Microbiology and Immunology
Click here to visit the Department of Molecular Biology and Immunology's website!
Rance Berg, Ph.D., Graduate Advisor
Research and Education Building (RES-416D)
Phone: 817-735-2121
Email: rberg@hsc.unt.edu
Graduate Faculty: Berg, Borvak, Hodge, Jones, Kim, P. Mathew, S. Mathew, Mummert, Simecka, Vishwanatha, Williamson
Infectious diseases have a major impact on health around the world. New infectious agents have emerged, and diseases caused by known pathogens have reestablished themselves. Many of these infections result in life-threatening diseases. To complicate matters, many of these infectious agents have developed resistance to antibiotics routinely used in treatments. Thus, prevention and treatment of these infections are of tremendous importance. The development of new antibiotics and vaccines is dependent on an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms of disease caused by these organisms and their basic biology. Also, many findings arising from the investigation of the molecular biology of microbes has significantly contributed to our understanding of the molecular basis of cancer.
Immunology is the study of the defense mechanisms of the host against infectious diseases, cancers and other diseases. By inducing immune responses, as in the case of vaccines, infection and disease can be prevented. Enhancement of appropriate immune responses can also result in the destruction of cancer cells. Research in immunology has a tremendous potential in developing new treatments to prevent or recover from cancer and infectious disease.
Students may enter the program with a variety of academic backgrounds, providing that they have fulfilled prerequisite courses. The graduate training program involves basic courses in microbiology and immunology, molecular biology, biochemistry and advanced courses in selected topics. Students participate in seminars and discussion of current research and receive extensive training in techniques of contemporary microbiology, molecular biology and immunology. Students perform original, publishable research and present their research findings at national scientific meetings. About two years are required to complete the Master of Science. Approximately four to five years are required to complete the Doctor of Philosophy.
Degree Plans
The following are typical degree plans for students in the Microbiology and Immunology discipline. It is advantageous to the student to begin graduate student in the Fall semester. This degree plan may vary depending upon availability of course offerings in a given semester and each student's progress toward thesis and dissertation research.
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MS Degree Plan for Microbiology and Immunology |
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Year 1: Fall |
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BMSC 6301 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences I: Principles of Biochemistry |
4 SCH |
|
BMSC 6302 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences II: Molecular Cell Biology |
4 SCH |
|
BMSC 5135 |
Introduction to Faculty Research Programs |
1 SCH |
|
BMSC 5150 |
Lab Rotations |
2 SCH |
|
BMSC 5160 |
Biomedical Ethics |
1 SCH |
| 12 SCH | ||
|
Year 1: Spring |
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| At least one of the following: | ||
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BMSC 6303 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences III: Physiology |
3 SCH |
|
BMSC 6304 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences IV: Pharmacology |
2 SCH |
| and | ||
|
BMSC 5305 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences V: Immunology and Microbiology |
3 SCH |
| BMSC 5998 | Individual Research for MS Students | 3-4 SCH |
|
BMSC 5135 |
Introduction to Faculty Research Programs |
1 SCH |
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MOLB 5140 |
Seminar in Current Topics |
1 SCH |
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|
Journal Club Course** |
1 SCH |
| 12 SCH | ||
|
Year 1: Summer |
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BMSC 5400 |
Biostatistics for Biomedical Sciences |
4 SCH |
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BMSC 5998 |
Individual Research for MS Students |
2 SCH |
| 6 SCH | ||
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Year 2: Fall |
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BMSC 5310 |
Scientific Communications |
3 SCH |
|
BMSC 5998 |
Individual Research for MS Students |
5-6 SCH |
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Elective Course** |
2-3 SCH |
|
| Journal Club Courses** | 1 SCH | |
| 12 SCH | ||
|
Year 2: Spring |
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|
BMSC 5695 |
Thesis |
6-7 SCH |
|
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Elective Course* |
2-3 SCH |
| 9 SCH | ||
| TOTAL | 51 SCH | |
| Ph.D. Degree Plan for Microbiology and Immunology | |||
|
Year 1: Fall |
|||
|
BMSC 6301 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences I: Principles of Biochemistry |
4 SCH |
|
|
BMSC 6302 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences II: Molecular Cell Biology |
4 SCH |
|
|
BMSC 5135 |
Introduction to Faculty Research Programs |
1 SCH |
|
|
BMSC 5150 |
Lab Rotations |
2 SCH |
|
|
BMSC 5160 |
Biomedical Ethics |
1 SCH |
|
| 12 SCH | |||
|
Year 1: Spring |
|||
|
|
At least one of the following: |
|
|
|
BMSC 6303 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences III: Physiology |
3 SCH |
|
| BMSC 6304 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences IV: Pharmacology |
2 SCH | |
| And | |||
|
BMSC 6305 |
Integrative Biomedical Sciences V: Immunology and Microbiology |
3 SCH |
|
|
BMSC 5135 |
Introduction to Faculty Research Programs |
1 SCH |
|
| BMSC 6998 | Individual Research | 3-4 SCH | |
| MICR 5140 | Seminar in Current Topics | 1 SCH | |
|
|
Journal Club Course** |
1 SCH |
|
| 12 SCH | |||
|
Year 1: Summer |
|||
|
BMSC 5400 |
Biostatistics for Biomedical Sciences |
4 SCH |
|
|
BMSC 6998 |
Individual Research |
2 SCH |
|
| Qualifying Exam | 0 SCH | ||
|
|
|
6 SCH |
|
|
Year 2: Fall |
|||
|
BMSC 5310 |
Scientific Communications |
3 SCH |
|
|
BMSC 6998 |
Individual Research |
5-6 SCH |
