Vascular Biology has emerged as an important area of contemporary biomedical science. Over the past decade, there has been rapid progress in diverse areas, ranging from developmental, cellular, and molecular biology to new therapeutic interventions. At the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, and other leading institutions in the Texas Medical Center, many investigators have contributed significantly to the recent progress - most notably in vascular nitric oxide and eicosanoid signaling, angiogenesis, vascular gene transfer, vascular inflammation and plaque stability, thrombosis, and the genetics and genomics of coronary artery disease and stroke.

A key feature of vascular research at the Texas Medical Center is the rapid translation of basic research discoveries into new diagnostic and/or therapeutic applications. The outstanding researchers in vascular biology and the world-class facilities of the Texas Medical Center provide a superb combination to train and nurture students and young investigators for successful careers in vascular biology and medicine. To this end, the faculty has developed advanced training in Vascular Biology at the University of Texas Graduate School for Biomedical Sciences (GSBS). 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.

Faculty participants are drawn from diverse basic science and clinical departments at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, the Texas Heart Institute, and Rice University. The program coordinates educational and research activities, sponsors conferences and courses, and provides an environment and forum for interaction and collaboration among investigators and trainees. It has a major commitment to nurture investigators, and provide career development, with the ultimate goal of training the next generation of leaders in vascular biology.

Curriculum and Training

The Vascular Biology curriculum offers Ph.D. and M.S. degrees from The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Students receive a broad exposure to contemporary biomedical science, involving in-depth training in one of the areas indicated above, or an individually designed interdisciplinary program, plus advanced training in vascular biology via coursework, seminars, and thesis research in the laboratory of a participating faculty member.

During the first year of the curriculum students attend core courses designed to provide breadth in the biomedical sciences and additional specialized courses in their chosen areas of research concentration. Students also select three research tutorials in laboratories of program faculty or any of the nearly 500 GSBS faculty members located throughout the Texas Medical Center. In the second year students receive formal coursework in vascular biology, attend seminars and advanced courses in their areas of research concentration, and participate in an integrated basic science – clinical seminar series in vascular biology with students, fellows, and faculty from a variety of departments and programs. Most students also initiate the background research for their thesis work during the second year. In subsequent years, students participate in seminars, grand rounds and journal clubs, while focusing primarily on their thesis research.

Student Support

All students admitted to the Ph.D. Program at the GSBS receive an annual stipend, tuition, and fees. Institutional and program support is also available to attend professional meetings, and outstanding students may compete for additional scholarships and cash awards.

The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston. GSBS is located in the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical and research complex in the world, in the 4th largest city in the U.S. The GSBS has over 400 full time Ph.D. students and nearly 500 regular faculty drawn primarily from the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, the six schools of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and Texas A&M’s Institute of Biosciences and Technology. These parent institutions have a combined annual budget of nearly $1.5 billion and over 30,000 employees. Additional supporting Vascular Biology faculty are drawn from Rice University and the Baylor College of Medicine, which are also located in the Texas Medical Center. Together, this collection of faculty, scientific research facilities, and clinical resources provides one of the world’s outstanding environments for training in vascular biology and related areas.

For more information:

Internet: http://gsbs.uth.tmc.edu
Phone: (800) UTH-GSBS
Mail: Vascular Biology
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
P.O. Box 20334, Houston, TX 77225
E-mail: yong-jian.geng@uth.tmc.edu