Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine

At a Glance

  • College

    College of Life Sciences

  • Degree

    Doctor of Philosophy

  • Campus

    Center City

  • Format

    On Campus

  • Duration

    4 - 5 Years

Name: Rajanikanth Vadigepalli, PhD
Position:
  • Co-Director, Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine PhD Program
  • Professor
Position: Department of Pathology & Genomic Medicine

Leadership

Name: Ryan Tomlinson, PhD
Position:
  • Co-Director, Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine PhD Program
  • Associate Professor
Position: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Program Information

Name: Danielle Park
Position: Program Coordinator, Jefferson College of Life Sciences

1020 Locust Street
M-46 JAH
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107

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Contact Number(s):

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Curriculum

Prior to registering for their first academic year, each new graduate student meets with the Program Directors to determine an initial course of study. First-year pre-doctoral students are also offered the opportunity to begin their training during the summer preceding registration for their first semester of classes.

The curriculum for the Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine (CBRM) Program consists of two parts. The first is an interdisciplinary core of courses, which each student is required to successfully complete. The second part is comprised of additional graduate courses deemed necessary by the student's research committee. These are not limited to courses offered through the CBRM Program, and may be selected from the course offerings available through any of our graduate programs.

A minimal requirement for the Jefferson College of Life Sciences is the successful completion of 180 total graduate credits, including research. Of these, there should be no less than 54 course credits of graduate course work, 26 of which must be outside the area of Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine. 

Students spend a substantial portion of their first year and part of their second year in course work. A course in the Foundations of Biomedical Science, GC 550, is required of all incoming graduate students. This course provides a solid introduction to biochemistry, cell biology, and genetics. Program requirements include courses in cell biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, developmental biology, and pathology. Advanced courses can be selected from either the CBRM program or other programs in the Jefferson College of Life Sciences. Courses in Research Ethics, Planning & Writing a Research Grant, and Applied Statistics are required of all graduate students at the University.

Core Curriculum

Certain components of the Core Curriculum may be modified or waived to account for the individual experience and background of the student. Any modifications must be approved by the Program Director. In addition to the required courses, the graduate program and College offer a wide range of additional introductory and upper-level courses which are available to students. Additional elective graduate courses are available from among all course offerings within the Jefferson College of Life Sciences. The student, in consultation with his/her research advisor, may thus select course offerings that meet specific objectives and/or needs.

Course Title Semester(s) Credit

GC 750/760/770 PhD Laboratory Rotations (first year PhD)

Summer, Fall, Spring

3

CB 616/626 Current Topics: Journal Club and Research in Progress (R.I.P)

Fall, Spring 

CB 710/720 Seminar: Grand Rounds, Showcase Seminars, MPM’s

Fall, Spring

CB 910/920/930 Research

Fall, Spring & Summer

Variable

GC 550 Foundations in Biomedical Sciences

Fall

10

GC 640 Research Ethics

Fall

1

GC 642 Intro to Microscopy Spring 2

GC 645 Genomics and Bioinformatics

Spring

3

GC 660 Statistical Methods

Fall, Spring, Summer

3

GC 665 Cell Signaling

Fall

4

GC 730 Planning & Writing Research Grant

Spring

1

TE 624 Extracellular Matrix

Fall (odd years)

2

TE 531 Biological Basis of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Fall (even years) 2

Course Title Semester(s) Credit
* indicates Career Development Course    
     
BI 525 Genetic Information Spring  3
CB 570 Pathological Aspects of Disease Spring 3
CB 615 Developmental Biology I - Embryology Fall 3
CB 635 Gene-Environment Interactions, Birth Defects & Disease Spring 2
*GC 510 Database Design & Mgmt Summer 2
*GC 520 Cultural Humility Fall, Spring 2
GC 558 Intro to Unix and C Programming Summer 3
GC 559 Intro to R Programming Summer 3
GC 560 Data Visualization Summer 2
GC 561 Data Structures & Algorithms Spring 3
GC 562 Computational Genomics Fall 3
GC 563 Computational Transcriptomics Spring 3
GC 564 Data Mining & Knowledge Discovery Fall 3
GC 565 Functional Genomics Summer  3
*GC 600 Managerial and Teamwork Skills Fall 3

*GC 605 Database Design & Mgmt

Summer

2

*GC 610 Strategic Management Fall 2
*GC 615 Grants & Contracts Management Spring 2

