Stony Brook University
Molecular and Cellular Biology
Stony Brook, New York
Overview
The University was founded in 1957 in Oyster Bay, Long Island. In 1962, it moved to Stony Brook and now occupies more than 1,000 acres with more than 100 buildings. Stony Brook has exceptional strength in the sciences, mathematics, humanities, fine arts, social sciences, engineering, and health professions for both undergraduate and graduate students. It was classified by the Carnegie Foundation as one of the nation’s leading research institutions. The University Hospital and Medical Center supports the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, and Health Technology and Management.
An Indoor Sports Complex promotes Division I athletics and Seawolves fans, and facilities are available for student use. The Staller Center for the Arts offers a wide variety of professional performances in music, film, dance, theater, and fine art exhibitions in its five theaters and 5,000-square-foot University Art Gallery.
There are approximately 100 graduate students in the Molecular and Cellular Biology Program. Many enter the program as recent college graduates, and others have had previous graduate school or research experience. Generally, students have undergraduate majors in biology, biochemistry, or chemistry, but some students come from other disciplines. Diverse cultural and official interests are supported by the campus community.
The Location and Community
Stony Brook is located on the wooded North Shore of Long Island, New York, an area of picturesque villages, harbors, and beaches. It is about 50 miles east of New York City, with easy access provided by the Long Island Railroad or major parkways so that students can take advantage of New York City’s commercial, scientific, and cultural resources.
Programs of Study and Degree Requirements
The Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program strives to provide students with the knowledge to become skilled experimentalists, effective communicators, and creative thinkers. Students have the opportunity to perform Ph.D. thesis research in a number of laboratories at three collaborative institutions: The State University of New York at Stony Brook, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, or Brookhaven National Laboratory. The Ph.D. in molecular and cellular biology is granted by the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
The Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program offers the student an extraordinary range of experimental science. Students are involved in ongoing research as soon as they arrive on campus. During the first academic year, they experience research in four different laboratories of program faculty members. Following the first academic year, a member of the program faculty is selected as a Ph.D. mentor. Diverse biological systems are available to investigate a variety of biological questions, including cancer neurobiology, gene expression, infectious disease, protein trafficking, DNA replication, structural biology, protein folding, enzymology, signal transduction, cell cycle, apoptosis, virology, development, biological membranes, and immune defense.
The Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program offers the graduate student a unique opportunity to choose between three academic specializations: molecular biology and biochemistry, cellular and developmental biology, or immunology and pathology. During the first academic year, students attend core courses in biochemistry, molecular genetics, and cell biology. In addition, students participate in a journal club/readings course in which students learn to critically evaluate original research articles. Subsequent courses and electives are then designed to enhance the student’s knowledge in their selected academic specialization.
In the second and third semesters, graduate students develop teaching skills by serving as a teaching assistant with the guidance of the faculty instructor of the course. In the third and subsequent years, graduate students present their research progress to other students and faculty members in graduate student seminars. These provide opportunities to gain communication skills and learn about ongoing research of students in other laboratories.
In the third year, students prepare a written Ph.D. thesis proposal in consultation with their research faculty adviser. Following successful defense of the proposal, the student advances to candidacy, and the Proposal Committee and the faculty adviser become the student’s Ph.D. Thesis Committee. This committee meets at least once a year to support the research efforts of the student.
Facilities & Resources
Research is supported by state-of-the-art-facilities at Stony Brook. General computing services are available to students, including an account for e-mail and Internet access. In addition to state-of-the-art equipment in individualized laboratories, several core facilities support program research. The new Proteomics Center is a core facility at Stony Brook whose services include protein sequencing, peptide synthesis, analytical HPLC, preparative HPLC, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and DNA sequencing. The University recently opened a DNA Microarray Center that offers researchers the ability to simultaneously analyze the expression of thousands of genes in humans, rodents, yeast plants, bacteria, or Drosophila. The Center for Structural Biology has advanced instrumentation for NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The Transgenic Mouse Facility produces genetically altered mice for basic and biomedical research. The Cell Culture and Hybridoma Facility currently has two instruments. The University Microscopy Imaging center assists in research projects requiring advanced light, electronic light, and electron microscopy techniques.
Expenses and Aid
University fees are approximately $510 per year.
Financial Aid:
All students accepted into the Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program receive full financial support. Students are provided with a stipend of $23,000 per year for cost of living expenses. In addition, tuition is waived for all graduate students accepted into the program. Health insurance is provided.
Housing/Living Expenses:
Room rent for a single student living in an on-campus apartment ranges from about $323 to $1400 per month, depending on size and on the number of occupants. Privately owned housing is available close to the University.
