SBIO-PHD - Structural Biology (PhD)
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Program Overview
The graduate program in Structural Biology is intended to prepare students for careers as independent investigators in cell and molecular biology. The principal requirement of a PhD degree is the completion of research constituting an original and significant contribution to advancing knowledge. It is training in a major with connections to biophysics (e.g., physics, chemistry, or biology, with a quantitative background equivalent to that of an undergraduate physics or chemistry major at Stanford).
Current research topics in the department lie in gene expression; theoretical, crystallographic, and genetic analysis of protein structure; and cell-cell interaction. See Stanford’s School of Medicine website for further information.
Admission
Applicants to the program should have a bachelor’s degree and complete at least a year of coursework in biology, mathematics, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, and physics. The department must receive applications before December 15 for notification by April 15. Application to the National Science Foundation for fellowship support is also encouraged. Prospective applicants should contact the Department of Structural Biology for further information. The GRE general score is optional, and the GRE subject score is not required.
It is recommended that prospective applicants have completed the following courses (or their equivalent) before applying:
UNITS | ||
|---|---|---|
Organic Polyfunctional Compounds | 3 | |
Foundations of Physical Chemistry | 4 | |
Physical Chemistry II | 3 | |
Physical Chemistry III | 3 | |
Applied Biochemistry | 2 | |
Minimum Units in the Program
Minimum University Units
- 1243111
- 2132971
- 1277951
- 1272882
OR 2042561 - 1272891
The student must prepare a dissertation proposal defining the research to be undertaken, including methods of procedure. This proposal should be submitted by the end of summer quarter of the second year, and it must be approved by a committee of at least three members, including the principal research advisor and at least one member from the Department of Structural Biology. The candidate must defend the dissertation proposal in an oral examination. The dissertation reading committee typically evolves from the dissertation proposal review committee.
The student must pass the University Oral Examination, taken only after substantially completing the research. The examination is preceded by a public seminar in which the candidate presents the research.
The student must present a PhD dissertation as the result of an independent investigation and express a contribution to knowledge in structural biology.