Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS) is an area of study within the Division of Medical Sciences, an administrative unit based at Harvard Medical School that coordinates biomedical PhD activities at the Longwood Medical Area. Students who study in BBS receive a PhD in medical sciences. Prospective students apply through the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS). In the online application, select “Division of Medical Sciences” as your program choice and select "Biological and Biomedical Sciences" in the area of study menu.
This program trains you in the biosciences, starting with core training in contemporary genetics; biochemistry; and molecular, cellular, and mechanistic biology. You can customize your curriculum to allow you to align with your research interests.
You will have access to a vast wealth of resources, including more than 700 faculty, top scientists, core facilities and hospitals, cutting-edge research, and an extensive alumni network. You will be in close proximity to top nationwide hospitals and research centers and more than 130 biotech, biopharma, and pharmaceutical companies that have biological and biomedical sciences (BBS) alumni on staff.
Examples of specific student projects include “Development of nucleic acid detection methods for object provenance and viral diagnostics,” “Interrogating genetic diversity in Mycobacterium abscessus with transposon-sequencing,” and “Sexual dimorphism in hair follicle stem cells.”
Graduates of the program have secured faculty positions at such prestigious institutions as New York University, University of Minnesota, Harvard University, and University of Illinois. Others have gone on to careers with leading companies such as Novartis and the Broad Institute. Derrick Rossi, cofounder of Moderna, is a graduate of the BBS program.
Standardized Tests
GRE General: Not Accepted
GRE Subject: Not Accepted
iBT TOEFL minimum score: 100
IELTS minimum score: 7