Overview| Course of Study | Research Focus Areas| Curriculum Details
The centerpiece of the MGGB track is a 3 course sequence (fall and spring of first year and spring of the second year) that provides in-depth training in the field of molecular genetic, genomic and bioinformatic research. The first semester CORE course, “Mechanisms in Biomedical Sciences” is a shared experience with all Molecular Medicine and other GPILS graduate students.
This CORE course prepares students for the spring semester track-specific course, “Applied Bioinformatics”, that includes introductory lectures and hands-on exercises in the latest informatic technologies. A database management and programming module is also covered.
Beginning in the second semester of the first year, MGGB students select the first of 3 lab rotations lasting 8 to 12 weeks and identify a faculty member for mentoring their thesis research.
By the end of the first year most students have chosen a thesis laboratory and mentor. Faculty mentors in this track are leaders in their respective research areas and reside in various departments in the School of Medicine and Dental School, the Institute for Genomic Sciences (IGS), the Institute of Human Virology (IHV), and the joint University System of Maryland’s Marine and Environmental Technology Institute.
In the third semester, MGGB students enroll in “Molecular Genetics and Development in Model Systems”, a course emphasizing genetic approaches to model systems such as zebrafish, Drosophila, and Caenorhabditis where genetic regulation of fundamental development processes and disease are revealed. In addition students select electives from a wide variety of courses including Fundamentals of Biostatistics, Hypothesis Testing and Experimental Design, Advances in Functional Genomics, Molecular Mechanisms of Signal Transduction, Fundamentals of Biostatistics, Bacterial Genetics, Special topics in Cancer Biology, Advanced Molecular Biology, Basic Human Genetics, Genetics and Metabolism, Topics in Molecular Medicine, Basic Immunology, Principles of Virology, Human Genetics Seminar, Advanced Biochemistry, Principles of Microbial Pathogenesis, Human Cytogenetics, Advanced Cancer Biology, and others.
Please address inquiries to:
Professor Shiladitya DasSarma
Director, Molecular Genetics, Genomics, and Bioinformatics Track
Graduate Program in Molecular Medicine
dassarma@umbi.umd.edu