Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

Kline Biology Tower, 432.3538
M.S., Ph.D.

Chair
Thomas Pollard

Director of Graduate Studies
Frank Slack (936 KBT, 432.3492, frank.slack@yale.edu)

Professors
Sidney Altman, Kim Bottomly (Immunology), Ronald Breaker, John Carlson, Lynn Cooley (Genetics), Stephen Dellaporta, Xing-Wang Deng, Paul Forscher, Mary Helen Goldsmith, Mark Hochstrasser (Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry), Douglas Kankel, Michael Kashgarian (Pathology), Haig Keshishian, Perry Miller (Anesthesiology), Mark Mooseker, Jon Morrow (Pathology), Frederick Naftolin (Obstetrics & Gynecology), Timothy Nelson, L. Nicholas Ornston, Thomas Pollard, Shirleen Roeder, Joel Rosenbaum, Alanna Schepartz (Chemistry), Steven Segal (Physiology), Michael Snyder, Robert Wyman

Associate Professors
Craig Crews, Savithramma Dinesh-Kumar, Vivian Irish, Archibald Perkins (Pathology), Weimin Zhong

Assistant Professors
Scott Holley, Christine Jacobs-Wagner, Frank Slack, Elke Stein, David Wells

Fields of Study
Research in genetics and molecular biology encompasses studies of catalytic RNAs, cell cycle regulation, chromosome segregation, genetic recombination, mutation, transposons, and oncogenes. Research topics in cellular and developmental biology include structure of the cell cytoskeleton, molecular motors, chemical biology, cell surface receptors, protein transport, hormone action, mammalian transcription factors, and the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. Research in neurobiology focuses on sensory signal transduction, animal color vision, growth cone motility, neural differentiation, synaptogenesis, and the formation of topographic maps. A Special Program in Plant Sciences provides research and training in the molecular genetics of flowering, the developmental biology of leaves, the physiology of hormone action, sex determination, and the cellular and molecular biology of photomorphogenesis. Because of the breadth of the track, students are provided with unique opportunities for interdisciplinary studies.

To enter the Ph.D. program, students apply to an interest-based track within the interdepartmental graduate program in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences.

Special Admissions Requirements
Applicants should have obtained training in the structure, development, and physiology of organisms; the structure, biochemistry, and physiology of cells; genetics; elementary calculus; elementary physics; inorganic and organic chemistry; statistics or advanced mathematics. Lack of some prerequisites can be made up in the first year of graduate study. Students having different science training, such as degrees in chemistry, physics, or engineering, are encouraged to apply. In addition to the GRE General test, a Subject Test is required, preferably in Biology, or in Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology.

Special Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree
None of the fields of study has a required curriculum of courses. Instead, with the help of a faculty committee, each student plans a specific program that includes appropriate courses, seminars, laboratory rotations, and independent reading fitted to individual needs and career goals. There is no foreign language requirement. Late in the third term of study the student meets with a faculty committee to decide on a preliminary topic for dissertation work and to define the research areas in which he or she is expected to demonstrate competence. By the end of the second year each student prepares a dissertation prospectus outlining the research proposed for the Ph.D. When this is accepted by a dissertation committee of faculty members, when the committee is satisfied that the student has demonstrated competence in the areas necessary to conduct the proposed work, and when the other requirements indicated above are fulfilled, the student is admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. (but no later than the end of the second year of study). The remaining requirements include completion of the dissertation research, presentation and defense of the dissertation, and submission of acceptable copies of the dissertation to the Graduate School and to the Kline Science Library. All students are required to teach in two one-term courses during their Ph.D. study excluding the first year.

Honors Requirement
Students must meet the Graduate School's Honors requirement by the end of the fourth term of full-time study.

Master's Degree
M.S. (en route to the Ph.D.). The minimum requirements for award of the Master of Science Degree are: (1) two academic years registered and in residence full time in the graduate program; (2) satisfactory completion of the first two years of study and research leading to the Ph.D.; this requirement may be met either (a) by completing a minimum of five courses with an average grade of High Pass, or (b) by successfully completing an approved combination of courses and research and passing the prospectus examination; (3) recommendation by the department for award of the degree, subject to final review and approval by the appropriate degree committee. No courses that were taken prior to matriculation in the graduate program, or in Yale College, or in summer programs may be applied toward these requirements.

Program materials are available upon request to the Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, PO Box 208103, New Haven CT 06520-8103.

Courses

MCDB 500au, Biochemistry.  L. Nicholas Ornston, Ronald Breaker.
MWF 9.30–10.20
An introduction to the biochemistry of animals, plants, and microorganisms, emphasizing the relations of chemical principles and structure to the evolution and regulation of living systems.

MCDB 505a, Molecular Genetics of Prokaryotes.  Nigel Grindley, Charles Radding, Joann Sweasy.
MW 11.30–12.45
Molecular aspects of the storage, replication, evolution, and expression of genetic material in prokaryotes. Also GENE 705a, MB&B 705au.

