Cellular Biophysics Program

Interdepartmental Program

The following list reflects the 2007/2008 faculty.

Director M. Carter Cornwall

Faculty

Christopher W. Akey Professor of Physiology & Biophysics. PhD, Cornell University

Karen N. Allen Associate Professor of Physiology & Biophysics. BS, Tufts University; PhD, Brandeis University

David Atkinson Chair, Department of Physiology & Biophysics; Professor of Physiology & Biophysics; Research Professor of Biochemistry; Research Professor of Medicine, School of Medicine. BSc, City University, London (England); PhD, Council for Academic Awards (England)

Rama Bansil Professor of Physics; Assistant Professor of Physiology, College of Arts & Sciences. BSc, MSc, University of Delhi (India); PhD, University of Rochester

Bernard Chasan Professor of Physics, College of Arts & Sciences. AB, Columbia University; PhD, Cornell University

M. Carter Cornwall Professor of Physiology & Biophysics, School of Medicine. BS, PhD, University of Utah

J. F. Garcia-Diaz Associate Professor of Physiology & Biophysics, School of Medicine. MS, Indiana State University; DSc, Universidad de Malaga (Spain)

Hwai-Chen Guo Associate Professor of Physiology & Biophysics. BS, National Taiwan University (Taiwan); PhD, Cornell University

James A. Hamilton Professor of Physiology & Biophysics; Associate Research Professor of Biochemistry and Medicine, School of Medicine. BS, Juniata College; PhD, Indiana University

James F. Head Professor of Physiology & Biophysics. BS, University of Manchester (England); PhD, University of Birmingham (England)

William J. Lehman Professor of Physiology & Biophysics. BS, State University of New York; PhD, Princeton University

Simon Levy Associate Professor of Physiology & Biophysics, School of Medicine. BS, Ecole d’Ingénieurs de Genève (Switzerland); MS, Université Scientifique et Medicale de Grenoble (France); PhD, Boston University

C. James McKnight Associate Professor of Physiology & Biophysics. BS, Washington College; MA, University of Delaware; PhD, University of Texas, Southwestern

Kenneth J. Rothschild Professor of Physics, College of Arts & Sciences; Associate Professor of Physiology, School of Medicine. BS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Barbara A. Seaton Professor of Physiology & Biophysics, School of Medicine. BS, City University of New York, Brooklyn College; PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

G. Graham Shipley Professor of Physiology, Biophysics, and Biochemistry, School of Medicine. BSc, PhD, University of Nottingham (England)

Donald M. Small Professor of Physiology & Biophysics; Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry, School of Medicine. BA, Occidental College; MA, University of Oxford (England); MD, University of California, Los Angeles

H. E. Stanley University Professor; Professor of Physics and Physiology, College of Arts & Sciences; Director, Center for Polymer Studies. BA, Wesleyan University; PhD, Harvard University

Charles Willis Professor of Physics, College of Arts & Sciences. AB, PhD, Syracuse University

Vassilis Zannis Associate Research Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry, School of Medicine. BS, University of Athens (Greece); PhD, University of California, Berkeley

R. Andrew Zoeller Associate Professor of Physiology & Biophysics; Assistant Research Professor of Medicine, School of Medicine. BS, University of Maine; PhD, Texas A&M University

Emeriti

Alvin Essig Research Professor of Medicine, School of Medicine; Professor Emeritus of Physiology & Biophysics, School of Medicine. SB, Harvard College; MD, Ohio State University

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The Graduate Program

The Department of Physics at the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and the Department of Physiology & Biophysics of the Boston University School of Medicine offer a joint program in cellular biophysics. The program is designed for students with a strong background in physics or biophysics who are interested in conducting biophysical research in cellular physiology. Some of the areas of research include the application of physical techniques to the study of biomolecular structure, biopolymers, cooperative phenomena in living systems, membrane biophysics, ionic transport, nonequilibrium thermodynamics, visual transduction, and muscle contraction.

