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General Information for Prospective Students
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Medical College of Georgia
Augusta, Georgia 30912-2100
Common Admission to Ph.D. Programs in the Biomedical Sciences
The Medical College of Georgia offers the Ph.D. degree in one of five
Biomedical Science programs: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Molecular Medicine, Pharmacology and
Toxicology and Physiology and Endocrinology. These programs train students
for academic or industrial research and teaching careers. Each program
offers faculty with diverse expertise and a supportive, inspiring
environment. Career opportunities are excellent; most students obtain
additional postdoctoral training at other institutions after earning their
Ph.D., and some go directly to research or teaching positions. Annual
salaries for Ph.D. scientists range from about $25,000 for new graduates to
$100,000 or more for senior professors and researchers.
First-year Ph.D. students are admitted via a common admissions process to Ph.D. programs in Biomedical Sciences at MCG. After completing first year interdisciplinary core coursework and performing several laboratory rotations, they choose a research mentor and enter the Ph.D. program in which that faculty member has an appointment. Additional coursework and qualifying examinations for the Ph.D. are administered by the individual programs. A research advisory committee chaired by the student's faculty advisor monitors the student's progress toward earning the Ph.D. degree. In each program, Ph.D. candidates complete a Ph.D. dissertation based on original research.
In addition to well-furnished research laboratories for individual projects, students have access to modern laboratory animal facilities, an animal behavior center and both transgenic mouse and transgenic zebrafish facilities. Students also have access to an analytical chemistry laboratory, centers for flow cytometry and molecular modeling, and core laboratories for DNA synthesis and sequencing, gene chip analysis, peptide synthesis, cell imaging, and electron microscopy and histology.
Financial aid in the form of stipends is available for most students on a competitive basis. Qualified Ph.D. applicants are eligible for up to 3 years' stipend support which is currently $18,500 a year.
Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Areas of research interest in the program are focused on important human
health problems that include drug abuse and its effect on the developing
fetus, drug delivery in the treatment of disease, complications of diabetes
and aging, especially as they impact on the eye, sickle cell anemia and
related thalassemias, gene therapy, stroke and reperfusion injury,
microbiology, and kidney disease. Advanced techniques of modern laboratory
research in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology are utilized in an attempt to
acquire a basic understanding of these disease states. These include but are
not limited to molecular cloning, gene isolation and analysis, gene therapy,
transgenic animals, cell culture and transfection, patch clamp technology,
polymerase chain reaction, and sophisticated immunological techniques, as
well as the study of signal transduction, membrane receptors and membrane
transport, the structure and function of macromolecules, the inflammatory
response, and the regulation of gene expression.
Upon entering the Ph.D. program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, core courses are supplemented with advanced courses tailored to students' educational needs. Student workshops enhance oral communication skills and the ability to critically evaluate research data. In seminar courses, faculty and visiting scientists present their research. Ph.D. students must pass two departmental qualifying examinations to be admitted to candidacy for the degree. Students are encouraged to present their work periodically in departmental seminars and at regional and national scientific meetings.
In addition to the first year of core coursework and laboratory rotations, the Ph.D. program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology requires approximately four years of full time study, including course work, examinations and dissertation research.
Living and Housing Costs
Air-conditioned housing is available on campus for students at modest
cost. Single occupancy and double occupancy rooms are available.
Campus housing for married students is also available. The MCG housing
office also helps students locate apartments in the area.
Student Groups
The Medical College of Georgia, the only health sciences research
university of the state of Georgia, is composed of five schools with a total
student population of 2,000. In addition to the
School of Graduate Studies,
with approximately 400 students, the Schools of Allied Health Sciences,
Dentistry, Nursing, and Medicine are located on campus.
Location
Augusta,
well known as the home of the Masters
golf tournament, is
located on the south bank of the Savannah River and is 150 miles east of
Atlanta. It is the second - largest metropolitan area in Georgia with a
population of approximately 300,000. The city is also a major medical center
and, with its nine hospitals and more than 4,600 hospital beds, serves the
entire Southeast. Historic Augusta
offers all of the advantages of a big city yet maintains the charm of a
smaller community. It has relatively mild, short winters and long, warm
summers. A wide spectrum of cultural events is offered through the Augusta
Opera Association, the Augusta Ballet, the Augusta Players, the Fort Gordon
Dinner Theatre, the Augusta Children's Theater, the Augusta Symphony and the
Augusta Art Association. Located near the scenic Clarks Hill (Lake Thurmond)
Reservoir, the area offers opportunities for water sports, camping, boating,
and other outdoor recreational activities. Three airlines service Augusta,
and there are approximately twenty daily flights at Bush Field. The beach,
the mountains, and several other large cities are within a few hours' drive.
The College
The Medical College of Georgia was founded in 1828 and is the eleventh -
oldest existing medical school in the United States. MCG is part of the
University System of Georgia and is an autonomous unit under the Board of
Regents of the system. With approximately 700 faculty and 3,400 staff
members, the Medical College of Georgia is the city's largest single
employer. Students who need to take prerequisite courses in chemistry,
physics, and mathematics can enroll at
Augusta State University,
a senior unit of the University System of
Georgia.
Applying
Application forms and can be obtained from:
Office of Academic Admissions
170 Kelly Building-Administration
Medical College of Georgia
Augusta, GA 30912-7310
Phone: 706-721-2725
FAX: 706-721-0186.
Email: gradadm@mcg.edu.
Questions concerning the application process and the status of an application should be directed to this office. All application materials should be sent to the Office of Academic Admissions, not the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Correspondence & Information
Dr. Darren
Browning, Graduate Program Director
Telephone:
(706) 721-9526
Fax:
(706) 721-6608
Email:
dbrowning@mcg.edu.
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