Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

Graduate Courses

(Interdepartmental Graduate Major)

Program Executive Committee: W. Allen Miller, Chair; Phil Becraft, Chris Tuggle
Participating Faculty: W. Allen Miller, Chair;
L. Ambrosio, I. L. Anderson, A. Andreotti, R. E. Andrews, D. Bassham, T. Baum, G. Beattie, P. Becraft, J. Beetham, D. C. Beitz, M. Bhattacharyya, D. Birt, A. Bogdanove, B. Bonning, J. Buss, S. Carpenter, C. Coffman, G. Culver, D. Dobbs, C. F. Ford, D. Hannapel, E. R. Henderson, T. Huiatt, T. S. Ingebritsen, J. Johansen, K. M. Johansen, R. Jurenka, A. Kanthasamy, C. Komar, C. Lashbrook, M. Lee, C. Link, G. Macintosh, J. E. Mayfield, M.A. McCloskey, W. A. Miller, F. C. Minion, A. M. Myers, B. J. Nikolau, M. Nilsen-Hamilton, D. Oliver, J. Ourednik, V. Ourednik, R. Peters, G. Phillips, J. Powell-Coffman, J. Reecy, R. M. Robson, S. R. Rodermel, R. F. Rosenbusch, D. S. Sakaguchi, K. Schalinske, P. S. Schnable, S. S. Shen, M. H. Spalding, M. H. Stromer,
R. W. Thornburg,C. K. Tuggle, E. Vollbrecht, D. F. Voytas, S. Whitman, E. S. Wurtele, E. Yu

Undergraduate Study

A special program in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology is not offered for the baccalaureate. Undergraduates wishing to prepare for graduate study in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology should elect courses in biochemistry, biology, genetics, microbiology; and mathematics through calculus; chemistry through organic; and one year of physics. Biol 313, 313L, 314, and 314L are recommended to undergraduates desiring an introduction to this area.

Graduate Study

Work is offered for the master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees with a major in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology in several cooperating departments: Agronomy; Animal Science; Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology; Biomedical Sciences; Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology; Entomology; Food Science and Human Nutrition; Genetics, Development and Cell Biology; Horticulture; Plant Pathology; Veterinary Microbiology & Preventive Medicine; Veterinary Pathology.

Facilities and qualified faculty are available in these departments for conducting fundamental research in the various aspects of molecular, cellular, and developmental biology. Ongoing research projects include molecular and cellular studies of viral, prokaryotic, plant, and animal systems.

Students may enter the MCDB major in one of two ways: they may apply to and be accepted into the major directly or they may formally apply to the major after being accepted by a participating department. Students admitted into MCDB will take MCDB 697 in their first two semesters and choose a major professor from the participating faculty by the end of their second semester. Students admitted by a department will choose a major professor from the participating faculty in that department. All Ph.D. students take a core curriculum consisting of the following courses: one year of biochemistry (BBMB 404, 405 or BBMB 501, 502), molecular genetics (MCDB 502, 511, 545, or 676), cell biology (MCDB 528 or 529 or 642), developmental biology (MCDB 512, 533), and seminar in MCDB (MCDB 698). In seminar, students will make journal and research presentations and attend MCDB seminars. M.S. students take the above core but may delete either the molecular genetics, cell biology, or developmental biology component. Additional coursework is selected to meet departmental requirements and to satisfy individual student research interests. All graduate students are required to teach as part of their training for an advanced degree.

Students minoring in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology at the Ph.D. level must meet the following requirements: one year of biochemistry (BBMB 404, 405, or BBMB 501, 502; one course in each of the following three areas: molecular biology (MCDB 502, 511, 545, or 676), cell biology (MCDB 528 or 529 or 642), developmental biology (MCDB 512, 533); and a semester of MCDB 698 (seminar in MCDB) each year.

Courses primarily for graduate students

MCDB 511. Molecular Genetics. (Same as GDCB 511.) See Genetics, Development and Cell Biology.

MCDB 512. Plant Growth and Development. (Same as GDCB 512.) See Genetics, Development and Cell Biology.

MCDB 520. Genetic Engineering. (Same as GDCB 520.) See Genetics, Development and Cell Biology.

MCDB 528. Cellular Growth and Regulation. (Same as GDCB 528.) See Genetics, Development and Cell Biology.

MCDB 529. Plant Cell Biology. (Same as GDCB 529.) See Genetics, Development and Cell Biology.

MCDB 533. Principles of Developmental Biology. (Same as GDCB 533.) See Genetics, Development and Cell Biology.

MCDB 545. Plant Molecular Biology. (Same as GDCB 545.) See Genetics, Development and Cell Biology.

MCDB 590. Special Topics. Cr. arr.

MCDB 640. Signal Transduction. (Same as GDCB 640.) See Genetics, Development and Cell Biology.

MCDB 676. Biochemistry of Gene Expression in Eucaryotes. (Same as BBMB 676.) See Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

MCDB 697. Graduate Research Rotation. (0-3 to 0-18) Cr. 1 to 6 each time taken. F.S. Graduate research projects performed under the supervision of selected faculty members in the molecular, cellular, and developmental biology program

MCDB 698. Seminar in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. (Same as BBMB 698, GDCB 698, Micro 698, V MPM 698.) (2-0) Cr. 1 to 2 each time taken. F.S. Student and faculty presentations.

MCDB 699. Research.