CSB-PHD - Chemical and Systems Biology (PhD)
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Program Overview
The Department of Chemical and Systems Biology offers interdisciplinary training to prepare students for independent careers in biomedical science. The program’s primary focus is cell signaling, chemical biology, and systems biology.
The program leading to the PhD degree includes formal and informal study in chemical biology, systems biology, drug discovery, biochemistry, and other areas of relevance to the interests of particular students. First-year students spend one quarter in each of three different laboratories, working closely with other graduate students, a professor, and postdoctoral fellows on various research projects. During the fourth quarter, the student chooses a faculty mentor — based on available positions and the student’s interest — with whom to undertake thesis research. During or before the eighth quarter of study, students must pass a qualifying exam which consists of an oral exam on general knowledge and defense of a research proposal. Course requirements are fulfilled during the first two years of study; the later years of the four- to six-year program are devoted to full-time dissertation research. Close tutorial contact between students and faculty is stressed throughout the program.
Research opportunities also exist for medical students and undergraduates. The limited size of the labs in the department allows for close tutorial contact between students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty.
The department participates in the four-quarter Health and Human Disease and Practice of Medicine sequence, providing medical students with a comprehensive, systems-based education in physiology, pathology, microbiology, and pharmacology.
Minimum Units in the Program
Minimum University Units
Degree Requirements
Important note: Normally, if a course has the option to be taken as a letter grade, the student must take the course as a letter grade and receive a B- or better to have the course count towards the CSB PhD requirements.
- 2132971
- 2135821
- 2160111
- 1275221
- 1275251
- 2189581
- 1275221
- 1275251
- 1277951
BIOS 263: Applied Grant-Writing Skills for Fellowships (Spring)
To be taken once, after selecting a thesis advisor. Students use their Qualifying Exam Proposal and/or skills obtained in this course to apply for fellowships and grants during their time in CSB ( e.g., NIH F31, NSF, etc.). Choose another scientific writing course if you have already secured a fellowship.
CSB 270: Research Seminar (Fall, Winter, and Spring)
To be taken fall, winter, and spring of years one and two
CSB 399: Graduate Research (Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer)
To be taken every quarter until students reach 135 units, at which point students have the option to go to Terminal Graduation Registration status and enroll in CSB 802 for zero units all following quarters until graduation
MED 255: The Responsible Conduct of Research (Fall, Winter, or Spring)
To be taken once
- 1123021
- 2026571
If CSB 260 and Chem 281 are both offered within the same year, you should take CSB 260 for this requirement.
- 2199661
- 2090821
- 2090831
- 2106201
- 2220261
- 2153281
- 2090771
- 1275791
OR 1275793
OR 1275792 - 1272881
OR 1272884
OR 1272883
OR 1272882 - 2136415
- 1273491
- 2140691
Other electives are possible with approval from the Student Advisory Committee.
In addition to the university requirements for the PhD described in Graduate Degrees, Chemical and Systems Biology has required departmental milestones:
The quarterly ethics discussion is required for first and second-year students
By the time a student is scheduling their thesis defense, the student’s first-author research article should be accepted for publication