Molecular and Cellular Biology
In this interdisciplinary program, you will interact with students and faculty who have diverse backgrounds in chemistry, marine biology, computational biology, and others. The skills you will learn in your first year include coding, how to write fellowships, and how to give scientific talks to a non-science audience. You will begin bonding with your small cohort of fellow students with an annual trip to Cape Cod to talk about science at the beginning of the academic year.
Dissertations that students have completed include "Characterization of the Epigenetic Regulator LSD1 as a Druggable Dependency in Treatment of Resistant Melanoma" and "Circadian Clocks in the Real World: Effects of Dynamic Light Regimes on the Regulation of Circadian Gene Expression in Cyanobacteria."
Graduates have secured positions in industry with companies such as Google, Genentech, and Novartis. Others serve in academic positions at many prestigious schools including Harvard, Caltech, Stanford, and MIT.
Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies.
Areas of Study
Molecules, Cells, and Organisms
Admissions Requirements
Please review the admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology.
Academic Background
Applicants should have a record of introductory courses in chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics. While the following courses should not be regarded as prerequisites for admission to graduate study, most admitted students have completed these courses as undergraduates:
- Biology (at least one general course in biology and two terms of biology at a more advanced level)
- Biochemistry
- Organic chemistry
- Physical chemistry
- Physics (a general course)
- Mathematics (a basic knowledge of differential and integral calculus). Competence in elementary programming is also desirable.
- Laboratory in biology, biochemistry, or instrumental analysis.
Statement of Purpose
Describe your reasons and motivations for pursuing a PhD in molecular and cellular biology, noting experiences that shaped your research ambitions as well as briefly indicating your scientific and career objectives. Your statement should not exceed 1,000 words.
Personal Statement
Required
Standardized Tests
GRE General: Not Accepted
iBT TOEFL preferred minimum score: 100
IELTS preferred minimum score: 7
Theses and Dissertations
Theses & Dissertations for Molecular and Cellular Biology