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A. Participating Faculty Members
and Their Research Interests
B. Academic Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree
C. Choice of Research Advisor, Thesis Committee,
and Thesis Defense
D. Course Requirements
E. The Master of Science Program in Physiology
and Integrative Biology
F. Requirements for Students in the Joint M.D./Ph.D.
Program
G. List of Current Graduate PIB Students
A. Participating Faculty Members and Their Research
Interests
Juan
P. Advis, PhD, Professor of Animal Physiology, RU advis@aesop.rutgers.edu
, (732) 932-9240 Hypothalamic regulation of luteinizing
hormone; reproduction physiology
Shawn
M. Arent, PhD, CSCS, Assistant Professor of Exercise Science
and Sport Studies, RU shawnarent@rutgers.edu
, (732) 932-8669 x28 Physical
activity, stress, and performance; exercise endocrinology
Allan
Conney, Ph.D., Professor of Cancer and Leukemia Research
, RU aconney@rci.rutgers.edu
, (732)445-4940 Mechanisms of carcinogenesis and cancer
chemoprevention
Daniel
Cowen, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry, UMDNJ
cowends@umdnj.edu ,
(732)235-8576 Coupling of 5-HT receptors to cellular signals
for protein synthesis
David
Denhardt, Ph.D., Professor of Cell Biology and Neuroscience,
RU denhardt@biology.rutgers.edu
(732)445-4569 Osteopontin, metalloproteinase inhibitors
and their roles in bone biology and cancer
Monica
Driscoll, Ph.D., Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry,
RU driscoll@mbcl.rutgers.edu
, (732)445-7182 Molecular genetics of neurodegeneration;
mechanotransduction
Cheryl
F. Dreyfus, Ph.D., Professor of Cell Biology and Neuroscience,
UMDNJ dreyfus@cabm.rutgers.edu
, (732)235-5382 Neuronal growth factor and brain development
Huizhou
Fan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Physiology and Biophysics,
UMDNJ fanhu@umdnj.edu ,(732)235-4607
Cell signaling of ectodomain shedding and molecular pathogenesis
of cancer
Joseph
Fondell, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Physiology and Biophysics,
UMDNJ fondeljd@umdnj.edu
, (732) 235-3348 Regulation of gene expression by nuclear
receptors. Pathological role of nuclear receptors in hormone
dependent cancers.
Michael
Gallo, Ph.D., Professor of Environmental and Community Medicine,
UMDNJ magallo@eohsi.rutgers.edu
, (732)445-0175 Environmental and chemical carcinogenesis;
pharmacology and toxicology
Barth
Grant, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Molecular Biology and
Biochemistry, RU grant@biology.rutgers.edu
, (732)445-7339 Analysis of endocytosis and trafficking
in C. elegans and mammalian cells
Estela
Jacinto, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Physiology and Biophysics,
UMDNJ jacintes@umdnj.edu
, (732) 235-4476 Temporal and spatial control of cell
growth; nutrient sensing; signal transduction
Joseph
Kedem, Ph.D., Professor of Physiology and Biophysics, UMDNJ
kedem@umdnj.edu , (732)235-4602
Cardiac dynamics and metabolism
Irina
Korichneva, PhD., Assistant Professor of Medicine, UMDNJ
korichil@umdnj.edu ,
(732) 235-7314 Zinc Homeostasis and Crosstalk with Redox
Signaling Pathways
George
Lambert, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics,
UMDNJ glambert@eohsi.rutgers.edu
, (732)445-0174 Environmental factors on childhood growth
and development
John
Lenard, Ph.D., Professor of Physiology and Biophysics, UMDNJ
lenard@umdnj.edu ,
(732)235-4784 Mechanisms of membrane fusion, sterol utilization
in C. elegans
Peter
Lobel, Ph.D., Professor of Pharmacology, UMDNJ lobel@cabm.rutgers.edu
, (732)235-5032 Protein targeting; mannose-6-phosphate
receptors; cancer prognosis
Jianjie
Ma, Ph.D., University Professor of Physiology and Biophysics,
UMDNJ Director of Graduate Program in Physiology and Integrative
Biology maj2@umdnj.edu ,
(732)235-4494 Ca 2+ , Ca 2+ channels and related genes in
cardiovascular function and cancer biology
Kenneth
H. McKeever, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Animal Science,
RU mckeever@aesop.rutgers.edu
, (732) 932-9390 comparative exercise and cardiovascular
physiology
Randall
McKinnon, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, UMDNJ
mckinnon@umdnj.edu ,
(732)235-4419 Growth factors and glia
Gary
F. Merrill, Ph.D., Professor of Cell Biology and Neuroscience,
RU merrill@biology.rutgers.edu
, (732)445-2320 Ischemic heart disease; regulation of
coronary circulation
Judith
Neubauer, Ph.D., Professor of Pulmonary Medicine, UMDNJ
neubauer@umdnj.edu ,
(732)235-5371 Neurobiology of respiratory control; neuronal
responses to hypoxia and CO 2
Tim
Otto, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychology, RU totto@rci.rutgers.edu
, (732)445-0719 Neurobiology of learning and memory
Zui
Pan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Physiology and Biophysics,
UMDNJ panzu@umdnj.edu ,
(732)235-4509 Cell imaging and aptosis signaling
Nicola
C. Partridge, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of Physiology and
Biophysics, UMDNJ partrinc@umdnj.edu
, (732)235-4552 Signal transduction; molecular endocrinology;
metalloproteinases
John
Pintar, Ph.D., Professor of Neuroscience and Cell Biology,
UMDNJ pintar@cabm.rutgers.edu
, (732)235-4250 Physiology of insulin-like growth factor
and genetic analysis of opioid system function
Hong
Ruan, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Physiology and
Biophysics, UMDNJ ruanho@umdnj.edu
, (732) 235-5552 Adipose tissue-secreted cytokinge,
gene transcription, obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes.
