Microbiology Graduate Program Handbook
Introduction
The Microbiology Graduate Program is designed to provide students with
opportunities to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to embark on careers as
independent microbiologists. Features of the Program include instruction on various
aspects of microbiology, oral and written communication, laboratory techniques, teaching
and research skills and professional working practices. A major feature of the Program is
the production of a doctoral dissertation or a master’s thesis that satisfies the University’s
and Department’s criteria. The University’s regulations summarize these as follows:
“The dissertation [or thesis] in its completed form will be judged largely
upon the ability of the candidate to review and make critical use of the
literature; to formulate a problem, plan a method of attack and work
systematically towards a solution; to summarize the material or data, and
draw conclusions based thereon. Scholastic attainment in writing and
presenting the results of the study will be crucial. The goal of the
dissertation [or thesis] is to make a contribution to knowledge. It should
be of publishable quality.”
This handbook describes the policies, requirements and guidelines for the graduate
program in Microbiology and has been formally agreed upon by the faculty of the
Department. The Microbiology Graduate Program operates within the University’s
regulations as described in the Graduate School Bulletin and the Graduate Student
Handbook. These publications are issued by the Graduate School and the Graduate
Dean’s Office, respectively, and students are expected to be familiar with relevant
regulations. The Department’s Graduate Program Director (GPD) is also available for
consultation concerning any aspect of the program.
Faculty Advisor and Laboratory Rotations
At the time of first registration, a member of the faculty is assigned as faculty advisor
for each student by the GPD. For students performing laboratory rotations, their advisor
will be the faculty member in charge of their current rotation. The Department does not
have a formal policy regarding laboratory rotations. Arrangements for a rotation through
a laboratory should be made by the student with the lab advisor. We encourage students
to consider rotating through 2 or 3 laboratories during their first year in the program with
10-15 weeks spent in each lab, especially those students who are uncertain of the area in
microbiology that they would like to pursue for their degree. Rotation students should be
recruited by a faculty member by the end of their first academic year ideally with
research funding support. The advisor must be a member of the Microbiology
department, although adjunct professors may serve as advisors. Should the student
change dissertation advisor, the new advisor becomes the faculty advisor for the student,
and a new research program is begun.
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Financial Support and Conditions of Employment
Students are normally admitted to the Microbiology Graduate Program only if they
have financial support as approved by the Department. For most students, this support
takes the form of an assistantship provided by the Department. Initially such support is in
the form of a teaching assistantship, then later in the Program students are typically
supported on research assistantships provided by faculty research grants or contracts.
Some students are supported by external sources, such as government scholarships, or by
assistantships from other University-based sources outside the Department. The selection
of research assistant appointments, terms of contract, and other details of such
appointments fall entirely within the purview of the faculty member who is the principal
investigator on the grant, subject to Department and University regulations.
Graduate students appointed as teaching or research assistants may not, in general,
accept concurrent employment elsewhere. Exceptions must be approved by both the
GPD and the dissertation advisor prior to acceptance of any other type of employment.
Concurrent employment is strongly discouraged by the Department, and students should
note that there are University regulations governing the number of hours that a student
may work (see the University’s Graduate Student Handbook). Students appointed as
teaching or research assistants are governed by the conditions of the agreement between
the University and the Graduate Employee Organization (GEO). Teaching assistant
appointments include the January intersession period. Details of public holidays,
personal leave and vacation entitlement can be found in the Graduate Appointment
Policies and Procedures document issued by the Graduate School.
Prior to conducting any work in a research laboratory, students must undergo safety
training as prescribed by the University’s Environmental Health and Safety Office and
provide documentary evidence of the satisfactory completion of this training.
Qualifications for Teaching Assistantships
Graduate teaching assistantships are an important component of our graduate
education process. They provide the student with valuable experience as an instructor at
the collegiate level and develop in them organizational, speaking, and technical skills.
Furthermore, assistantships provide the student with the financial means necessary for
them to attend graduate school. The following are guidelines for awarding teaching
assistantships.
 All new students funded by a teaching assistantship are recruited into the
Department and not to a specific faculty member. Each student will generally
qualify for two semesters as a teaching assistant as long as their performance is
sufficient during their first teaching semester. They will also be supported by the
Department to work with a faculty member during the summer following their first
academic year.
 Faculty advising students who need a reappointment beyond two semesters should
notify the Graduate Program Committee by February 1.
 All graduate students in our program, except 5th-year Master’s students, are required
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to teach one semester with financial support for that semester.
 The criteria for reappointment will include a minimum overall GPA of at least 3.0,
satisfactory performance and progress reports from the rotation advisors and course
instructors who supervised the student, length of time on teaching assistantship and
length of time in the degree program.

