Program in Integrative Molecular Biology
PIMB is an innovative program in graduate training that rapidly immerses students into a research environment, then mentors them to become independent scientific practitioners, skilled not only in the art of technical execution but in the creative thinking required to address important questions in molecular biology. PIMB is an inter-school PhD program offered cooperatively by the School of Medicine and the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. Students receive a PhD in Integrative Molecular Biology.
Molecular Biology is a field of study that has emerged during the last two decades as a separate discipline that focuses on the study of the molecules that comprise living systems. The goal of PIMB is to utilize all of our available resources to create a training and research environment to answer challenging questions of fundamental importance in the life and biomedical sciences. The PIMB faculty are drawn from cellular, developmental, and molecular biologists across the University of Pittsburgh campus and are distributed between two research foci:
• Genomics, Proteomics, and Gene Function
• Cellular and Developmental Biology
Contact Information
Program in Integrative Molecular Biology
Graduate Studies Office
524 Scaife Hall
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15261-0001
Telephone: 412-648-8957
Fax: 412-648-1077
E-mail: PIMBinfo@medschool.pitt.edu
Web site: www.pimb.pitt.edu
Admission Requirements and Procedures
Students most likely to gain admittance will have a baccalaureate degree from a natural science, physical science, or engineering program, a grade point average of 3.7 (on a scale of 4), combined average GRE scores (Quantitative and Verbal sections) greater than the 80th percentile, and three letters of recommendation. Scores from a GRE subject test are strongly encouraged. Applicants who are citizens of countries where English is not the official language (and the Province of Quebec in Canada) are required to submit evidence of English language proficiency by submitting the official results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A minimum TOEFL score of 650 (paper) or 280 (computer), IELTS score of at least 7.50 or iBT score of at least 114 is required for admission to the Program.
Additional information and a link to the online application can be found at www.pimb.pitt.edu/apply/apply.html
Financial Assistance
All full-time students receive a stipend, educational enrichment fund, computing and network service, and individual health insurance (with option to purchase additional family coverage) during their graduate training.
Degree Requirements
PhD Degree
This is an accelerated program that provides the opportunity for students to complete their degrees in approximately 4 years. Students enter the Program in the summer session, and after performing three rotations identify an advisor and area of research. Areas of research focus include Genomics, Proteomics, and Gene Function and Cellular and Developmental Dynamics. Required course work is completed during the first year. At the end of the first year students take a comprehensive examination that includes the submission of a research proposal to national fellowship programs. Students receive career mentoring during the third and fourth years to ensure a seamless transition to the postdoctoral level. Additional information can be found at the following Web site: http://www.pimb.pitt.edu/training/training.html.
A minimum of 72 credits beyond the baccalaureate degree is required for the PhD degree. 32 of these credits are completed taking required and elective course work, and 40 of these credits are taken as dissertation research credits upon completing the comprehensive examination and advancing to candidacy. Required course work includes the following:
Laboratory Research Rotation (MSIMB/IMB 2000 – 9 credits) – taken in the summer prior to the first year.
Approaches in Molecular Biology (MSIMB/IMB 2010 – 5 credits) – taken during the fall Semester of the first year.
Scientific Ethics (INTBP 2290 – 1 credit ) – taken during the summer of the second year.
Intro to Statistical Methods (BIOST 2041– 3 credits) – taken during the summer of the second year.
Departmental/Program Seminar Series (MSIMB/IMB 2050 – 1 credit) and Journal Club/Conference (MSIMB/IMB 2060 – 1 credit) - the Department/Program Seminar and Journal Club/Conference are taken each fall and spring term until graduation.
Advanced Elective Courses – 6 credits total – a large number of courses are available and are listed on the following Web site: http://www.pimb.pitt.edu/training/training/elective_courses.html - Students are required to select courses in more than one of the following disciplines: molecular genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, and developmental biology.
Training Faculty
The PIMB training faculty can be found at the following Web site: http://www.pimb.pitt.edu/faculty_pages/faculty_names/faculty_name.html
Course List
A list of available courses can be found at the following Web site: http://www.pimb.pitt.edu/training/training/elective_courses.html
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