Loren
Runnels, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology, UMDNJ runnellw@umdnj.edu
, (732)235-4593 Cellular and molecular function of TRP
channels
Dipak
Sarkar, Ph.D., Professor of Animal Sciences, RU sarkar@aesop.rutgers.edu
, (732)932-1529 Influences of stress and drug abuse
on neuroendocrine and neuroimmune systems
Peter
Scholz, M.D., Professor of Cardiac Surgery, UMDNJ scholz@umdnj.edu
, (732)235-7642 Cardiovascular physiology and cGMP signaling
Federico
Sesti, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Physiology and Biophysics,
UMDNJ sestife@umdnj.edu
, (732)235-4032 Physiology and structure-function of
ion-channels
Sue
Shapses, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Nutritional Sciences,
RU shapses@aesop.rutgers.edu
, (732) 932-9403 Metabolism of Bone and Calcium; Osteoporosis
Yufang
Shi, Ph.D., University Professor of Molecular Genetics and
Immunology, UMDNJ shiyu@umdnj.edu
, (732)235-4501 Molecular immunology and apoptosis
Nancy
R. Stevenson, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Physiology and
Biophysics, UMDNJ stevenso@umdnj.edu
(732)235-4610 Intestinal digestion and absorption, nutrition,
and curricular development
Chih-Cheng
Tsai, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Physiology and Biophysics,
UMDNJ tsaich@umdnj.edu
, (732) 235-4885 Nuclear receptor corepressors and their
roles in development and human diseases
Sunil
Wimalawansa , MD , Ph.D., Professor of Medicine, RWJMS wimlasu@umdnj.edu
, (732) 235-9589 Osteoporosis; Mitochondria, Oxidative
stress & Aging on bone, endothelial and smooth muscle
cells
Malcolm
Watford, Professor of Nutritional Sciences, RU watford@aesop.rutgers.edu
, (732)-932-7418 Glutamine metabolism; regulation of
glutaminase gene expression
Harvey
R. Weiss, Ph.D., Professor of Physiology and Biophysics,
UMDNJ hweiss@umdnj.edu
, (732)235-4626 Coronary and cerebral circulation, nitric
oxide, myocardial signal transduction
William
J. Welsh, Ph.D., Professor of Pharmacology, UMDNJ welshwj@umdnj.edu
, (732) 235-3234 Bioinformatics; computer-aided molecular
modeling and drug design
Rob
Zachow, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Physiology and Biophysics
zachowrj@umdnj.edu ,
(732)235-5658 Ovarian follicular development and steroidogenesis
Renping
Zhou, Ph.D., Professor of Chemical Biology, RU rzhou@rci.rutgers.edu
, (732) 445-5214 Development of the brain: function
of growth factors and their receptors
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B.
Academic Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree
A
minimum of 72 credits will be required for the Ph.D. degree,
of which at least 32 credits must come from formal course
work and at least 24 credits must come from thesis research.
All required courses, including the core curriculum in the
Molecular Biosciences Program and selective courses offered
in PIB, must be passed with a grade of B or better. Required
courses in which a grade below B has been received must
be repeated in order to achieve a B, unless other remediation
is approved by the PIB Graduate Education Committee.
The
Qualifying Examination for admission to candidacy for the
Ph.D. degree will consist of two parts: a
written exam given at the end of the first year, and an
oral exam to be given before the end of the student's second
year in the program.
