantage of the expertise that
we have in this exciting and topical area of biomedical research.
These multidisciplinary and interdepartmental groups afford students the opportunity for regular contact with faculty and students throughout the biological and biomedical community in Buffalo in addition to their regular contact with faculty and students in the Biochemistry Department. The groups sponsor seminars, workshops, and symposia open to all interested researchers. Many are involved in active collaborations that directly involve students. In addition, students are encouraged to choose laboratory rotations in two or three different research areas represented by the department's faculty. This emphasis on diversity underscores the department's strong belief that only by obtaining a broad training can a new PhD. be competitive in the job market. Indeed, the faculty recognize that only by employing flexible approaches to their research problems can they remain competitive for extramural funding. The department's whole curriculum is based on this belief: we expect our graduates to be the sum of our collective expertise and, therefore, to be better trained than any one of us.
Financial Aid / Cost of Study
Most students are supported by University funds, research grants, or fellowships. Teaching and research assistantships for first-year students are twelve-month appointments with a stipend of at least $21,000 in 2006-2007 plus a tuition award. Tuition for full-time graduate students in 2006-2007 is $6900 plus fees for New York residents and $10,920 plus fees for out-of-state residents. Health insurance is provided with other fringe benefits at a minimal cost to students.
Student Group
Of the 27,220 students at the State University of New York at Buffalo in 2005-2006, approximately 9055 were graduate students. The department currently has approximately 33 graduate students and 9 postdoctoral fellows.
Applying
All Ph.D. applicants must apply online at the following: http://www.smbs.buffalo.edu/rbe/igpbs/
All Masters applicants must apply online at the following: http://www.smbs.buffalo.edu/rbe/master/
Correspondence and Information
Director of Graduate Affairs
Department of Biochemistry
State University of New York at Buffalo
School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
3435 Main Street, 140 Farber Hall
Buffalo, New York 14214-3000
Telephone: (716) 829-3069
Fax: (716) 829-2725
E-mail: Beth O'Brocta (Assistant to Director): eobrocta@buffalo.edu