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UM Home > Academic Bulletin > Graduate Academic Programs > School of Medicine > Microbiology & Immunology

Academic Bulletin

LIFE SCIENCES - SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
www.biomed.miami.edu

MICROBIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY - Dept. Code: MIC

http://chroma.med.miami.edu/micro/

Objective

The objective is to provide multi-faceted training opportunities for students to become highly competitive for various postgraduate careers upon acquisition of their Ph.D. from the Microbiology and Immunology (MIC) Graduate Program.

The program trains students to rigorously investigate central topics and applications based on a broad comprehension of interdisciplinary science provided by the Program in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences (PIBS) in year 1. Thereafter, the MIC Graduate Program offers students a specialty curriculum that is interactive and discussion based.

Furthermore, students are in charge of a research project in either viral or bacterial pathogenesis or in molecular immunology, autoimmunity, tumor immunity or transplantation. Finally, the MIC program offers outstanding training opportunities in translational research in the respective diseases or in therapeutical settings.

Goals

The goals of the MIC Graduate Program are five-fold:

1) Train up critical and creative scientific minds built on solid interdisciplinary knowledge of Microbiology or Immunology

2) Train technical laboratory skills necessary to perform experiments in the area of specialization

3) Continue PIBS training of skills necessary to present scientific findings orally and in writing, including independent research plans as well as competitive manuscripts and grant proposals

4) Prepare students to become the teachers of tomorrow by involving them in the active teaching process of a laboratory class for undergraduate students (Microbiology 301)

5) Nourish the next generation of a networked community of scientists that is well prepared for challenging postgraduate careers.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

All students for the Microbiology & Immunology doctoral graduate program are admitted through PIBS along with students interested in other Ph.D. programs at UMMSM (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Cancer Biology, Human Genetics & Genomics, Molecular Cell & Developmental Biology, Molecular & Cellular Pharmacology, Neuroscience, and Physiology & Biophysics). The PIBS Admissions Committee will review and make decisions on complete applications after December 15th.

Applicants should have a bachelor’s degree in a biological or related discipline (e.g., psychology, chemistry, engineering, physics). Although there are no absolute prerequisites, courses in general biology, cell/molecular biology, calculus, general physics, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, and biochemistry are encouraged.
Strong candidates will have research experience in a laboratory setting, an excellent academic record and GRE scores, excellent letters of recommendation from scientists who know the candidate well, and the motivation to pursue state-of-the-art biomedical research. Applicants should apply online at: www.biomed.miami.edu

First year of Graduate Study in Microbiology and Immunology

In the first-year PIBS training phase, students of all graduate programs at UMMSM participate in a common curriculum to build a solid foundation in biomedical science. The core coursework in the fall ranges from molecules to cells to systems of human physiology. Lectures are balanced by breakout sessions, in which faculty members discuss the primary literature with students in small groups. The core curriculum also offers critical learning opportunities in biostatistics and in using genomic and other databases, as well as education in ethics. Students meet several times in small groups with experienced faculty mentors to discuss important issues of faculty development. Specific coursework relating to Microbiology and Immunology is largely being offered in the second PIBS semester.

Graduation

To be eligible for graduation, students must present and defend an acceptable Ph.D. dissertation embodying original investigative findings suitable for publication. The doctoral degree in Microbiology and Immunology normally requires five to six years beyond the baccalaureate.

Financial Support

All students accepted are awarded a stipend of $25,500 per annum (as of June 1, 2009) and receive a full tuition scholarship. In addition, if students choose the University of Miami graduate student health insurance program, 80% of the individual insurance premium will be covered.

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