BIOLOGY, MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR
The First Two Years
Graduate students in Molecular and Cellular Biology enter one of two training programs: The Molecules, Cells and Organisms Training Program (MCO) or the Engineering and Physical Biology Training Program (EPB). MCO is comprised of faculty members from MCB as well as the departments of Chemistry and Chemical Biology (CCB); Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (OEB); and Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology (SCRB). All students in the MCO training program enter through the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. The Engineering and Physical Biology Training Program (EPB) includes faculty from MCB and the Department of Physics and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS). Students in the EPB training program may enter through one of three departments and must follow the degree requirements of the department through which they enter: Molecular and Cellular Biology; Physics; or the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Coursework
Students in the MCO Training Program are required to take three introductory courses in the first term that correspond to three program tracks: Genetics, Genomics and Evolutionary Biology (MCB 291); Cellular, Neuro and Developmental Biology (MCB 292); and Physical, Chemical and Molecular Biology (MCB 293). By the beginning of the second term, students declare a track and are then required to take at least two elective courses in that track (the second track elective may be completed in the second year if necessary). Students must also take a course in Quantitative Methods such as Mathematics in Biology (MCB 111), ordinarily completed by the end of the first year. Electives are selected primarily from course offerings in the four training program departments, as well as other offerings in related departments. Students select courses in consultation with their neutral advisor, MCO track leaders, as well as the Director of Graduate Studies. With approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, students may cross-register in courses offered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In addition to these courses, all first- and second-year students in the MCO program are required to register for MCB 290hfr, a year-long course devoted to research presentation, also known as the MCO Student/Faculty Journal Club.
Students in the EPB Training Program should speak directly to the Director of the EPB, Nancy Kleckner, and other EPB training program faculty to devise an individualized plan of study, but first year students are ordinarily required to take MCB 225 in the fall and Engineering Sciences 224 in the spring.
In addition to academic coursework, all graduate students in the department must complete an 8-hour workshop in the Responsible Conduct of Research, to be completed by the end of the first year of study.
In accordance with the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, all degree candidates must maintain an average equivalent to B or better to continue in the program. Satisfactory progress is reviewed annually and students who fall below the grade minimum will ordinarily be given one term to improve their grades.
Laboratory Rotations
During the first year, students spend about 25% of their time conducting experimental research in the laboratories of faculty members. Each rotation is eight weeks, and there is an option for a fourth rotation following the end of the second term. Additionally, some students choose to begin their research early by rotating in a faculty lab during the summer preceding their first year. The first rotation should ordinarily be with a faculty member from the student’s declared PhD training program (MCO or EPB). Students select the laboratories in which they wish to rotate; however, the Director of Graduate Studies, in consultation with the Training Program director, makes final decisions. At least two of the required three laboratory rotations must be with faculty participating in the student’s training program. Rotations with non-training program faculty are permitted but require approval of the student's Training Program Director. During the laboratory rotations, students are able to interact with individual faculty members and explore possible subjects for future dissertation research.
In addition to regular coursework, students register for MCB 300 once in each of the first two terms to designate research undertaken in lab rotations. MCB 300 does not correspond to the fall and spring term start and stop dates.
Before the start of the second year of study and after at least three laboratory rotations, each student declares a home lab and a faculty advisor.
Nanocourses
At least one manocourse is offered in each of the three tracks in the Molecules, Cells and Organisms Training Program during the course of an academic
year. Participation in relevant nanocourses is required for all students in the MCO Training Program.
Foreign Languages
There is no foreign language requirement for the PhD degree.
Dissertation Research
Each student arranges for a permanent faculty dissertation advisor by the end of the first academic year and begins dissertation research thereafter.
Master of Arts (AM)
Conferred as a non-terminal degree only, following successful completion of all G2 requirements including the Candidacy Examination, coursework and teaching one of two required courses.
Teaching
Each student is required to serve as a Teaching Fellow for two terms, usually one term in each of the second and third years. This requirement must be completed by the end of the G3 year. In one of these terms, the student must teach in one of the large undergraduate laboratory-based courses such as Life Sciences 1a or 1b, MCB 52, or MCB 54.
Advising
At the beginning of the first year of study, each student is assigned a Neutral Advisor. The Neutral Advisor is usually chosen from a research area different from that of the student’s, so that the advisor may serve as a sounding board and general guide. Although many students indicate an area of interest during the application process, interests can change during the first year of graduate study. The Neutral Advisor serves as a resource during the important decision-making process of the first year, as well as during the entire training period until the dissertation defense.
Before the start of the second year of study and after at least three laboratory rotations, each student declares a home lab and a faculty advisor.
Candidacy Examinations and Evaluation
Before the end of the second year, students select a dissertation committee in consultation with their faculty advisor. The dissertation advisory committee (DAC) is comprised of at least 3 faculty members. At least two must be chosen from the student’s training program; the chair of the committee must be a senior faculty member from the training program (not necessarily from MCB);though at least one member of the committee must have an MCB faculty appointment. It is possible for one faculty member to satisfy more than one of these conditions. If two faculty members satisfy the above conditions, it is also possible that an additional member be chosen from another department or school.
