Quick Program Facts
Degree Programs: MS, PhD
Application Deadlines:
- Fall semester: January 15
- Spring semester: September 15
PhD
The biomedical sciences PhD is a multidisciplinary program in which students will utilize molecular, cellular and whole-animal approaches to answer fundamental biological questions relevant to human and animal health. In the first year
of the program, students will enroll in our core curriculum which will provide them with fundamental knowledge in physiology, cell biology and neuroscience. These courses provide students with a foundation to pursue a research project in their chosen
field under the mentorship of an established investigator.
MS
Department of Biomedical Sciences also offers an MS in biomedical sciences. The MS program provides in-depth training to prepare scientists in interdisciplinary basic research (molecular, cellular, organ and integrative). See the website for more information on the online MS in biomedical sciences.
PhD
Students must complete 72 hours of graduate credit to attain the doctoral degree. Our core curriculum includes:
- physiology,
- cell biology,
- neuroscience,
- multidisciplinary approaches to biomedical research, and
- a departmental seminar.
A grade of 3.0 or better is required for each course in the core curriculum and serves in lieu of any qualifying examination for the degree. Additionally, students take a minimum of one higher level course in each of the areas of molecular biology, cellular biology and integrative biology. PhD students must also pass a comprehensive exam designed by the doctoral program committee.
MS
MS students must complete 30 hours of graduate credit. Fifteen hours or more will be 8000 level, exclusive of research, problems and independent study courses, and six to nine hours of research. Average time to graduate with a
PhD is just over four years.
Areas of Study
Major biomedical fields within our department include:
- cardiovascular physiology,
- neurophysiology,
- respiratory physiology,
- gastrointestinal physiology,
- cardiac physiology,
- cancer,
- reproductive physiology,
- toxicology,
- exercise, and
- neurodegenerative diseases.
Specific research areas of interest include:
- etiologies of hypertension,
- sleep apnea,
- heart failure and other cardiac diseases,
- sudden infant death syndrome,
- vascular disease,
- cystic fibrosis,
- swallowing and respiratory dysfunction associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases, and
- vision loss related to trauma.
Our research also focuses on potential therapies, including exercise, molecular and transgenic approaches.
Predoctoral Training Awards
Predoctoral training awards will be awarded on a competitive basis. The stipend will be equivalent to the National Research Service Award as published on the National Institutes of Health website for the
year in which it is awarded. Four stipends are available.
Faculty Sponsorship
Incoming students are also occasionally hired directly by faculty members to serve as graduate research assistants. Faculty members set the stipend amount, and if it is at or above the amount required by the GSSP
($12,200/year), students will also receive a full tuition waiver and be eligible for health insurance. These awards are contingent upon the needs and funds of faculty members each year.
Our department offers generous yearly stipends at or above NIH pay levels at a minimum of $25,000. Our students pay no out-of-pocket tuition and receive excellent health insurance. Many of our students have also received prestigious five-year fellowships offered through the MU Graduate School and Life Sciences Center. Our students regularly receive highly competitive predoctoral fellowships through the American Heart Association and NIH.
Over the last five years, our nationally recognized faculty have published approximately 275 manuscripts in prestigious journals. This is highlighted by over $16 million dollars in extramural funding. Our students come from diverse backgrounds and cultures, representing countries from all over the world including Egypt, Singapore, Libya, China and the U.K. Our department is built on a foundation of inclusiveness and working as a team.
Program Contact: Kevin Cummings, PhD, cummingske@missouri.edu.