MCDB 530au, Biology of the Immune System.  Kim Bottomly and staff.
MWF 9.30–10.20
The development of the immune system. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of immune recognition. Effector responses against pathogens; autoimmunity. Also IBIO 530a.

MCDB 550au, Physiological Systems.  Steven Segal and staff.
MWF 9.30–10.20
Organ systems of the human body, emphasizing the principles of physiological control. Biophysical properties of cells, tissues, and organs are considered in light of homeostasis and the regulation of body functions. Also C&MP 550a, ENAS 550au.

MCDB 555au, Molecular Basis of Development.  Xing-Wang Deng and staff.
Current understanding of the molecular mechanism of cell signaling and development in multicellular organisms. Topics include the basics of cell signaling and experimental model organisms, cell proliferation and death, cell specification and determination, cell migration, hormonal regulation, and environmental regulation.

MCDB 560bu, Cellular and Molecular Physiology: Molecular Machines in Human Disease.  Emile Boulpaep, Michael Caplan, Mark Mooseker, Fred Sigworth.
MWF 9.30–10.20
This course focuses on understanding the processes that transfer molecules across membranes at the cellular, molecular, biophysical, and physiologic levels. Students learn about the different classes of molecular machines that mediate membrane transport, generate electrical currents, or perform mechanical displacement. Emphasis is placed upon the relationship between the molecular structures of membrane proteins and their individual functions. The interactions among transport proteins in determining the physiologic behaviors of cells and tissues are also stressed. Molecular motors are introduced and their mechanical relationship to cell function is explored. Students read papers from the scientific literature that establish the connections between mutations in genes encoding membrane proteins and a wide variety of human genetic diseases. Also C&MP 560b, ENAS 570bu.

MCDB 570bu, Biotechnology.  Kenneth Nelson, Ronald Breaker, Joseph Wolenski.
MW 11.30–12.45
The principles and applications of cellular, molecular, and chemical techniques that advance biotechnology. Topics include the most recent tools and strategies used by government agencies, industrial labs, and academic research to adapt biological and chemical compounds as medical treatments, industrial agents, or for the further study of biological systems.

MCDB 600Lb, Advanced Biological Techniques.  Michael Snyder, Xing-Wang Deng, Scott Holley, Kenneth Nelson, Joseph Wolenski, David Austin.
MW 1–5
A laboratory course to familarize graduate students with state-of-the-art technologies in molecular biology, genomics. Students carry out research projects and incorporate their own projects into the lab. The class meets for two afternoons each week and consists of 2–3 week modules covering the following topics: microarray analysis, plant genetic engineering, mouse genetic engineering, imaging/microscopy, ribozyme enzymol/engineering, phage display/chemical biology.

MCDB 602a, Molecular Cell Biology.  Sandra Wolin, Mark Mooseker, Thomas Pollard, Graham Warren.
MW 1.45–3
A comprehensive introduction to the molecular and mechanistic aspects of cell biology for graduate students in all programs. Emphasizes fundamental issues of cellular organization, regulation, biogenesis, and function at the molecular level. Also CBIO 602a, MB&B 602a.

MCDB 603a, Seminar in Molecular Cell Biology.  Sandra Wolin, Mark Mooseker, Thomas Pollard, Graham Warren.
Th 9–11
A graduate-level seminar course in modern cell biology. The class is devoted to the reading and critical evaluation of classical and current papers. The topics are coordinated with the MCDB 602a lecture schedule. Thus, concurrent or previous enrollment in MCDB 602a is required. Also CBIO 603a.

[MCDB 615bu, Genetics and Molecular Biology of Plant Development.]  

MCDB 625au, Basic Concepts of Genetic Analysis.  Tian Xu, Michael Koelle, Richard Lifton, Michael Stern, Kevin White.
TTh 1–2.15
The universal principles of genetic analysis in eukaryotes are discussed in lectures. Students also read a small selection of primary papers illustrating the very best of genetic analysis and dissect them in detail in the discussion sections. While other Yale graduate molecular genetics courses emphasize molecular biology, this course focuses on the concepts and logic underlying modern genetic analysis. Also GENE 625a, MB&B 625au.

MCDB 630b, Biochemical and Biophysical Approaches in Molecular and Cellular Biology.  Thomas Pollard, Enrique De La Cruz, and staff.
This graduate course introduces the theory and application of biochemical and biophysical methods to study the structure and function of biological macromolecules. The course considers the basic physical chemistry required in cellular and molecular biology but does not require a previous course in physical chemistry. One class per week is a lecture introducing a topic. The second class is a discussion of one or two research papers utilizing those methods.

MCDB 642a, Roles of Microorganisms in the Living World.  L. Nicholas Ornston, Diane McMahon-Pratt.
TTh 11.30–12.45
A topical course exploring the biology of microorganisms. Emphasis on mechanisms underlying microbial adaptations and how they influence biological systems. Also EMD 642a, GENE 642a, MBIO 642a.

