Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences Courses

Interdisciplinary Graduate Program
in Biomedical Sciences (IGPBS)

About IGPBS	Areas of Research/Faculty	Contact
Apply	Curriculum/Schedule	Current Students

Interdisciplinary Graduate Program
in Biomedical Sciences (IGPBS)

About IGPBS	Areas of Research/Faculty	Contact
Apply	Curriculum/Schedule	Current Students

Curriculum

First Year Core Courses
Fall	Winter	Spring	Summer
GIGP-500 First Year Research Rotations GMTD-709 Molecular and Cellular Sciences Seminar Series GIGP-501 Molecular - Cell Biology I GIGP-507 The Art of Scientific Presentation	GIGP-500 First Year Research Rotations GMTD-709 Molecular and Cellular Sciences Seminar Series GIGP-502 MCB II GIGP-510 Computer Applications in Biomedical Sciences GIGP-503 Systems Lectures	GIGP-500 First Year Research Rotations GMTD-709 Molecular and Cellular Sciences Seminar Series GIGP-508 Ethics and Regulatory Issues in Biomedical Research GIGP-514 Principles in Experimental Design and Biostatistics Electives (students must choose one or more of the following) GIGP-505 Cell & Molecular Develop Biology GIGP-506 Systems Physiology GIGP-512 IGPBS Neuroscience Elective	Research with student selected mentor.
Year 2 to Graduation 1) Students select their research advisor and join their home department and laboratory at end of the first core year. 2) Students complete all required advanced courses from their home department 3) Students must pass the comprehensive exam by the end of Year 2 4) Research proceeds towards Thesis Defense and is benchmarked by the student’s thesis Committee every 6 months. 5) Degree is received in the student’s home department or main area of study: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Cell Biology & Anatomy Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology Microbiology & Immunology Neuroscience Physiology & Biophysics

Course Descriptions

Fall

GIGP-500 First Year Research Rotations (1.00 cr)
REQUIRED for IGPBS – First year IGPBS students complete four self-selected laboratory rotations with research faculty. These eight-week rotations are designed to introduce student and mentor in the laboratory setting with the goal of determining student/mentor match. At the end of the rotations, the student will select their thesis advisor from among those faculty members with whom the rotations were held. Lab Intine (IGPBS students are registered for Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer)
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GMTD-709 Molecular and Cellular Sciences Seminar Series (1 cr awarded at series completion)
Presentations on current literature and personal research by guest speakers in all aspects of molecular and cellular sciences. Fall, Winter and Spring Quarters
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GIGP-501 Molecular - Cell Biology I (6.00 cr)
REQUIRED for IGPBS - Based on MBCH 502, this course consists of 36 formal MCB lectures plus seven Physiology lectures; weekly student presentation and discussion of research papers; MD/PhD students also attend 2 clinical correlation lectures and participate in 2 integrated problem based learning sessions. In this course, the molecular and cellular processes common to all eukaryotic cells are studied and, where appropriate, comparisons to prokaryotic cells are made. The molecular and cellular processes of specific cell types and tissue types are also considered, and related to their morphological appearance. A unique aspect of the course is a self-teaching program that covers certain facts and concepts basic to biochemistry; this is an individual, self-learning, self-evaluation program. The course is taught by Dr. Walters and faculty from the Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Cell Biology & Anatomy. Grading is based 30% on written midterm exam; 30% on written final exam; 40% on participation in discussion sessions.
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GIGP-507 The Art of Scientific Presentation (2.00 cr)
REQUIRED for IGPBS - Students learn to improve their oral presentation skills by weekly presentations and by giving and receiving peer evaluation. The successful scientific career requires clear communication of scientific results. Participants in this course practice giving and evaluating oral presentations of technical material. Topics to be covered include organization of a talk, targeting the material to the appropriate level of the audience, overcoming "stage fright", effective visual aids, developing eye contact, effective use of voice, overcoming language barriers and handling question-and-answer sessions.
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Winter

GIGP-500 First Year Research Rotations (1.00 cr)