To qualify for consideration after two semesters of teaching, the faculty advisor and
graduate student should demonstrate that a serious effort has been made to obtain
alternative funding. If a suitable effort has not been made to obtain funding, then
the student should transfer to an alternate laboratory where research funding is
available or consider leaving the program.
 Graduate teaching assistantships will generally be awarded for an academic year
(i.e., fall and spring semesters).
 In general, teaching assistantships, whether awarded to one of our current students
or a new recruit, should not be considered renewable unless extenuating
circumstances can be justified. Examples include a shortfall of students to meet our
teaching needs or a short-term lapse in research funding on the part of a faculty
member.
The GPD and the departmental Teaching Laboratory Coordinator, in consultation
with the Department Head, are responsible for assigning teaching assistantships to
specific courses. Consideration will be given to special needs of the instructor and
qualifications of the student when appropriate.
Course Work
A student must take at least 9 credits per semester in order to maintain full-time status
(see list of graduate-level Microbiology courses in Appendix 1). In their first two years,
students will typically take two instructional courses with an emphasis on qualification
courses (see below). All graduate students are required to register for the Graduate
Seminar course and the remaining credits are filled with Independent Study. This latter
course typically ranges between 3 and 5 credits per semester and is arranged between the
student and their research advisor for that semester. Registration for Independent Study
requires the signature of the advisor on a Course Override Form available in the main
office. Students are encouraged to enroll in a Journal Club course each semester after
their first year.
A minimum of 30 graduate credits are required by the Graduate School for a Master’s
degree. Twenty-one of these must be in Microbiology. A minimum of one-half of the
total required credits must be on a letter-graded basis. The Graduate School requires no
minimum number of credits for the doctoral program, with the exception of dissertation
credits. However, we recommend that all graduate students meet the credit requirements
for the Master’s degree in case a student leaves the program with a Master’s degree. A
doctoral candidate must have 18 dissertation credits in order to receive the Ph.D. degree.
Dissertation credits are taken by the candidate after the Preliminary Comprehensive
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Examination has been passed. The Graduate School's residency requirement is fulfilled
by taking two consecutive semesters of 9 credits of MICROBIO 899.
Qualification in Three Core Areas
In order to proceed onto the doctoral program, each graduate student must qualify in
three core areas within the Microbiology program. These core areas include the
following (Note: some core areas have more than one course):
Microbial Physiology
Microbial Genetics
Bioinformatics
Microbial Ecology and Diversity
Immunology
Virology
Parasitology
Courses in these areas are offered every 1-2 years so students should plan accordingly.
Students are expected to qualify in their three core course areas by the end of the Spring
Semester of their second year, although exceptions can be made if the student receives
permission from the GPD or the Department Head. Requirements for qualification vary
with the instructors.
Preliminary Comprehensive Examination
The Graduate School requires the successful completion of the Preliminary
Comprehensive Examination (i.e., the prelim exam) prior to continuation onto the
Doctoral Program. Each Department establishes its own criteria for the examination. In
Microbiology, the exam is usually given in the Spring of the student’s second academic
year. Each student must successfully demonstrate the following in order to proceed in
the Ph.D. program:
1) The ability to propose a novel and important research project in microbiology and
adequately describe and defend the means by which this project would be
conducted and completed.
2) Proficiency in three areas of microbiology.
The exam will be administered by a committee composed of three Microbiology
faculty members. The committee members will be selected by the student, their advisor
and the GPD or the Department Head. The student’s advisor may not serve on their
committee but may attend the exam as an observer. The three committee members
generally represent the research interests and expertise of the student and the areas of
microbiology in which they choose to be examined. Each committee will select a
