What is graduate school like?What is graduate school like? Courses: Lecture courses, seminar courses -this prepares you to perform original research, think like a scientist and develop your presentation skills.What is graduate school like? Teaching: Preparing and teaching lab sections and proctoring exams provides initial financial support. Most labs support students after their first year as Research Assistants.Research: The main emphasis of graduate school -leads to publications, presentations at national and international meetings and the thesis or dissertation. What is graduate school like?How long does it take to get a MS or PhD?How long does it take to get a MS? Two to Three years: One year of classes. One or two years of research. Preparing and defending a thesis.How long does it take to get a PhD? Five to Six years: One and a half years of classes. Passing a qualifying exam for PhD candidacy. Three to four years of research. Preparing and defending a dissertation.What jobs can I get with a MS or PhD? Academic Research Teaching Pharmaceutical Research Biotechnology Patent Law Environmental Law Publishing Government Research Science Policy Medical Diagnostics Academic Administration Product Sales Journalism Criminal Law Investments Consulting MedicineWhat are academic jobs?What are academic jobs? Research Institute: Basic research, e.g. Scripps Institute and The Whitehead Institute. Research University: Basic research and teaching graduate and undergraduate students, e.g. The University of Houston, Stanford University, University of Texas, University of Michigan and Indiana University. Professional School: Basic and clinical research, graduate and professional (MD, PharmD, OD, DDS, etc.) training, e.g. Baylor College of Medicine, UT-Houston Dental School and The University of Houston Pharmacy School,What are academic jobs? Teaching College: Teaching undergraduate students, e.g. Swarthmore College, Howard Payne College and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Community College: Undergraduate (college preparation) or vocational training, e.g. Houston Community College and Fort Bend Community College.The Department of Biology and BiochemistryBiology and Biochemistry Department Research Areas Biochemistry: Understanding biochemical processes at the subcellular and macromolecular levels including enzyme reaction mechanisms, signal transduction, macromolecular structure and function, genomics, computational biology, neurochemistry, virulence factors, etc.Biology and Biochemistry Department Research Areas Cellular and Molecular Biology: Understanding the molecular mechanisms that drive both fundamental cellular and developmental processes including DNA replication, cell differentiation and morphogenesis, gene regulation, neurophysiology, cell-cell signaling, human genetics, microbial physiology and biological timing.Biology and Biochemistry Department Research Areas Ecology and Evolution: Understanding evolutionary processes at the molecular, individual, population and community levels, e.g. evolution of intergenomic conflict and symbiosis, spatial aspects of population dynamics, maintaining genetic diversity in captive populations, etc.What is the faculty makeup? 30 tenure track/tenured faculty 4 research faculty 13 Full Professors 10 Associate Professors 7 Assistant Professors 7 new faculty in the last 3 years Searching for 2 additional faculty this year 25 faculty have externally supported researchBiology & Biochemistry: High quality researchResearch Support in Biology and Biochemistry What are grants? Grants support academic research efforts, including graduate student stipends, postddo and technician salaries, supplies, equipment, travel to meetings, animal care costs, etc.Research Support in Biology and Biochemistry Where do grants come from? The federal government -NIH, NSF, DOE, AFOSR, etc. State government -TARP, TATP. Private foundations -Keck, National Geographic, HHMI, etc. Biotechnology companies -Merck, Genentech, etc. University of Houston -RIG grants, PEER grants, etc.Research Support in Biology and Biochemistry How well do we compete for grant funds? The Biology and Biochemistry Department currently receives ~$5 million/year in research funds, or >$150,00 per faculty member each year! This is an excellent record considering most of these funds are from federal or foundation sources.Research Productivity of Biology/Biochemistry How is research productivity measured? Research productivity is measured by the quantity and quality of publications.Research Productivity of Biology/Biochemistry What is our publication record? Biology and Biochemistry faculty published more than 100 research articles over the last two years. This is equivalent to an average of ~4 articles per year for each faculty member with active research labs!Research Productivity of Biology/Biochemistry Where do we publish? Biology and Biochemistry faculty publish in many of the top journals in their respective fields! Some examples are Science, Nature, Evolution, Genomics, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Journal of Neuroscience, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA, Biochemistry, Heredity, EMBO J., Neuron, Development, Molecular and Cellular Biology and Journal of Bacteriology……..Biology & Biochemistry Research CentersThe Institute for Molecular Design is leading the national effort to harness the power of advanced computers for the discovery of new medicines, industrial catalysts, agrochemical, and other useful materials. IMD was organized in 1987 to create new tools for computer-aided molecular design, and to train a new generation of scientists to apply these tools to key challenges in medicine and industry. The Institute is unique as both the methods for molecular simulation and the application of parallel super computers to molecular design are being developed. The University of Houston structural biology research groups are members of the Departments of Biochemical and Biophysical Sciences and Chemistry in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at the University of Houston . Under the direction of Professors Kurt L. Krause , and Jonathan M. Friedman , the members of the University of Houston structural biology group investigate the structure of biological macromolecules in order to gain an understanding of how these molecules function. UH Biology/Biochemistry Research OrganizationsThe mission of the Environmental Institute of Houston is to conduct, coordinate and disseminate education and training activities related to the environment; to conduct research related to the environment; to encourage the discussion of environmental issues; and to foster interdisciplinary approaches to the study of environmental issues, with special emphasis on those that relate to the greater Houston area. The primary mission of the Mechanistic Biochemistry Program is to elucidate mechanistic principles underlying biochemical processes. UH Biology/Biochemistry Research OrganizationsBasic Research and Academic Initiatives in Neuroscience BRAIN The laboratories of the University of Houston Biological Clocks Program study cellular and molecular clock mechanisms in animal nervous systems. The research is multidisciplinary, including behavioral, physiological, biochemical, genetic, and molecular studies of invertebrates and vertebrates.The BRAIN program has been established to expand neuroscience education at UH, to help recruit students and Faculty to UH, to expand collaborative research and thus funding, and to enhance the image of UH locally and nationally. The BRAIN program consists of three components: 1) Undergraduate Neuroscience Education: Classroom Experience and Summer Research Opportunities; 2) Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Graduate Research and Travel Fund; and 3) BRAIN Seminar Series. Faculty in this initiative have been drawn from the colleges of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Optometry, Pharmacy and Social Sciences. UH Biology/Biochemistry Research OrganizationsWhat is the science community like in Houston?What is the science community like in Houston? The Texas Med Center: Two medical schools (Baylor College of Medicine, UTHSC-Houston), eight hospitals, and dozens of departments performing basic biological and biochemical research.The Texas Center for Superconductivity at the University of Houston: TCSUH is the largest university superconductivity research effort in the United States with over 200 faculty, postdoctoral fellows, graduate and undergraduate students from the disciplines of chemistry, physics, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, materials engineering, and mechanical engineering working in 14 laboratories. The Center is housed in the new $22.5 million Houston Science Center and has laboratories in several other campus buildings. What is the science community like in Houston?Rice University: A research university having many fine accomplishments including the 1996 Nobel prize for Chemistry. What is the science community like in Houston?NASA: The home of the United States manned spaceflight program. What is the science community like in Houston?Biotechnology companies: Companies that perform oligonucleotide synthesis, DNA sequencing, create transgenic mice, facilitate environmental cleanup, etc. What is the science community like in Houston?What is there to do in Houston?The Houston Sports SceneArt Museums and TheatersScience and History MuseumsParks and RecreationMusic Halls