Post-Graduate Education

MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR BIOLOGY

Program of Study
The program in Molecular and Cellular Biology offers a unique multidisciplinary training experience leading to a Doctorate degree. The Biology Department in partnership with several private and public institutions in the Rome area have formed a Program that crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries to offer the student research training in nearly 30 different laboratories. Graduate students can select from research opportunities in areas as diverse as gene expression, developmental biology and bio-informatics. Graduate students are expected to devote their full time to research and study.
The main goal of our program consists in enabling students to become independent, creative, and productive researchers by cultivating their skills in a multidisciplinary environment.

Research
The Cellular and Molecular Biology Program (MCB) involves students in ongoing research projects as soon as they arrive on campus. Diverse biological systems of study are offered by the laboratories participating to the program ranging from humans and mice to plants, viruses, yeast and bacteria. These systems are used to investigate a variety of biological topics including:

Curriculum:
During the first year, students with different backgrounds (physics, computer science, chemistry …) are required to attend biology courses, while students with a biology background will be trained in disciplines such as statistics or bio-informatics. In addition, students participate in a Journal Club in which they learn to critically evaluate original research articles.
In the second and third years, graduate students present their research progress to other students and faculty. The Graduate Student Seminars are an opportunity to gain communication skills and to learn about ongoing research of other students and research laboratories.
Professors from outside the institution are invited for monthly seminars and symposia. These are opportunities to meet visiting scientists who are leaders in their fields and to learn of their latest findings.

Admission
Students considering graduate work should contact the research group they would like to join well in advance with respect to the deadline of the official application. Applicants are expected to have obtained a second level degree in Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Physics , Bio-informatics, Mathematics or Computer Science.