chairperson from among its three members who will write a brief summary of the exam
and the findings of the committee for the GPD.
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The exam has both written and oral components. The written portion culminates into
a research proposal that is accomplished in stages so that the student’s committee can
monitor the progress of the student. After completion of the proposal, the committee will
determine whether the student is prepared for the oral portion of the exam. The oral
exam is conducted by the committee members and will focus on, but not be limited to,
the three areas of microbiology chosen by the student.
Description of the examination process
The written portion of the examination will consist of a research proposal that meets
the following criteria:
1. Students are encouraged to propose research that is related to their own research
projects but should be distinct from the specific research proposed by their
advisor to demonstrate originality in thinking. An example would be that a
student develops hypotheses that are in support of the current research project of
the advisor, but can exist by themselves to produce a novel research project.
Students may seek the advice of their advisor, the GPD or the committee
chairperson about their proposal, but their involvement must be minimal during
the development of the proposal to ensure that its originality belongs to the
student.
2. The work proposed should be original and reasonably performed by the
researcher and two hypothetical graduate students over a three year period.
3. The proposal format should follow that of a typical NSF/NIH proposal and should
not exceed 12 pages including figures (but not references). It should contain the
following sections:
a) One page summary of proposed project that is non-technical, introduces
the topic and states the major objectives, how they will be accomplished
and the relevance of the results to the field.
b) Introduction
c) Specific objectives or aims of the proposal
d) Expected significance
e) Research design and methods to be used
Students should consult the NSF/NIH (www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?gpg;
www.niaid.nih.gov/ncn/grants/default.htm) Proposal Guidelines for more details and
meet with their committee members prior to writing their proposal to discuss their topic
and immediately following the completion of their proposal. Preliminary results from
laboratory research may be used in the proposal to demonstrate the technical capabilities
of the student. Students should submit their proposal to their committee two weeks prior
to their anticipated oral examination.
The oral portion of the examination will consist of an oral presentation by the student
that briefly summarizes the goals, methods and expected results of the proposal followed
by a question-and-answer period involving the student and the committee.
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Findings of the committee
At the conclusion of the oral exam, the committee will make one of the following
recommendations:
1. Pass: the student has successfully completed all aspects of the examination.
2. Re-examination: the committee has found that the student has not completed
some aspect(s) of the exam in a satisfactory manner and the student will need to
retake the exam. The committee will make recommendations on how the student
should prepare themselves for areas in which they were not proficient (e.g.,
course work, reading material, etc.).
3. Fail: the student has not completed the exam successfully and is not given the
option of retaking it.
If the student is given the option of re-examination, then they will have one more
opportunity to satisfactorily complete the examination as recommended by the committee.
This must be done within six months from the date of their first exam unless granted
permission by their committee. If the student does not pass the exam on their second
attempt, then they will have until the end of that academic semester or up to six months to
complete work within the Department. This will be decided upon by the student, their
advisor, the GPD and the Department Head.
Doctoral Dissertation Committee and Prospectus
Upon successful completion of the Preliminary Comprehensive Examination, the
Doctoral Dissertation Committee is appointed by the Graduate Dean upon nomination
and recommendation by the GPD or Department Head. The Committee is composed of
at least 3 graduate faculty members: the chairperson, at least one other member from the
candidate’s department or program, and one member from outside the candidate’s
department or program. The committee has been officially constituted when the
Graduate Dean sends formal notification of its formation to each committee member, the
