Anatomy, Organismal & Cell Biology Research Track Details

Degree Requirements

   ❱  Required coursework
   ❱  Research tool requirement 
   ❱  Qualifying or comprehensive examination (As part of candidacy requirements, oral and/or written comprehensive candidacy examination depending on the chosen track)
   ❱  Graduate School expository writing requirement
   ❱  Graduate School Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) requirement
   ❱  Dissertation
   ❱  Final oral examination/Dissertation defense 

Research Specializations

    ❱   Epigenetics and aging
    ❱   Evolutionary and organismal biology
    ❱   Evolutionary developmental biology
    ❱   Molecular, cell, and developmental biology
    ❱   Neuroscience
    ❱   Paleobiology   

Research Areas & Interests

Faculty Research Interests

A sampling of research interests

  • Behavioral, neuroanatomical, and molecular disruptions caused by the experience of early life adversity and developmental drug exposure (nicotine) during prenatal life, infancy, and adolescence
  • Investigating molecular bases of alcohol addiction and co-morbid neuropsychiatric disease as mediated by neuroinflammation, CRF, GABA, and other molecular circuits
  • Epigenetic effects of drugs of abuse on gene expression profiles
  • Targeting the genetic bases for opioid use disorder to develop effective treatments to restore dopamine homeostasis in humans
  • How intrinsic and synaptic neuronal properties relate to information coding and neural network function
  • Mechanisms of information processing that form the basis of persistent functional changes in the olfactory and limbic systems and their relation to neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders
  • Structural and functional organization of the olfactory and limbic system (hippocampus, amygdala)
  • Systematics, functional anatomy, biogeographic and paleoecological reconstructions of mammal faunas
  • Investigating the potential of induced pluripotent stem cells, cellular reprogramming, and epigenetic rejuvenation for the treatment of age-related diseases
  • Evolutionary morphology of muscles, nerves, and blood vessels in humans and the evolutionary morphology of the hominid locomotor systems
  • Neural systems in the brain using electrophysiological, pharmacological, and anatomical methods
  • Genetic and epigenetic (environmental experience) modulators of brain development and maturation
  • Subcortical structure of the vertebrate brain, the amygdala, a key brain site for emotion, fear, learning, and memory
  • Evolution of the blood supply of the brain
  • Developmental interactions during tissue and organ development

Program of Study* 

CORE COURSES


ANAT 301    Musculoskeletal Anatomy

ANAT 173    Neurobiology

ANAT 213    Organ Systems Anatomy

ELECTIVE COURSES

Must include courses in Physiology and/or Biochemistry/Molecular Biology. Students typically take electives in Biochemistry, Biology, Genetics, Microbiology, Pharmacology, Physiology, Biophysics, or Psychology. Students must select their electives in consultation with the student's advisor. Some important elective courses for Anatomy students include: Vertebrate Neuroanatomy; Topics in Developmental Biology; Human Evolution; Topics in Evolutionary Biology; Topics in Cell Biology; Neurophysiology;     Biochemistry; Molecular Biology; Genetics; and Psychopharmacology.

A sample of Elective courses in Anatomy Research Track:

ANAT 195    Vertebrate Neuroanatomy 

ANAT 203    Topics in Developmental Biology

ANAT 204    Human Evolution

ANAT 205    Topics in Evolutionary Biology

ANAT 212    Topics in Cell Biology

PHSI 206     Neurophysiology

PHSI 282     Physiology of Homeostasis

PHSI 252     Cellular and Molecular Physiology

PHSI 302     Special Problems in Physiology

BIOC 208     Protein Structure & Function   

BIOC 270     Molecular Biology

BIOC 272     Metabolic Regulation

BIOG 421     Virology

BIOG 426     Food Microbiology 

CHEG 430     Nanomaterials

GENE 223     Human Genetics

HEG 425       Intro to Biomedical Engineering

MICR 304     Cell Molecular Immunology

PHAR 219     Graduate Biomedical Informatics

PHSC 314      Pharmacokinetics

PHSC 319      Making Medicines

PSYC 271       Psychopharmacology
 

DISSERTATION

*Courses included in the sample program of study are subject to change. Students should consult with their programs regarding their required program of study. 

Admission to Candidacy 

Students are admitted to formal candidacy by the Graduate School when they have completed the required coursework, have passed the comprehensive/qualifying exam requirement, submitted an approved topic for research, and been recommended by the Department. The dissertation proposal and an oral defense of the proposal are mandatory components of the comprehensive/qualifying exam requirement for each track. Additionally, some tracks may include an extra component of the comprehensive candidacy examination. Candidates must also have satisfied the Graduate School expository writing requirement and Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) requirement.  

Graduate Funding 

Admitted students may be eligible to compete for Graduate School competitive awards which provide tuition remission and a stipend during the academic year. Additionally, graduate research or teaching assistantships may be available at the department level. Research assistants and teaching assistants work no more than 20 hours a week under the program's direction, usually in support of faculty research (research assistants) or in support of assigned courses (teaching assistants). Please see the Funding website for more detailed information.