The program consists of two stages. In Stage I, the student completes at least four graduate-level courses in the physical sciences. A graduate degree at the master’s level or higher in physics, chemical physics, biophysics, or the equivalent can satisfy the Stage I requirements. In Stage II, the student receives comprehensive training and conducts research in the area of cellular Physiology & Biophysics. Students work under the supervision of the core cellular biophysics faculty or other members of the faculty of either the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences or the School of Medicine whose research programs fit the broad outline of the Cellular Biophysics program and whose supervision of dissertation research by students enrolled in the program is approved by the Cellular Biophysics Program Committee.

Admission

Applicants for admission should have completed an undergraduate major in physics or biophysics and have had one year each of general chemistry, organic chemistry, and biology, in addition to physics and mathematics courses. Students may also enter the program after completing an MA in physics. Applicants with undergraduate majors other than physics may be required to complete prerequisite courses in physics. Other undergraduate prerequisites for the program are listed under course requirements.

Course Requirements

Sixteen graduate-level courses are required. At least one graduate-level course (4 credits) must be completed in each of the following areas, as defined in the Stage I curriculum: electromagnetism, statistical physics, physical chemistry, and quantum mechanics (molecular orbital theory). Additional courses must be selected in biophysics, cellular physiology, and biochemistry.

Students entering with a master’s degree are accepted into a post-master’s PhD program with a minimum course requirement of eight graduate-level courses.

Curriculum

The curriculum consists of distribution requirements in both the physical and biological sciences. Prerequisite undergraduate requirements for the courses taken below must be met as specified on this website.

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Physical Sciences (Stage I)

Graduate-level courses in four areas of physical sciences must be selected. Allowed courses in each of the specified areas are listed below (alternative appropriate courses in the categories below can be substituted with the approval of the Cellular Biophysics Program Committee). See prerequisites on this website for additional information.

Courses marked with an asterisk can be taken by students with insufficient background in physics or cell physiology, in order to satisfy distribution requirements, with the permission of the Cellular Biophysics Program Committee, but such students will not be given graduate credit. Sixteen graduate-level courses (500 level or higher) must be completed.

Electromagnetism

Statistical Physics

Quantum Physics and Molecular Orbital Theory

Physical Chemistry

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Biological Sciences (Stage II)

A minimum of one course must be taken in each of the following areas:

Cellular Physiology

Prerequisites for required courses marked with an asterisk may be satisfied by equivalent courses with consent of instructor.

Biophysics

Prerequisites for required courses marked with an asterisk may be satisfied by equivalent courses with consent of instructor.

Biochemistry

At least one course required. GRS CH 621, 622 Biochemistry I, II, 4 cr each
GMS BI 789 Physical Biochemistry
GMS BI 555, 556 Biochemistry A, B, 4 cr each
GMS BI 751 Biochemistry and Morphology of the Cell, 8 cr

Directed Study or Research

Instructor and hours arranged. Variable cr.

Language Requirement

The candidate must complete a written language examination in French, German, or Russian. In special cases, the candidate may be allowed to substitute another language for which a significant body of scientific literature exists.

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Examination and Research

All candidates must pass a comprehensive examination as early as possible and in no case later than the end of the third year.

The student must select a PhD research topic and an advisor as soon as possible. A brief description of the project and the name of the research advisor is submitted to the Cellular Biophysics Program Committee (CBPC), which appoints, in consultation with the advisor, a three-member examining committee. The student is examined on specific details of the research project, including the background, proposed rationale, techniques, significance, and possible problems.

Dissertation research is conducted under the guidance of a research advisor. In some cases, interdisciplinary research under the guidance of more than one advisor may be carried out with permission of the CBPC.

Dissertation

Candidates must demonstrate their abilities for independent study in dissertations representing original research and creative scholarship.

Final Oral Examination

Students must present themselves for final oral examinations in which they must defend their dissertations as worthy contributions to knowledge in their fields and demonstrate mastery of their fields of specialization as they relate to the dissertations.

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Published by Trustees of Boston University
One Silber Way
Boston, MA 02215

9 January 2009
Boston University
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