GPD, and to the student. Members of the Dissertation Committee must agree to not only
assist in the supervision of the dissertation project, but also conduct the Final Oral
Examination. Selection of the committee is a matter of “academic judgment” which
should be made by the GPD, the Department Head and/or the advisor, and approved by
the Graduate Dean. Students should be reminded that most of the faculty are on ninemonth contracts and should not necessarily assume that committee members will be
available during the summer months.
After passing the Preliminary Comprehensive Examination, the graduate degree
candidate must prepare a dissertation prospectus describing the research to be conducted,
analyzed and presented in the dissertation. The cover sheet must be signed by each
member of the Dissertation Committee to indicate approval of the topic and its plan of
execution. The GPD or Department Head signs and forwards the prospectus to the
Graduate Records office. A copy of the signed cover sheet must be submitted to the
Microbiology Office. The Graduate School requires that this copy must be received at
least 7 months prior to the Final Oral Examination. However, the Microbiology
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department strongly encourages students to complete their prospectus by the end of
their third year. Furthermore, students are encouraged to meet annually with their
Dissertation Committee.
Description of the Prospectus process
The Prospectus process has both written and oral components. The written portion
will consist of a research proposal that meets the following criteria:
1. The proposed research will be performed primarily by the student.
2. A one page summary of the dissertation project that introduces the topic and
states the specific aims of the dissertation and the relevance of the results to the
field.
3. The research design and methods to be used
4. Preliminary results that demonstrate the feasibility of the project
5. Future experiments necessary to complete the project.
6. A detailed research plan and time line of events leading to the completion of the
dissertation.
The Prospectus should be reviewed by and discussed with the student’s advisor prior
to submission to the Dissertation Committee. The Prospectus should be distributed to the
student’s committee at least 2 weeks prior to their anticipated meeting. The Prospectus is
a formal summary of proposed research and not an exam. It is either approved or not
approved by the Dissertation Committee.
Final Oral Examination
The Microbiology department requires that the student has at least one manuscript
published or ‘in press’ from their dissertation research prior to the scheduling of the
student’s Final Oral Examination. The oral examination will be in two parts: a seminar
presenting the dissertation research results to the campus at large and an oral defense of
the dissertation. All Final Oral Examinations/Dissertation Defenses must be announced
in the weekly bulletin of the UMass Website (www.umass.edu/loop) to allow interested
graduate faculty and others to attend. The Office of Degree Requirements must receive
written notification of the scheduling of a Final Oral Examination at least 3 weeks prior
to the date of the defense. An examination cannot be held unless it has been publicly
announced. The examination must be held on the Amherst campus. All members of the
Dissertation Committee must be present at the defense. Following the public
presentation of the dissertation, the candidate will meet in closed session with the
members of their committee to answer questions related to the dissertation. Normally
both parts of the Final Oral Examination will take place on the same day. The result of
the Final Oral Examination is forwarded to the Graduate Records Office directly
following the examination.
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Dissertation
The dissertation must be typed in a prescribed style and format on acid-free paper
(refer to the handout Typing Guidelines for Master’s Theses and Doctoral Dissertations,
available in the Office of Degree Requirements and the web at
www.umass.edu/gradschool/students.html). The dissertation must be approved and
signed by all members of the dissertation committee and the Department Head. The
Graduate School is the final and only arbitrator of what is an acceptable dissertation. The
original dissertation and one copy are required, and fees must be paid to cover binding
and microfilming costs. One bound copy of the final dissertation as approved by the
Graduate School should also be submitted to the Department of Microbiology main office.
Copyrighting the dissertation is required; however, registering the copyright is optional.
The dissertation will be cataloged in the Library of Congress and in the W.E.B. Du Bois