In the spring of the second year, each MCB student assembles a committee of three or more faculty for the candidacy examination. The purpose of the candidacy examination is to assess the student’s qualification for independent research leading to the PhD degree. This encompasses various scholarly abilities: a solid background knowledge; familiarity with established ideas and open challenges in the chosen discipline; the ability to design experiments; and the ability to critically interpret their outcomes.
With the advice and assistance from the advisor, the student prepares a Dissertation Research Proposal that outlines the plan for PhD research. The advisor must approve the proposal by signing the title page. The cover page should also include the date, time, and location of the exam. The student distributes this document to all committee members and the Graduate Office at least one week prior to the exam.
The advisor is not a member of the Candidacy Examination Committee and does not attend the exam itself. However, the advisor should inform the committee about the student’s proposal and work. This occurs in a pre-exam session without the student present.
The examination committee considers all the information available to inform the Candidacy Examination decision. This includes the student’s academic record in courses; the student’s rotation reports and the accompanying evaluation from rotation supervisors; the advisor’s report on the first year of research; and the written research proposal.
The examination is structured around the student’s presentation of the proposed research project. Though the project itself is not a target of the exam, it provides a good starting point for assessing the student’s preparation. To enhance the “real-time” character of the discussion, students are allowed only a limited use of visual aids, and may bring a maximum of two slides with essential visual information. Otherwise, a chalk or white board is available. Examiners are free to interrupt the presentation at any time to explore various threads in more detail. Each examiner is expected to lead at least one line of inquiry outside of the specific topic of the research proposal, into areas deemed essential basic knowledge in modern biology.
The exam has 3 possible outcomes:
(1) Pass: The student continues in the program towards the PhD.
(2) Pass with condition: The student faces a supplementary exam in the fall term of the G3 year. The committee may impose additional conditions to be met by that time, for example teaching a specific course, or rewriting the research proposal. The supplementary exam has outcomes of Pass or Fail.
(3) Fail: The student leaves the program.
Dissertation Advisory Committees (DAC)
MCB PhD candidates report their progress to a dissertation advisory committee (DAC) at least once per year prior to June 30, starting in the G3 year. The DAC may require more frequent meetings depending on the student’s progress, especially in the final completion phase. The DAC has 3-4 members who are invited by the student. Membership must comply with the same guidelines as the Candidacy Examination.
Students may request changes to the Examination Committee or DAC with the approval of the director of graduate studies.
The DAC has four main missions:
1. To serve as an advisory committee that will provide professional advice on all aspects of the dissertation project, from experimental paradigms to project feasibility and timing, to the scientific impact of the work.
2. To help monitor the student’s progress and ensure that major objectives and standards for completion of the dissertation are being met. In this capacity, the DAC determines whether the student’s research meets the requirements of the program and when the student may begin writing the dissertation.
3. To help resolve any conflict between student and advisor or other lab members.
4. To serve as liaison to the department and training program leaders as well as graduate administration.
Students submit a 3–5 page progress report to each committee member and to the Graduate Office one week in advance of their DAC meeting. The report’s cover page should be signed by both student and advisor and include the date, time and location of the meeting. The report has no obligatory format, but must include: (1) a concise statement of the research aims; (2) progress since the preceding DAC meeting or qualifying exam; (3) goals and explicit research plans for the upcoming period.
The student’s advisor is not a member of the DAC. However, it is critical that the advisor briefs the DAC on the student’s activities. This can be done by e-mail to the DAC members ahead of time, or preferably in a private session with the DAC prior to the student’s report. If the advisor briefs the committee prior to the student report, the advisor leaves the meeting and the student presents the progress report. At the end, the advisor may re-join the committee and student again for a joint session in which the DAC chair summarizes impressions and concerns, and plans are discussed for the following year. With prior agreement of the student and committee chair, the advisor may attend the whole meeting.
Dissertation
Defense
Three to four years of full-time research are usually required for completion of the PhD degree. Students are expected to complete the program in their fifth year of study; and support is usually only provided until the end of the fifth year. Advisors must agree to support students beyond the 5th year of study.
Completed research is presented for approval as a written dissertation. Candidates should submit a copy of their dissertation to each member of their dissertation committee as well as the Graduate Office at least two weeks prior to their defense.
Granting of the degree requires the approval of the candidate’s dissertation committee members, who review the dissertation and examine the student on the contents of the dissertation. Candidates will also be called upon to demonstrate the ability to formulate and defend original ideas on scientific topics not directly related to the subject of the dissertation.
Dissertation
The dissertation should include an abstract of not more than 350 words, stating the purpose, main results, and research conclusions.
Procedures and requirements for the final dissertation manuscript are described in the publication The Form of the PhD Dissertation.