StudyQA — PhD: Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics

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Description Contents Requirements Funding

Our Department offers training for careers in biochemistry and molecular biophysics. Research encompasses all areas of modern biochemistry, including but not limited to the following topics: protein engineering, RNA catalysis, error biology, microbiology, stress response, DNA recombination, epigenetics, molecular immunology, cytoskelelton, ion channels and membrane biophysics, and protein and RNA folding. In addition to more traditional biochemical approaches, techniques employed in the department include but are not limited to NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy, single-molecule techniques, computational approaches, display technology, electron paramagnetic resonance, and small angle X-ray scattering. Our Department is distinguished by its intellectual rigor and collaborative style. The interdisciplinary nature of the Department is further accentuated through the Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, which brings together biological and physical scientists to pursue common research goals, and through NIH-sponsored training programs in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Chemical Biology.

Biology Courses for Chemistry Students

BC MB 30100 Basic Biochemistry and Mol. Biology*
BC MB 30400 Protein Fundamentals*
BC MB 30500 Fundamentals of Structural Biology*
BC MB 30600 Nucleic Acid Structure and Function*
BC MB 31000 Fundamentals in Molecular Biology
BC MB 31200 Molecular Biology I
BC MB 31600 Cell Biology I
BC MB 32100 Designer Proteins and Peptides†
BC MB 32200 Molecular Biophysics: Theory & Applications*
BC MB 32300 Protein Molecular Structure & Function*
NPHP 31200 Signal Transduction and Cell Cycle Regulation
NPHP 33600 Cell Signaling*
NPHP 33200 Ion Channels and Excitable Membranes

Chemistry Courses for Biology Students

CHEM 30400 Organometallic Chemistry*
CHEM 30900 Bioinorganic Chemistry†
CHEM 32100 Physical Organic Chemistry I*
CHEM 32200 Organic Synthesis and Structure*
CHEM 32300 Tactics of Organic Synthesis*
CHEM 32400 Physical Organic Chemistry II:
CHEM 32500 Bioorganic Chemistry†
CHEM 33000 Complex Chemical Systems†
CHEM 38700 Biophysical Chemistry*
CHEM 36800 Advanced Computational Chemistry

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Applicants to our graduate and professional programs are expected to be enrolled in or to have completed a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university. Applicants from a three-year bachelor’s program will be given due consideration. Because all of our programs feature competitive admission, no particular academic degree or background will guarantee admission to one of our graduate divisions. Questions regarding eligibility for admission to a graduate or professional program should be directed to the admissions office of the division or school to which you are applying.
Students may submit either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). TOEFL or IELTS score reports are valid for two years, and scores will be considered expired if the test was taken more than two years prior to submission of the application.

Scholarships

Funding Packages

The University of Chicago offers most doctoral students competitive funding packages, which cover tuition and student health insurance, as well as a stipend for living expenses and research support. These awards are typically for five years, with some variation by field, comparable to that at other institutions. Programs which are exceptions articulate their policies clearly on their own web sites. Because the cost of living in Chicago is notably lower than in many other major cities, our stipends allow for a comfortable, if not extravagant, lifestyle. For more information about specific funding for your degree program, please refer to the financial aid information for the programs you intend to apply to.

For some students, the nature of their project is such that it takes more than five years to complete the degree. In these cases, a wealth of additional opportunities are available, including continued funding by a research group; fellowships which support language study, travel, or dissertation research; and on- and off-campus positions teaching or exploring other career paths.