Library.
Remaining in Good Standing within the Program
The University and the Department believe that the primary responsibility for
successful completion of the degree lies with the student. All students are expected to
advance towards their degree as expeditiously as possible while maintaining academic
excellence. They are expected to pursue research-related activities year round. Progress
is monitored by the GPD in consultation with the student’s advisor and their committee.
Graduate students who are not making satisfactory or reasonable progress toward the
completion of their degree program are subject to termination. Satisfactory progress
includes a) maintaining the required 2.8 grade point average, b) completion of the various
requirements of the program by their deadlines (details of which are herein), and c)
maintenance of continued progress in research. Failure to make satisfactory progress
may, depending on the circumstances, result in transferal from the Ph.D. to M.S. program
or termination of studies. Upon the recommendation of the GPD and the approval of the
Dean of the Graduate School, students will be notified of any formal termination by the
Graduate School.
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Appendix 1: Graduate-level courses in Microbiology
MICROBIO 540 Immunology. The molecular, cellular, genetic and anatomic bases for
innate and adaptive immune responses. The nature of antigens, antigen presentation and
the MHC system. Production of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, antibody diversity,
T and B lymphocytes, helper and killer cells, macrophages, their interactions and
significance. Immune effector mechanisms including complement and cytokines in
immunity to infectious disease, allergy and autoimmunity. Basis of tissue transplantation,
organ graft rejection, cancer, immunopathology and experimental immunologic systems.
Main Text: Kuby Immunology (edition changes frequently). 3 credits.
MICROBIO 542 Immunology Laboratory (Spring). Laboratory procedures in cellular
immunology and immunochemistry. Lab procedures explore protein chemistry of
antibodies, including antibody isolation using salt precipitation, ion exchange and
molecular sieving column chromatography, spectrophotometry, SDS polyacrylamide gel
electrophoresis (PAGE), western blotting, immunoprecipitation, Immunodiffusion
(Ouchterlony technique) and enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) and
Immunofluorescence staining. Anatomy of the lymphatic system, mouse dissection and
isolation of lymphocytes from spleen and thymus; cellular immunology, including
histology of leukocytes (mouse and human), normal and diseased lymphoid tissue, and
two-color flow cytometric analysis of lymphocyte subpopulations. 3 credits.
MICROBIO 550 Infection and Immunity (Fall).
Principles of host-parasite
interactions; infections caused by pathogenic bacteria; virulence factors, such as toxins
and microbial structures; pathogenesis and pathology of bacterial infections; non-specific
factors in host resistance and susceptibility to infectious disease; and immunology of
microbial infection. 3 credits.
MICROBIO 552 Pathogenic Bacteriology Laboratory (Fall). Lab procedures in
clinical and diagnostic bacteriology including: cultural and physiological characteristics
of pathogenic bacteria; cultivation of common and rare pathogens isolated from clinical
material; conventional and rapid biochemical methods for detection/identification of
medically important bacteria; relevant serological procedures; prescribed tests for
susceptibility of bacteria to antibiotics and antimetabolites. Occasional work outside of
scheduled class time required. 2 credits.
MICROBIO 560 Microbial Diversity. Exploration and interpretation of the diversity of
microbial life. The role in nature of various groups of bacteria: their physiology and
ecology. Metabolism and energy conservation in chemoheterotrophic and
chemolithotrophic bacteria. Anoxy-genic and oxygenic photosynthesis in prokaryotes.
Bacterial motility and chemotaxis. Emphasis on anaerobic bacteria. 3 credits.
MICROBIO 562 Environmental Biotechnology. Microbial Biotechnology is a
laboratory course supported by lectures and demonstrations. This advanced course is
designed to introduce graduate level students to traditional and molecular methods
strategically applied to problems related to microbial biotechnology and environmental
microbiology. Course topics cover a wide range of subjects from the diversity of
microbial life to biodegradation. Seven general areas are emphasized: (1) Statistical
sampling and chemical and physical site characterization, (2) biomass determination and
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cell counts, (3) enrichment techniques, (4) microbial activity measurements, (5) single