MCDB 660a, Structure, Function, and Development of Vascular Plants.  Graeme Berlyn.
TTh 2.30–3.45
Morphogenesis and adaptation of vascular plants considered from seed formation and germination to maturity. Physiological and developmental processes associated with structural changes in response to environment discussed from both a phylogenetic and an adaptive point of view.

MCDB 670b, Advanced Seminar in Biochemistry and Genetics.  Sidney Altman, Ronald Breaker, Stephen Dellaporta, Frank Slack.
W 1.30–3.45
New aspects of the molecular biology of RNA, ribonucleoproteins, and prions. Topics include the localization and function of RNA and ribonucleoproteins; the role of RNA in dosage compensation, chromosome silencing, and gene regulation; novel ribozymes and RNA technology; prions. Discussion; involvement and attendance are required.

MCDB 677b, Mechanisms of Development.  Lynn Cooley, Xing-Wang Deng, Scott Holley, Valerie Reinke, Frank Slack, Michael Stern.
M 9.45–11, F 2–3.15
An advanced course on the mechanisms of animal development focusing on the genetic specification of cell organization and identity during embryogenesis and somatic differentiation. The use of evolutionarily conserved signaling pathways to carry out developmental decisions in a range of animals is highlighted. Course work includes student presentations, critical analysis of primary literature, and a research proposal term paper. Also GENE 777b.

[MCDB 685bu, Evolutionary Developmental Biology.]  

[MCDB 692a, Advanced Seminar in Cell Biology: Mechanisms of Signal Transduction.]  

MCDB 720au, Neurobiology.  Haig Keshishian, Paul Forscher.
MWF 11.30–12.20
Examination of the excitability of the nerve cell membrane as a starting point for the study of molecular, cellular, and intercellular mechanisms underlying the generation and control of behavior. Also NBIO 720a, NSCI 720a.

MCDB 721Lau, Laboratory for Neurobiology.  Haig Keshishian, John Fitzpatrick, Robert Wyman.
T or W 1.30–6
Optional laboratory. Introduction to the neurosciences. Projects include the study of neuronal excitability, sensory transduction, CNS function, synaptic physiology, and neuroanatomy.

MCDB 735bu, Seminar in Brain Development and Plasticity.  Elke Stein.
MW 2.30–3.45
Interpretation of primary literature including recent reviews and basic research papers in the areas of neuron generation and regeneration, neuron phenotype determination, axon guidance systems, and the role of activity in organizing and increasing the efficiency of synaptic connections. Also NSCI 504b.

MCDB 750a, Core Topics in Biomedical Informatics.  Perry Miller and staff.
T 1.30–3.20
Introduction to common unifying themes that serve as the foundation for different areas of biomedical informatics, including clinical, neuro-, and genome informatics. Emphasis is on understanding basic principles underlying informatics approaches to biomedical data modeling, interoperation among biomedical databases and software tools, standardized biomedical vocabularies and ontologies, and other topics of interest. The course involves lectures, class discussions, student presentations, and programming assignments. Prerequisite: previous computer programming experience and permission of the instructor.

MCDB 752bu, Genomics and Bioinformatics.  Dieter Söll, Mark Gerstein.
MW 1–2.15
Genomics describes the determination of the nucleotide sequence and many further analyses to discover functional and structural information on all the genes of an organism. Topics include the methods and results of functional and structural gene analysis on a genome-wide scale as well as a discussion of the implications of this research. Bioinformatics describes the computational analysis of genomes and macromolecular structures on a large scale. Topics include sequence alignment, biological database design, geometric analysis of protein structure, and macromolecular simulation. Also CPSC 752bu, MB&B 752bu.

[MCDB 861bu, Global Problems of Population Growth.]  

MCDB 900a, First-Year Introduction to Research.  Frank Slack, Craig Crews.
Lab rotations, grant writing, and ethics for Molecular Cell Biology, Genetics, and Development track students. Also CBIO 900a, GENE 900a.

MCDB 901b, First-Year Introduction to Research.  Michael Stern, Carl Hashimoto.
Lab rotations, seminars for Molecular Cell Biology, Genetics, and Development track students. Also CBIO 901b, GENE 901b.

MCDB 950a and 951b, Second-Year Research.
By arrangement with faculty.

The following courses are required for students in the joint B.S./M.S. program with Yale College:

MCDB 585b, Research in MCDB for B.S./M.S. Candidates.
A two-credit course taken in the third-to-last term (typically the second term of the junior year). At the end of this course, students complete a detailed prospectus describing their thesis project, and the work completed thus far. An oral and written presentation of this prospectus is evaluated by the adviser and two faculty members; the evaluation will determine whether the student may continue in the program.

MCDB 595, Intensive Research in MCDB for B.S./M.S. Candidates.
A four-credit course (two credits each term) that is similar to MCDB 495 and spans the last two terms (i.e., typically the senior year). During this course, students give an oral presentation describing their work. At the end, a comprehensive thesis is turned in and evaluated by the adviser and two other faculty members. Students must earn a B grade or higher in this course in order to receive the M.S. degree.

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