Written
Exam: The written exam will be given to all students
after completion of the first year curriculum of the Consolidated
Programs in Molecular Biosciences. The exam will be based
on the material studied in the required core courses of
the first year and on a selection of journal articles provided
to the students before the exam. Questions will be in essay
format, and will be graded on a Pass/Fail basis by a committee
composed of representatives from the various Molecular Biosciences
graduate programs. A student must have a minimum GPA of
3.0 to sit for the exam, and failure of the exam may, upon
recommendation of the PIB Graduate Education Committee,
result in termination of the student from the Ph.D. program.
Oral
Exam: The oral exam must be taken by the end of
the second year. It will consist of a formal written proposal
of a project that may or may not be related to the student's
thesis research. This written proposal shall be in the format
of a grant application, i.e., with a specific hypothesis,
designed aims to test such hypothesis, thoughtful experiments
to achieve these aims, followed by approaches to address
alternative explanations. Such proposal will be evaluated
by an examining committee consisting of four faculty members,
three of whom should be members of PIB. The members are
to be recommended by the student and approved in writing
by the Director of PIB. The student's thesis advisor shall
not be present during the exam, and will not participate
in the final decision as to whether the student passes or
fails.
Evaluation
will be on a Pass/Fail basis. Passing of this exam is required
for admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. Failure
at this stage will usually result in dismissal of the student
from the Ph.D. program.
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C.
Choice of Research Advisor, Thesis Committee, and Thesis
Defense
Research
Advisor: It is intended that a student will select
a mentor for his/her thesis research during the course of
the lab rotations in the first year. Full time research
on the student's project should begin during the summer
following completion of the first year, leading up to the
oral exam sometime before the end of the second year.
Thesis
Committee: After successfully passing the oral
exam, the student and advisor should select a thesis advisory
committee consisting of at least two other members of the
PIB faculty plus one individual familiar with the student's
field of research from outside the Program, preferably from
outside the institution. The membership of the committee
must be approved in writing by the Director of Graduate
Education, and communicated to the PIB Graduate Education
Committee. The student's research advisor will serve as
chair of this committee, and will be responsible for calling
meetings of the committee. This committee should meet to
review the student's progress at least once a year and submit
a progress report to the PIB Graduate Education Committee.
Additional meetings can be called by the student as necessary.
Thesis
Defense: When the student's research has achieved
the goals agreed upon by the committee and his or her advisor,
a dissertation describing the results of the work is to
be written according to the guidelines established by UMDNJ
and Rutgers University and distributed to the committee
for their evaluation. The candidate will then present a
lecture open to the public. Following public discussion,
the committee may examine the student on issues related
to the research in closed session. Formal acceptance of
the dissertation requires approval of a majority of the
members of the committee. If such approval is not obtained,
revisions to the dissertation, or additional research may
be required before the degree is granted.
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D.
Course Requirements
First
Year: Incoming students will take the
core curriculum of the Molecular Biosciences Program. The
basic curriculum may be modified on an individual basis
for students with advanced standing, or who need remedial
course work to remedy a deficient background. Such remedial
courses will not count in fulfilling degree requirements.
Fall
Semester:
BIOC
5501 (RU 115:501) Biochemistry and Molecular Biology –
I 3 credits
BIOC
5502 (RU 115:502) Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - II
3 credits
BIOC
5011 (RU 695:611) Special Topics Seminar 1 credit
IDST
5000 (RU 115:556) Ethical Scientific Conduct 1 credit
PHYS
5021 and 5022 (RU 695:615) Lab Rotation #1 and #2 4 credits
Spring
Semester:
MICR
5013 (RU 16:681:502) Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
3 credits
MICR
5211 (RU 16:695:601) Advanced Cell Biology 3 credits
PHYS
5213 (RU 16:695:612) Special Topics Seminar 1 credit
PHYS
5023 (RU 16:695:616) Lab Rotation #3 2 credits
PHYS
5560 (RU 16:761:580) Molecular Basis of Physiology 3 credits
(selective course)
Note
on Lab Rotations:
Students
will be required to do three laboratory rotations as part
of their graduate education: two rotations of 8 weeks each
during the Fall semester, and a third during the first 8
weeks of the Spring semester. The laboratory in which the
student's research is to be done will generally be chosen
by mutual consent of student and advisor at the end of the
third rotation. Thesis research will begin at this time.
A fourth rotation may be taken by students who have not
found a permanent lab after the first three rotations.
Each
rotation will count as 2 course credits towards the Ph.D.,
with a maximum of 6 credits allowed. It is the responsibility
of the student to talk with faculty to arrange rotations.
Generally the choice of the next rotation should be made
about two weeks before the present one ends. A student may
not rotate in the same lab twice.