cell detection in situ, (6) sequence analysis and phylogenetic analysis followed by probe
design, and (7) other modern techniques of environmental microbiology. Students will go
on an overnight fieldtrip on the first or second weekend following the first lecture. 3
credits.
MICROBIO 565 Laboratory in Molecular Genetics (Fall). Techniques in modern
molecular genetics of bacteria, animals, plants, and yeast. Includes: isolation of
DNA/RNA; DNA cloning and sequencing; polymerase chain reaction; Southern,
Northern and Western blots; signal transduction using reporter genes; tissue culture;
recent advances in genomics and bioinformatics. 4 credits.
MICROBIO 570 Virology. Molecular biology of animal viruses and viral genetic
systems; viral disease processes. Concentrates on polio virus, influenza, herpes viruses,
HIV, and the DNA and RNA tumor viruses. Examines some aspects of animal cell
molecular biology. 3 credits.
MICROBIO 585 Concepts in Molecular Genetics (Spring). Fundamental and
advanced concepts in bacterial gene regulation, with focus on bacterial responses to
environmental stress. Emphasis on experimental design, and data interpretation and
presentation. 3 credits.
MICROBIO 590S Parasitology (Spring). This course is designed to provide students
with an understanding of both classical and modern parasitology concentrating on
protozoan and worm parasites of major medical/veterinary importance. Topics covered
will include basic principles of parasitology, life cycles, epidemiology, host-parasite
interactions, drug treatments and vector control programs, along with information on the
basic biology, biochemistry and genetics of selected parasites. 3 credits.
Prerequisites: Introductory course in biology; BIOCHEM 285, MICROBIO 310.
MICROBIO 590L Parasitology Lab (Spring)
This lab course is designed to give hands-on experience in parasitological studies.
Students will analyze live and prepared samples of selected parasites, and the insect
vectors that transmit disease. Experimental sessions involve completing parasite life
cycles, and inhibiting parasite growth using various drugs, and a genetic technique called
RNA interference. 3 credits.
Corequisites: MICROBIO 590S or consent of instructor.
MICROBIO 597B Microbial Biotechnology. Agricultural and industrial uses of
microorganisms and efforts to genetically modify microorganisms for specific purposes.
Topics include: history and development, microbial products, microbial biomass as a
protein source, bioremediation, N2 fixation, Agrobacterium and the manipulation of plant
genes, detection and monitoring of genetically engineered microorganisms, government
regulation and social implications. 1-3 credits.
MICROBIO 597E Environmental Microbiology (Fall). How Microorganisms interact
with each other and with their environment. Microbial distribution and activities in
natural systems, and their importance to ecosystem function and environmental quality.
Extreme habitats; habitat-specific forces; microbial activity; microbial transformations
and their impact on different environments; species diversity, detection, and control of
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microorganisms; and associations with higher organisms. Each basic principle followed
by applied and environmental case studies. Modern techniques of environmental
microbiology graduate students write an independent research proposal. 3 credits.
MICROBIO 597M Microbial Physiology (Spring). Description of the structure and
function of key aspects of microorganisms and approaches to their study. Topics include
cell structure, bacterial growth, energy generation, biosynthesis of macromolecules, and
the integration of these processes in an environmental context. Emphasis is on modern
approaches to these topics using biochemistry and genomic tools. 3 credits.
MICROBIO 597Y Protein Chemistry and Enzyme Mechanisms. This course aims to
provide students with an advanced level knowledge of the properties and molecular
mechanisms of enzymes. It is a course that requires both Chemistry and
Biochemistry/Microbiology background, but is also suitable for other final year
undergrad students with interests in biomolecular kinetics. Several enzyme mechanisms
will be described in detail to illustrate the applications of biophysical techniques (e.g.
spectroscopy, crystallography) and site directed mutagenesis in the study of such
MICROBIO 690K Bioinformatics (Fall). This course is an introduction to the
biological, computational and statistical foundations necessary for bioinformatics-related
research. Areas covered will include; biological databases, DNA and protein sequence
analysis, structure-based analysis, expression analysis, and genetic mapping. This course
