DBIO-PHD - Developmental Biology (PhD)
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Program Overview
A fundamental problem in biology is how the complex set of multicellular structures that characterize an adult animal is generated from the fertilized egg. Recent advances at the molecular level, particularly concerning the genetic control of development, have been explosive. These advances represent the beginning of a significant movement in the biological sciences toward understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying developmental decisions and the resulting morphogenetic processes. This new thrust in developmental biology derives from the extraordinary methodological advances of the past decade in molecular genetics, immunology, and biochemistry. However, it also derives from groundwork from classical developmental studies, the rapid advances in cell biology and animal virology, and models borrowed from prokaryotic systems. The work is increasingly related to human diseases, including oncogene function and inherited genetic disease.
The department is located in the Beckman Center for Molecular and Genetic Medicine within the Stanford University Medical Center.
Minimum Units in the Program
Minimum University Units
Graduate Degrees describes university requirements for the PhD degree.
The graduate program in Developmental Biology leads to the PhD degree. The department also participates in the Medical Scientists Training Program (MSTP), in which individuals are candidates for both the MD and PhD degrees.
Students are required to complete at least five courses, including:
DBIO 210
DBIO 215
An advanced graduate course in genetics or genomics
An advanced graduate course in cell biology or biochemistry
A course in quantitative or computational biology
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Students are required to complete a minimum of 135 units to graduate.
Students can adjust the units of their Graduate Research course (DBIO 399 or GENE 399) to 10 units per quarter (before reaching TGR) or 3 units per quarter (after advancing to TGR) to reach 135 units.
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Students are expected to attend Developmental Biology seminars and journal clubs.
Completion of a qualifying examination is required for admission to PhD candidacy. The examination consists of an off-topic proposal on a subject different from the dissertation research.
The student must pass the University Oral Examination, taken only after substantially completing their research. The examination is preceded by a public seminar in which the candidate presents the research. A dissertation reading committee conducts the oral examination.
The final requirements of the program include the presentation of a PhD dissertation as the result of independent investigation and constituting a contribution to knowledge in the area of developmental biology.