A
one page summary of the work done in each rotation is to
be prepared, and copies submitted to the head of the laboratory
in which the work was done, and to the office of the Graduate
School of Biomedical Sciences. This summary should include
the name of the lab, the dates of the rotation, the objectives
of the work, the nature of the student's participation,
and the main results.
Second
Year
After
matriculation in the PIB, the students can take the lecture
portion of the Medical Physiology course (PHYS 6300) for
7 credits. This is part of the Core Curriculum taken by
our medical students. Depending on the needs and background
of a particular graduate student, section(s) from the Medical
Physiology course may be waived or tailored. There will
be supplementary materials for graduate students. The exams
will be in an essay format, instead of the multiple-choice
questions given to medical students.
Additional
selective graduate courses are also offered in PIB:
PHYS
5556 Membrane Biophysics & Electrophysiology (Sesti,
Course Director)– 2 credits
PHYS
5508 Equine Exercise Physiology (KcKeever, Course Director)
– 3 credits
PHYS
5513 Cardiovascular Physiology (Merrill, Course Director)
– 3 credits
PHYS
5561 Physiology and Biophysics Department Seminar Series
– 1 credit
PHYS
5562 Physiology and Biophysics Journal Club – 1 credit
Dissertation
Research – 24 credits total
Subsequent
Years
During
the subsequent years, the students are expected to participate
full-time in research. They are also required to participate
in weekly Journal Club Discussions.
The
entire Doctoral Program must be completed in no more than
seven years from the time of entry into the program.
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E.
The Master of Science Program in Physiology and Integrative
Biology
In
addition to the Ph.D. program, PIB also offers Master of
Science in Physiology and Integrative Biology, to meet the
needs of students with particular interests. This Masters
Program offers an excellent foundation for future careers
in biomedical professions, academic or pharmaceutical research;
cell, molecular and systems levels coursework and research
experience, and possibility to transfer to the Ph.D. program
in Physiology and Integrative Biology. The program includes
one year of advanced course work and hands-on laboratory
experience, followed by a year of intensive laboratory investigation
in a mentored environment with a final written thesis. Progress
of enrolled students will be supervised by the Curriculum
and Academic Standing Committee of PIB.
Students
can choose their research focus from a wide array of research
areas represented within the PIB program. A minimum of 40
credits is required for the Master of Science degree, consisting
of both course and laboratory trainings. To accommodate
students with different backgrounds, the program offers
a flexible schedule, allowing up to 3 years for completion
of the requirements.
Students
are encouraged to take the Core Course requirements of the
Molecular Bioscience Program:
Biochemistry
and Molecular Biology I
Biochemistry
and Molecular Biology II
Microbiology
and Molecular Genetics
Advanced
Cell Biology.
Other
elective courses offered in PIB are also available to the
Master of Science students:
Mammalian
Physiology
DNA
Recombinant Technology
Cardiovascular
Physiology
Molecular
Basis of Physiology
Medical
Physiology
Currently,
the following techniques and areas of researches are available
in the program: molecular biology, gene expression, DNA
microarray screening, electrophysiology, ion transport,
transgenic animal models, cardiovascular physiology, cell
signaling, hormone/receptor biology, confocal microscopy,
endocrinology, C. elegans and yeast biology.
Students
entering the Master of Science program in PIB will have
the option to transfer to the Ph.D. program upon approval
of the Graduate Education Committee of PIB.
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F.
Requirements for Students in the Joint M.D./Ph.D. Program
Under
the existing M.D./Ph.D. joint program offered by the Graduate
School of Biomedical Sciences at UMDNJ, these students can
perform their Ph.D. portion of their research in PIB. They
will be administered by the same guidelines set forth by
the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. The student
will be expected to choose a laboratory and research sponsor
during the second year of medical school, and begin full
time Ph.D. work in the summer following that year.
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G.
List of Current Graduate PIB Students and Labs
Amit
Balakrishnan, Dr. Fan
Kyoung
Han Choi, Dr. Fondell
Jae
Kyun Ko, Dr. Ma
Na
Li, Dr. Ma
Xin
Li, Dr. Partridge
Niseema
Pachikara, Dr. Fan
Liliana
Perez, Dr. Fan
Guangwen
Ren, Dr. Sesti
Tyler
Rork, Dr. Merrill
Norell
Spiler, Dr. Merrill
Jun
Su, Dr. Weiss
Angela
Thornton, Dr. Ma
Lei
Wang, Dr. Tsai
Yi
Wang, Dr. Sesti
Xiaoli
Zhao, Dr. Ma
Lin
Zheng, Dr. Ma
Master's
Students
Virginia Barne
Mahesh
Yaragatti
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