Pros and Cons of Program Affiliation
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Biomathematics and Biostatistics
- Cancer Biology
- Cell and Regulatory Biology - (cell biology, pharmacology, physiology)
- Genes and Development
- Human and Molecular Genetics
- Immunology
- Medical Physics
- Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
- Molecular Carcinogenesis
- Molecular Pathology
- Neuroscience
- Virology and Gene Therapy
Interdisciplinary Studies
Other Program Information
- M.D./Ph.D. Program
- Cancer Metastasis
- Patient-Based Biological Research
- Toxicology
- Vascular Biology
- Listing of Program Officials
Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology [top]
molecular genetics; DNA and RNA metabolism; regulation of gene expression during development and differentiation; protein and glycoprotein structure and function; membrane function and biogenesis; transport; cell-cell interactions; regulation of cell growth and metabolism; physical biochemistry; and enzymology
- Program home page
- Program Director: Dr. Michael Blackburn, Michael.R.Blackburn@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-6087
Program in Biomathematics and Biostatistics [top]
statistical and mathematical modeling; development of new models for the design and analysis of research studies; formulation of mathematical models of biological systems
- Program home page
- Program Director: Dr. Sanjay Shete, sshete@mdanderson.org, 713-745-2483
Program in Cancer Biology [top]
all aspects of cancer biology; including tumor/host interactions; metastasis and invasion; tumor cell biology and biochemistry; tumor heterogeneity; cell surfaces; cancer genetics; retroviruses; regulation; and development
- Program home page
- Program Director: Dr. Dihua Yu, dyu@mdanderson.org, 713-792-3636
Program in Cell and Regulatory Biology [top]
integration of molecular, cellular, and systems approaches to cell biology, physiology and pharmacology in one of four interacting academic tracks
- Program home page
- Program Director:
Dr. David Loose, David.S.Loose@uth.tmc.edu,
713-500-7440
Cell Biology Track
signal transduction mechanisms including receptor-ligand interactions, second messengers, and kinase cascades; protein structure-function relationships; cell motility and cytoskeleton; gene regulation; control of cell division and apoptosis; cellular and genetic changes associated with cancer
Pharmacology Track
cellular and molecular pharmacology; drug-receptor interactions; drug metabolism; mechanisms of drug resistance; cancer therapy
Physiology Track
physiology of epithelia and of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, nervous and reproductive systems; regulation of ion channels and transporters; regulation of growth and differentiation in vivo; plasticity of neurons and muscle
Reproductive Biology Track
molecular, cellular, and genetic mechanisms involved in gametogenesis, ovarian and testicular endocrine and paracrine function, and in pregnancy; regulation of normal and cancerous growth of reproductive tracts; hormone action and signal transduction in reproductive tissues; action of environmental toxicants
Program in Genes and Development [top]
eukaryotic molecular biology; developmental biology human genetics; structural biology; biochemistry and cell signaling; cancer biology
- Program home page
- Program Director: Dr. Gregory May, gsmay@mdanderson.org, 713-745-1945
Program in Genetic Counseling [top]
classical and molecular genetics; cytogenetics; psychosocial issues associated with clinical genetics practice; development of skills to comprehend the research aspects of genetics and clinical experience in a variety of genetics clinics
- Program home page
- Program Director: Claire Singletary, Claire.N.Singletary@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-5760
Program in Human and Molecular Genetics [top]
cancer genetics; cytogenetics; developmental genetics; evolutionary genetics; genetic epidemiology; genomics; human genetics; immunogenetics; molecular evolution; molecular genetics; population genetics; and somatic-cell genetics
- Program home page
- Program Director: Dr. Gilbert Cote, gcote@mdanderson.org, 713-792-2841
Program in Immunology [top]
basic immunologic mechanisms; the immunobiology and immunotherapy of cancer; immunopathology; immunology of infectious diseases; molecular immunology; immunodeficiencies; immunogenetics; transplantation immunology; immunopharmacology; and lymphoid malignancies
- Program home page
- Program Director: Dr. Stephanie Watowich, swatowic@mdanderson.org, 713-563-3262
Program in Medical Physics [top]
therapy, including radiotherapy; imaging, including both diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine; and safety, including radiation protection from ionizing and non-ionizing radiation
- Program home page
- Program Director: Dr. Edward Jackson, ejackson@mdanderson.org, 713-745-0559
Program in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics [top]
molecular basis of pathogenesis; microbial genetics and physiology; molecular microbiology; signal transduction; mycology; prokaryotes and lower eukaryotes as model systems; microbial diversity; and genomics
