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Head of the Department: Martha U. Gillette
B107 Chemical and Life Sciences Laboratory, 601 South Goodwin Avenue,
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-6118
E-mail: csbinfo@life.uiuc.edu
Graduate Degree Program
The graduate curriculum in cell and structural biology is designed
to educate students for careers in research and teaching in the biological
sciences. Departmental faculty are concerned with the structural and
functional relationships of cells and organisms, with research emphases
upon eukaryotic cell and molecular biology, neurobiology, developmental
biology, and molecular genetics. The department has embarked on a
major program to develop research strengths in molecular aspects of
developmental, neural, structural, and eukaryotic cell biology to
complement existing faculty interests. The program of study leads
to the doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree.
Admission
Applications are evaluated on an individual basis. The formal entrance
requirement is a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (A = 4.0). International
students whose native language is not English are required to have
a minimum Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 590
on the paper-based test (243 on the computer-based test). Important
factors in the evaluation of applications are general academic performance,
background in the biological and chemical sciences and mathematics,
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, and letters of recommendation
from college professors. Although applications from qualified students
are considered throughout the year, the deadline for submission of
applications for fall semester is January 15.
Graduate Teaching Experience
Experience in teaching is considered a vital part of the graduate
program and is required as part of the academic work of all Ph.D.
candidates in this program.
Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Structural Biology
In order to complete successfully the doctoral program in Cell and
Structural Biology, the student must fulfill requirements in the following
categories: coursework, a qualifying examination, a preliminary examination,
defense of the thesis, teaching, and departmental seminars. A brochure
providing additional information about the program is available upon
request.
Facilities
Facilities include modern, well-equipped laboratories for cellular,
developmental, genetic, molecular, and structural studies. The University
offers exceptional and broadly based research support services. These
include the Center for Electron Microscopy, with state-of-the-art
instrumentation; the Center for Biotechnology, which includes facilities
for molecular cloning, DNA and protein synthesis and sequencing, and
transgenic animals; the Cell Science Center, which houses and staffs
a hybridoma facility and flow cytometry unit; School of Molecular
and Cellular Biology-subsidized shops; and a superb university library
system, the third largest in the nation. The University offers outstanding
computer services and is home to the National Center for Supercomputing
Applications. The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
combines research in the physical and biological sciences. Opportunities
for interaction in the cellular and molecular sciences are also available
in many other units within the Schools of Molecular and Cellular Biology,
Integrative Biology, and Chemical Sciences and the Colleges of Medicine,
Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, and Engineering.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available to qualified applicants in the form of
university fellowships (awarded on a competitive basis), teaching
assistantships (awarded by the department), research assistantships,
and tuition and fee waivers. Outstanding applicants are nominated
for support from the cell and molecular biology, molecular biophysics,
or systems and integrative biology training grants.
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