|
|
|
Elective Course* |
2-3 SCH |
|
|
Journal Club Course** |
1 SCH |
||
|
|
|
12 SCH |
|
|
Year 2: Spring |
|||
|
BMSC 6998 |
Individual Research |
8-9 SCH |
|
|
BMSC 6310 |
Grant Writing |
3 SCH |
|
|
Journal Club Course** |
1 SCH |
||
|
|
|
12 SCH |
|
|
Year 2: Summer |
|||
|
BMSC 6998 |
Individual Research |
6 SCH |
|
|
|
6 SCH |
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|
Year 3: Fall |
|||
|
MOLB 5140 |
Seminar in Current Topics |
1 SCH |
|
| BMSC 6998 | Individual Research | 1-2 SCH | |
|
Elective Course |
2-3 SCH |
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|
Journal Club Course** |
1 SCH |
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|
|
|
12 SCH |
|
|
Year 3: Spring |
|||
|
BMSC 6998 |
Individual Research |
2-3 SCH |
|
|
|
Elective Course* |
2-3 SCH |
|
|
Journal Club Course** |
1 SCH |
||
|
|
|
6 SCH |
|
|
Year 3: Summer |
|||
|
BMSC 6998 |
Individual Research |
6 SCH |
|
|
|
6 SCH |
||
|
Year 4: Fall |
|||
|
BMSC 6998 |
Individual Research |
5 SCH |
|
|
Journal Club Course** |
1 SCH |
||
|
|
|
6 SCH |
|
|
Year 4: Spring |
|||
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BMSC 6395 |
Doctoral Dissertation |
5 SCH |
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|
Journal Club Course** |
SCH |
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|
|
6 SCH |
|
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Year 4: Summer |
|||
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BMSC 6395 |
Doctoral Dissertation |
6 SCH |
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|
6 SCH |
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TOTAL |
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102 SCH |
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Microbiology and Immunology students are required to take both fall core courses (BMSC 6301 and BMSC 6302) and 2 of 3 spring core courses (BMSC 6303, BMSC 6304, or BMSC 6305). Credit may be given under some instances associated with student transfer from an equivalent program, but is subject to approval from the Dean.
| *Advanced Courses (4-6 SCH) | ||
| MOLB 6201 | Immune Responses Against Pathogenic Micro-organisms | 2 SCH |
| MOLB 6202 | Advanced Molecular Biology: Techniques and Principles: offered every other fall (odd years) | 2 SCH |
| MOLB 6250 | Molecular and Cell Biology of Cancer | 2 SCH |
| MOLB 6350 | Advanced Immunology | 3 SCH |
| FGEN 5302 | Non-Huan Forensic Genetics | 2 SCH |
| **Journal Clubs | |
| MOLB 5120 | Current Topics in Immunology |
| MOLB 5160 | Current Topics in Cancer Biology |
| MOLB 5210 | Signal Transduction |
Advancement to Doctoral Candidacy
Qualifying Examination
The qualifying examination ensures that the doctoral student has mastered information needed to succeed as a Ph.D. in the field of microbiology and immunology. A list of key topics, compiled by the Microbiology and Immunology faculty, will be distributed to the student after completion of the first year of course work. The student is expected to become knowledgeable in each of these topics through their course work, reading of textbooks and scientific literature, and discussion with faculty members.
The oral qualifying examination is administered by a committee comprised of members of the Microbiology and Immunology graduate faculty and the student's university member. The oral examination consists of questions from a selected list of topics provided to the student.
The qualifying exam will be administered during the summer after completion of the core course work. Two attempts to successfully pass the qualifying examination are allowed. Failure of the student to pass the qualifying examination results in dismissal of the student from the doctoral program. A doctoral student who does not pass may be allowed to complete the requirements for a Master of Science degree.
Grant Writing (BMSC 6310)
Successful completion of Grant Writing (BMSC 6310) requires the preparation and oral defense of an original NIH grant proposal. Two attempts to successfully accomplish this are allowed. Student should register for BMSC 6310 during the Spring semester of the student's second year.
The graduate advisor will serve as the examination coordinator and select an examination committee consisting of four graduate faculty, including a committee chair. The student's major professor may not serve as a committee member. The student's university member will oversee the entire examination process.
The faculty coordinator instructs the student on the regulations of the course and assists in initiating and preparing the proposal. The student should submit a report which presents the hypothesis, experimental strategy and specific aims for the proposal to the examination committee by mid-semester. The proposal must consist of the student's original ideas and is expected to significantly extend scientific knowledge in the chosen research area if the proposed experiments were actually conducted. The proposal should be unrelated to any previous research performed by the student and unrelated to any research currently being pursued in the major professor's laboratory. The committee must approve this summary of the research proposal.
The student must prepare a detailed written report of the research proposal in NIH format after the summary has been approved. The final proposal will be typed and presented to the committee at least two weeks prior to the oral defense. The grant proposal and presentations will be evaluated on the basis of originality and ability to synthesize and communicate this information.
If the proposal and defense are satisfactory, the committee will recommend that the student be advanced to candidacy. This recommendation is presented to the discipline's graduate faculty for approval by the faculty coordinator. Upon successful completion of this course, the student is advanced to candidacy.
Two attempts to successfully complete Grant Writing (BMSC 6310) will be allowed. Failure to pass Grant Writing (BMSC 6310) will result in dismissal from the doctoral program. In this case, a student may be allowed to complete the requirements for a Master of Science degree.
Click here to visit the Department of Molecular Biology and Immunology's website!
This page last updated Aug 17, 2009