- Program home page
- Program Director: Dr. William Margolin, William.Margolin@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-5452
Program in Molecular Carcinogenesis [top]
cellular and molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis loosely categorized into four inter-related areas: cellular and molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis; DNA damage, repair and mutagenesis; molecular and biochemical genetics; and prevention of cancer induction
- Science Park/Research Division home page
- Program Director: Dr. Ellen Richie, erichie@.mdanderson.org 512-237-9435
Program in Molecular Pathology [top]
mechanisms of cellular pathology; pathogenesis of infectious disease; immunopathology; cellular and molecular pathology; and carcinogenesis and chemical pathology
- Program home page
- Program Director: Dr. Dianne Hickson-Bick, Diane.L.Bick@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-5328
Program in Neuroscience [top]
learning; memory; nervous system plasticity; neural networks; the visual system; behavior; drug actions; and neural circuitry and transmission
- Program home page
- Program Director: Dr. Jack Waymire, Jack.C.Waymire@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-5620
Program in Virology and Gene Therapy [top]
molecular virology and biology; viral carcinogenesis; viral immunology; viral nucleic acid and protein biochemistry; viral pathogenesis; and neoplastic and infectious diseases of animals and man
- Program home page
- Program Director: Dr. Jagannadha Sastry, jsastry@mdanderson.org, 713-563-3304
M.D./Ph.D. Program [top]
A joint M.D./Ph.D. Program is offered through the combined efforts of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. This Program affords qualified students the opportunity to earn the M.D. and the Ph.D. degrees in an integrated seven-year program study.
The unique features of the Program include the integration of clinical and research training throughout the program; the completion of a year of clinical studies in the Medical School prior to the start of laboratory research; a seminar course in molecular medicine attended regularly by students at all stages of the program; specialized tracks in Cancer and Development, Neuroscience, and Molecular Medicine; and a Graduate School faculty of 400 from which to choose a dissertation advisor.
- Program Home Page
- Program Director: Dr. Dianna Milewicz, Dianna.M.Milewicz@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-6727
Cancer Metastasis [top]
The GSBS program Cancer Metastasis Research: From Bench to Bedside, supported by a highly competitive grant from The University of Texas System, focuses on the critically important and emergent field of cancer metastasis research. The Cancer Metastasis program is the first of its kind in the world to approach metastasis as a unique multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary field of study, and to offer students access to basic, translational, and clinical research opportunities in metastasis. The program is designed to integrate traditional hypothesis-driven basic research conducted by doctoral students, but with an emphasis on the clinical and translational potential of a student’s research. The program takes advantage of the outstanding basic science and clinical faculty and resources of the #1 cancer center in the world, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. The goal of the Cancer Metastasis program is to train the next generation of biomedical researchers who are able to pursue careers as independent scientists, but who bring with them a unique perspective of the translational and clinical aspects of cancer metastasis.
- Program Description
- Program Director: Dr. Gary Gallick, ggallick@mdanderson.org, 713-563-4919
Patient-Based Biological Research [top]
The objective of this program is to provide a training curriculum designed for those individuals who wish to become scholars in research pertaining directly to the human model. Trainees will receive instruction in all aspects of patient-oriented research, including design of clinical investigational studies, optimization of translational endpoints, biostatistics, epidemiology and ethical and regulatory issues specific to research done in human beings in addition to rigorous training in the biomedical sciences.
Toxicology Program [top]
Studies in molecular and cellular mechanisms of toxicity in the organs and systems; nutritional toxicology; mutagenesis/carcinogenesis; occupational/environmental medicine; toxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs; radiation-induced injury; and exposure assessment analysis.
- Contact: Dr. David McConkey, dmcconke@mdanderson.org, 713-792-8591
Vascular Biology Program [top]
This training is multidisciplinary, encompassing diverse areas of basic and translational research on blood vessels, including developmental and stem cell biology, molecular and cellular biology, structural biology, vascular genetics and genomics, biomedical engineering, gene and cell therapy, cancer biology and metastasis, arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, coronary artery disease, stroke and other vascular diseases.
