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Academic Programs

Cirriculum

Required Courses
Fall - 1st Semester		Credit Hours
BMS 501	Cell Biology 1	4
BMS 503	Principles of Biochemistry	4
BMS 509A	Laboratory Rotation	2
BMS 511	Interdisciplinary Seminar	2
Spring - 2nd Semester
BMS 505 or BMS 506	Cell Biology 2A (1st Semester) Cell Biology 2B (2nd Semester)	2
BMS 510A 510B	Laboratory Rotations	4
BMS 512	Interdisciplinary Seminar	2
MIC 512	Fundamentals of Immunology	4
One of the following Biochemistry Offerings: BCH 507 BCH 508	Protein Structure/Function Gene Expression	2
Fall - 3rd Semester
MIC 501	Graduate Microbiology	6
MIC 610	Critical Analysis	1
MIC 619	*Microbiology & Immunology Seminar	1
MIC Research and/or Elective Courses		4
Spring - 4th Semester
MIC 512	Immunology (if not Semester 2)	(4)
MIC 620	*Microbiology & Immunology Seminar	1
MIC Research, Elective, and/or Advanced Topic Courses		7-11
Fall - 5th Semester
MIC Research, Elective, and/or Advanced Topic Courses		9
Spring - 6th Semester
MIC Research, Elective, and/or Advanced Topic Courses		1-9
7th Semester and Beyond
MIC Research, Elective, and/or Advanced Topic Courses
		72 Total Credit Hours
Elective Courses	(Students may also take electives in other departments.)
MIC 599	Supervised Teaching	1
Advanced Topics:
MIC 607	DNA Replication and Repair	2
MIC 609	Current Topics in Immunology	2
MIC 611	Cytokines and Inflammation	2
MIC 613	Advanced Virology	2
MIC 624	Bacterial Pathogenesis	2
MIC 626	Inflammation and Cancer	2
MIC 627	Molecular Parasitology	2
*Two semesters of MIC 619/620 Seminar are required, then an additional four semesters of MIC Seminar or MIC Advanced Topics (6 semesters total). A prerequisite to take an Advanced Topic course is permission of instructor.  The MIC Seminar can be taken concurrent with an Advanced Topic course.  Students may register for the same Advanced Topic course twice but are encouraged to take Advanced Topic courses outside their area of interest.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Required Courses

Year 1
Go to IGPBS to see the curriculum

512 Fundamentals of Immunology (4 credits) LECTURES
Anatomy and function of the immune system, cell interactions, antibody formation, antigen-antibody reactions, cell-mediated immunity, biological effects of immunological reactions.

Year 2

501 Graduate Microbiology (6 credits) LEC Covers three major areas of microbiology: bacteriology, virology, and parasitology. The bacteriology component includes bacterial physiology and structure, bacterial metabolism, bacterial genetics and disease processes. The virology section of the course includes principles involved in the nature and biological activities of viruses, as well as virus-host interactions. This includes an in-depth consideration of the life cycle of selected viruses with representatives of the RNA and the DNA viruses. The parasitology section of the course emphasizes unique features of parasite gene expression, metabolism, and adherence and invasion properties. Representatives of both unicellular and multicellular parasites are considered.

610 Critical analysis (1 credit) LECTURE

619-620 Microbiology Seminar (1 credit) SEMINAR

Advanced discussions on topics in bacteriology, virology, parasitology, and immunology. Students present papers on scientific material and participate in discussions.

512 Fundamentals of Immunology (4 credits) LECTURES
(If not taken during first year)
Anatomy and function of the immune system, cell interactions, antibody formation, antigen-antibody reactions, cell-mediated immunity, biological effects of immunological reactions.

Year 3-

636-675 Laboratory Research (1-12 credits) TUTORIAL

700 Thesis Guidance (1-4 credits) TUTORIAL

Preparation of the thesis based upon original graduate research. Discussions on presentation of data, its critical evaluation, and the candidate's review of pertinent literature in the field.

 

Elective Courses

514 Fundamentals of Immunology (4 credits) LECTURES
(If not taken during first year)
Anatomy and function of the immune system, cell interactions, antibody formation, antigen-antibody reactions, cell-mediated immunity, biological effects of immunological reactions.

599 Supervised Teaching (1-3 credits) TUTORIAL

Experience in preparation and presentation of microbiology to undergraduate and professional students. Limited to graduate students in the Department.

607 DNA Replication and Repair (2 credits) SEMINAR

DNA replication, repair and recombination. Some readings assigned in advanced textbooks; however, most readings and presentations will be from current literature.

609 Advanced Topics in Immunology (2 credits) SEMINAR

Classes are organized around recent, ground-breaking research papers including, but not limited to, vaccine development, transplantation, autoimmunity, neuroimmunology and immunopharmacology.

611 Cytokines and Inflammation (2 credits) SEMINAR 

Current scientific literature in the fields of cytokines and inflammation, with an emphasis on molecular aspects of signal transduction. Modern experimental models and techniques will be used. Students will also learn to perform critical analyses of scientific literature and to plan future strategies for experimentation based on published findings. Students will present lectures and write critical reviews of manuscript reprints.

613 Advanced Topics in Virology (2 credits) SEMINAR

Advanced discussions on topics in virology. Classes are organized around recent papers in the virological literature. Topics include HIV, hantavirus infection, prions, and the hepatitis viruses.

614 Advanced Dental Microbiology (1 credit) LECTURE
Current concepts of microbiological aspects of caries and pulpal infections, response of host to pulpal infection, and control of bacteria and bacterial infections.

624 Advanced Topics in Bacterial Pathogenesis (2 credits) SEMINAR

Presentation, review and discussion of current scientific articles relating to bacterial pathogenesis. New methodologies and state-of-the-art techniques will be introduced.

626 Inflammation and Cancer (2 credits) SEMINAR

627 Advanced Topics in Molecular Parasitology (2 credits) SEMINAR

Advanced discussions on topics in molecular parasitology. Classes are organized around current research in the literature.

 

Others

623 Microbiology 1 (Bacteriology) (2 credits) LECTURE
Bacteriology part of MIC501


612 Microbiology 3 (Virology) (2 credits) LECTURE
Virology part of MIC501

513 Microbiology 3 (Parasitology) (2 credits) LECTURE
Parasitology part of MIC501.

516 Microbiology Laboratory Rotation (2 credits) LAB
Laboratory experiences in general and medical microbiology, virology, parasitology and immunology. Introduction to methods and experimental design in the research laboratory. Limited to incoming graduate students.