is cross-listed in Mathematics and Statistics, Microbiology and Computer Science. While
there are no formal prerequisites, some level of familiarity with molecular biology,
statistics, and/or computer programming is recommended. 3 credits.
MICROBIO 696 Independent Study. Research project under direction of a faculty
member. By arrangement. 1-6 credits
MICROBIO 697D Special Topics: Acid Mine Drainage. This course will cover a
series of critical reviews and discussions of the current literature dealing with the
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY OF ACID MINE DRAINAGE (AMD). The goals of this course
are to establish a broad understanding of the current literature and the basics of the
biogeochemistry of AMD, and to understand biogeochemical processes related to AMD
production and attenuation. Microbes are unique in that they both influence and are
influenced by their environment, giving them the ability to affect life at a global scale.
We will study AMD as a model for the interaction of microbial, geological and
hydrochemical systems. We will start with the reading of a professional research proposal,
and try to cover the basic techniques in Minilectures in the first two weeks. Equipped
with this background information we will discuss new AMD related research publications.
1 credit.
MICROBIO 697S Systems Biology (Spring). Systems Biology has been heralded as the
Biology of the 21st Century. Come discover why. This primary literature-based course
will cover seminal and exciting new papers that combine theoretical, computational and
experimental results into explanatory and predictive models of biological systems. 1
credit.
MICROBIO 699 Master's Thesis. 1-9 credits.
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MICROBIO 791A Graduate Seminar. Reports and discussion of pertinent literature
and research. Required of all microbiology graduate majors each semester in residence. 1
credit.
MICROBIO 796 Independent study. Research project under direction of a faculty
member. By arrangement. 1-8 credits.
MICROBIO 797J Immunology Journal Club. Critical review of the scientific
literature is an integral part of scientific research and both students and faculty benefit
greatly from the discussions originating from these reviews. Immunology Journal Club
meets Fridays at 12:20 PM in Paige Labs, room 214. Typically one paper is presented by
a student at each meeting. Auditors are always welcome. Grading is pass/fail. Registered
students are expected to make one presentation and to attend all meetings. Students
presenting are expected to make their own selection from the literature (see below), but
are welcome to consult one of the immunology faculty for advice. In most semesters,
papers are presented from any area of immunology. In some semesters, the faculty
restricts the papers presented to a specific topic. During recent years, such topics were
programmed cell death, virus immunology, and receptor-mediated signaling. Papers for
presentation are to be selected from the following top-ranking journals: Cell, Immunity,
Nature Immunology, Nature, Journal of Experimental Medicine, Journal of Virology,
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, or Science. Papers from other
journals can be presented with prior approval of a faculty member. 1 credit.
MICROBIO 899 Doctoral Dissertation. 1-9 credits.
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GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRESS


Core Areas Chosen (select three)
Semester Passed

Microbial Physiology
__________________

Microbial Genetics
__________________

Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
__________________

Microbial Ecology and Diversity
__________________

Immunology
__________________

Virology
__________________

Parasitology
__________________
Preliminary Examination Committee Formed
Members of Committee
1.________________________
2.________________________
3.________________________

Research Proposal Written & Given to Committee
Date_______________________

Preliminary Exam Passed
Date_______________________

Residency Requirement Fulfilled (Micbio 899, 9 credits for 2 consecutive semesters)
Semesters ___________________

___________________
Doctoral Dissertation Committee Formed
(chair, one member, one outside member required)
1.________________________, Chairperson
2.________________________, Member
3.________________________, Member
4.________________________, Outside Member

Dissertation Prospectus Written, Signed by Committee & Turned in to Graduate School
(copy of signed cover page submitted to Microbiology Office)
Date_______________________

Prospectus Examination
Date_______________________

Passed Final Doctoral Oral Examination
Date_______________________
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