*GC 617 ManagPharm DrugDevelopProjects

Spring

2

*GC 621 Biotechnology Venture Mgmt Summer 2

*GC 625 Drug Development Essentials

Summer

2

*GC 630 Fundamentals of Clinical Trials

Fall

3

*GC 635 Intro to Clin Trials Mgmt Fall 2
*GC 636 Principles of Care Management-Diverse BM Careers Spring  2
*GC 650 EconAnal of HealthcareInterven Spring 3
*GC 690 Reg Issu in Human Subjects Res Fall 2
*GC 720 Scientific Writing Spring 2
*GC 723 Comm Sci as Storytelling Summer 2
*GC 740 Principles of Pedagogy Fall 1
*GC 741 Principles of Science Pedagogy Spring 1
*GC 746 Online Course Dev & Teaching I Fall 2
*GC 747 Teaching & Learning Online Spring 2
*GC 748 Learner Centered Education Spring 2
*GC 749 The Science of Learning II Fall 2
*GC 751 Instructional Tech & Learning Spring 2
*GC 752 Curriculum & Instructional Des Fall 2
GE 612 Genetics of Model Organisms Spring 3
GE 637 Human Genetics Spring  3
GE 651 Pathobiology of Cancer Spring  2

PhD Program Curriculum

Note:  Credits for the 910, 920, 930, and 940 Research courses are variable. Assign credits to Research to equal the target number of credits for each semester.

Fall Semester (20 Credits)
Course Title Credit

GC 550 Foundations in Biomedical Sciences

10

GC 640 Research Ethics

1

GC 760 PhD Laboratory Rotation

3

CB  616 Current Topics: Journal Club and Research in Progress (R.I.P)

1

CB 710 Seminar: Grand Rounds, Showcase Seminars

1

CB 910 Research 

Variable

Spring Semesters (30 Credits)
Course Title Credit

GC 770 PhD Laboratory Rotation

3

GC 645 Genomics and Bioinformatics   

3

GC 660 Statistical Methods 3

CB  626 Current Topics: Journal Club and Research in Progress (R.I.P)

1

GC 642 Intro to Microscopy 2

CB 720 Showcase Seminars

1

CB 920 Research

Variable

Summer Semester (10 Credits)
Course Title Credit
Elective(s) Variable

CB 930 Research

Variable

Fall Semester (20 Credits)
Course Title Credit
GC 665 Cell Signaling 4

TE 624 Extracellular Matrix (offered every other year)

2

TE 531 Biological Basis of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (offered every other year) 2

CB  616 Current Topics: Journal Club and Research in Progress (R.I.P)

1

CB 710 Showcase Seminars

1

CB 910 Research

Variable

Elective(s) Variable
Spring Semesters (30 Credits)
Course Title Credit
GC 730 Planning & Writing a Research Grant 1

CB  626 Current Topics: Journal Club and Research in Progress (R.I.P)

1

CB 720 Showcase Seminars

1

Elective(s) Variable

CB 920 Research

Variable

Summer Semester (10 Credits)
Course Title Credit

CB 930 Research

Variable

Fall Semester (20 Credits)
Course Title Credit
TE 624 Extracellular Matrix (offered every other year) 2
TE 531 Biological Basis of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (offered every other year) 2

CB  616 Current Topics: Journal Club and Research in Progress (R.I.P)

1

CB 710 Showcase Seminars

1

CB 910 Research

Variable

Spring Semesters (30 Credits)
Course Title Credit

CB  626 Current Topics: Journal Club and Research in Progress (R.I.P)

1

CB 720 Showcase Seminars

1

CB 920 Research

Variable

Summer Semester (10 Credits)
Course Title Credit

CB 930 Research

Variable

MD/PhD Curriculum

Course Title Semester(s) Credit

CB  616/626 Current Topics: Journal Club and Research in Progress (R.I.P)

Fall, Spring

1 each

CB 710/720 Showcase Seminars

Fall, Spring 

1 each

CB 910/920/930 Research

Fall, Spring & Summer

Variable

GC 640 Research Ethics

Fall

1

GC 645 Genomics and Bioinformatics 

Spring

3

GC 660 Statistical Methods

Fall, Spring, Summer

3

TE 624 Extracellular Matrix (offered every other year)

Fall

2

TE 531 Biological Basis of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (offered every other year)  Fall 2

GC 665 Cell Signaling (optional)

Fall

4

GC 730 Planning & Writing Research Grant

Spring

1

Elective(s)

Variable

Variable

5 Years at a Glance

  • Take required courses (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
  • 3 Lab rotations and a summary for each lab
  • Select research advisor and review progress
  • Attend the required seminars and any seminars your advisor suggests

  • Complete required courses (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
  • Join a thesis lab and begin to develop a project
  • Take comprehensive qualifying exams (written and oral) during the summer
  • Continue to attend and participate in seminars and current topics

  • Submit committee names to Danielle Park for CBRM Executive Committee approval
  • Continue thesis research while working with mentor and thesis committee
  • Continue to attend and participate in seminars and current topics

  • Continue to attend and participate in seminars and current topics
  • Wrap up thesis project

  • Continue to attend and participate in seminars and current topics
  • Write and defend before April 1st
  • Graduate