GMTD-709 Molecular and Cellular Sciences Seminar Series

GIGP-502 MCB II (4.00 cr)
REQUIRED for IGPBS A continuation and expansion of the principles taught in Molecular - Cell Biology I, this course covers the following topics: protein structure & molecular recognition, enzyme action & adaptation principles of biomolecular action & regulation receptors, signal transduction, gene expression – pre-mRNA to targeted protein degradation, antibodies-structure and function, and current methods of cell biology.
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GIGP-510 Computer Applications in Biomedical Sciences (2.00 cr)
REQUIRED for IGPBS - Combination of lecture and hands-on application of computer databases and tools to research problems. Grading is based on student projects carried out during the quarter.
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GIGP-503 Systems Lectures (2.0 credits total)
REQUIRED for IGPBS - The Systems Lectures are a series of short, 1 credit modules (2 weeks each) that focus on particular diseases and take the student from the disease's primary underlying mechanism (at the cellular level or gene level, if known) to the integrated physiological systems level. The modules are a combination of lectures and/or directed paper discussions by faculty with expertise in a particular disease area.

GIGP-503 A - Fundamentals of Immunology and Human Immunodeficiency Virus
GIGP-503 B- Cystic Fibrosis
GIGP-503 C- Cancer
GIGP-503 D- Parkinson’s Disease

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Spring

GIGP-500 First Year Research Rotations (1.00 cr)

GMTD-709 Molecular and Cellular Sciences Seminar Series

GIGP-508 Ethics and Regulatory Issues in Biomedical Research (2.00 cr)
REQUIRED for IGPBS - This course covers most of the major issues related to the responsible conduct of research in the biomedical sciences, including: overt falsification, fabrication, plagiarism (FFP); authorship and publication guidelines; conflict of interest; mentor/trainee responsibilities, and human subject research. Online component includes certification for using radioisotopes and using animals in research.
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Electives (students must choose one or more of the following)

GIGP-505 Cell & Molecular Develop Biology (4.00 cr)
ELECTIVE for IGPBS - Students must take a minimum of 1 elective option. This course will introduce the students to the prominent experimental model systems used today by developmental biologists and then focus on particular underlying developmental control mechanisms that are important to the processes of cell differentiation and morphogenesis. The course is made up of a combination of lectures and/or directed paper discussions by faculty with expertise in the various sub-topics of the course.
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GIGP-506 Systems Physiology (4.00 cr)
ELECTIVE for IGPBS - Students must take a minimum of 1 elective in their first year. The Systems Physiology elective includes the study of: cardiac, respiratory, renal, gastrointestinal and endocrine physiology. It is designed for graduate students who have successfully completed Molecular and Cell Biology 1 and 2, but require a more complete understanding of organ-systems physiology. The text required is Principles of Physiology, 4th edition by Robert Berne and Matthew Levy. Papers, discussions and presentations relevant to the system being presented may supplement the topics. Examinations are in written format.

NOTE This course is required for students also taking the Neuroscience elective. Those students studying toward the PhD, degree with an advisor in Physiology and Biophysics will be required to complete the full course in Medical Physiology MMPH500A and B (14 units).
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GIGP-512 IGPBS Neuroscience Elective (5.00 cr)
IGPBS students must take a minimum of 1 elective option in the first year. This course, which is required for entry into both the Neuroscience and Pharmacology PhD programs, is divided into two parts. Part I is taught as a small group discussion covering a broad overview of cellular and systems neuroscience. Students are expected to read textbook chapters and review faculty notes before each meeting, which will focus on explaining the more difficult topics and exploring current research implications. Topics to be covered include: the neurochemistry of transmitters, receptors, and second messenger systems; developmental neurobiology; and the neural systems underlying sensory, motor, affect, memory, language, and other high cognitive functions. Part II is focused on human neuroanatomy, and is taught through a combination of large-group lectures (with medical students), labs, and small discussion sessions, employing a mixture of atlases, brain models, cadaver brains, and interactive computer programs. Students enrolled in this elective must enroll in the spring term Systems Physiology (GIGP-506) elective, as well.
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GIGP-514 Principles in Experimental Design and Biostatistics (1-2 cr. per year)
Part I – review basic principles in experimental design.
Part II – Basic principles of statistics (definitions and concepts, non-parametric and parametric tests, with focus on ANOVAs). The course will include didactic lectures, as well as small group problem-solving sessions where students get the opportunity to discuss their own data.
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Summer

GIGP-500 First Year Research Rotations (1.00 cr)
Enrolled as an IGPBS student, but performing summer research with selected mentor

Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences (IGPBS)

Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences (IGPBS)

Curriculum

Interdisciplinary Graduate Program
in Biomedical Sciences (IGPBS)

Interdisciplinary Graduate Program
in Biomedical Sciences (IGPBS)