How to Apply
Applications to the Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program should be submitted by February 1 for admission the following September, although applications are accepted after that date. Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and submit school transcripts. The General Test of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is required, and a Subject Test in an appropriate field is optional. Three letters of recommendation are required.
Prospective candidates are invited to visit Stony Brook whenever possible. This affords students an opportunity to meet with program faculty members and students. To apply online, students should visit http://www.grad.sunysb.edu/applying/applying.htm.
Who to Contact
Director, Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program
Stony Brook University, State University of New York
Stony Brook, New York 11794-5215
631-632-8533
Fax: 631-632-9730
E-mail: mcbprog@life.bio.sunysb.edu
The Graduate Faculty and Research
Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology
• Paul M. Bingham, Ph.D., 1979. Genetic control of development and gene expression in animals. Deborah Brown, Ph.D., 1987. Structure and function of cholesterol/sphingolipid-rich membrane rafts and caveolae. Vitaly Citovsky, Ph.D., 1987. Nuclear targeting and intercellular communication in plants. Neta Dean, Ph.D., 1988. Protein glycosylation; fungal cell wall biosynthesis; fungal pathogenesis. Dale Deutsch, Ph.D., 1972. Molecular neurobiology of anandamide (the endogenous marijuana) regulation. J. Peter Gergen, Ph.D., 1982. Gene expression and development in Drosophila. Robert Haltiwanger, Ph.D., 1986. Role of protein glycosylation in signal transduction; Notch signaling. Bernadette Holdener, Ph.D., 1990. Role of protein folding in WNT signal transduction and development. Nancy Hollingsworth, Ph.D., 1988. Chromosome structure and function during meiosis in yeast. Jen-Chih Hsieh, Ph.D., 1994. Molecular mechanism of Wnt signaling. A. Wali Karzai, Ph.D., 1995. Structure and function of RNA-binding proteins and biochemical studies of the SmpB·SsrA quality control system for protein tagging, directed degradation, and ribosome rescue. William J. Lennarz, Ph.D., 1959. Biosynthesis and function of glycoproteins in cell-cell interactions. Erwin London, Ph.D., 1979. Membrane protein structure/translocation/folding; structure and function of sphingolipid/cholesterol rafts in membranes. Harvard Lyman, Ph.D., 1960. Photocontrol of chloroplast development. Kenneth B. Marcu, Ph.D., 1975. Molecular control of innate and adaptive immunity: NF-kappaB kinases and inflammatory response; antibody gene class switch recombination and somatic hypermutation. Aaron Neiman, Ph.D., 1994. Vesicle trafficking and intracellular signaling in yeast. Nisson Schechter, Ph.D., 1971. Homeobox and filament proteins in neuronal differentiation, growth, and regeneration. Hermann Schindelin, Ph.D., 1994. Structure and function of proteins involved in ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation and neuroreceptor anchoring. Jakob Schmidt, M.D./Ph.D., 1970. Acetylcholine receptor gene regulation. Sanford R. Simon, Ph.D., 1967. Extracellular matrix degradation by inflammatory and tumor cell proteases. Steven O. Smith, Ph.D., 1985. Structure and function of membrane proteins. James Staros, Ph.D., 1974. Biochemical and biophysical approaches to signal transduction by ErbB-family receptors. Rolf Sternglanz, Ph.D., 1967. Chromatin structure and function; histone modifying enzymes; gene expression. Gerald H. Thomsen, Ph.D., 1988. Regulation of early vertebrate development by growth factor signals, ubiquitin modification, and T-box family transcription factors.
Department of Chemistry
• Nicole Sampson, Ph.D., 1990. Protein structure-function; mammalian fertilization. Carlos Simmerling, Ph.D., 1994. Computational studies of biomolecular structure and dynamics. Peter J. Tonge, Ph.D., 1986. Tuberculosis pathogenesis and drug discovery; enzyme mechanisms and rational inhibitor design; fluorescent proteins.
Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
• Dafna Bar-Sagi, Ph.D., 1984. Ras proteins in proliferation and transformation. Jorge L. Benach, Ph.D., 1972. Pathogenesis of spirochetal infections; utilization of host macromolecules. Allen Bruce Futcher, Ph.D., 1983. Cell-cycle control in yeast and on analysis of gene expression networks using microarrays and bioinformatics. Michael Hayman, Ph.D., 1973. Signal transduction pathways in cell growth, differentiation, and cancer. Patrick Hearing, Ph.D., 1984. Adenovirus-host cell interactions; adenovirus assembly and vectors for gene therapy. Eugene Katz, Ph.D., 1969. Genetics/development in cellular slime molds. James Konopka, Ph.D., 1985. Hormone signal transduction/yeast cell morphogenesis. Janet Leatherwood, Ph.D., 1993. Cell-cycle control of DNA replication/microarray analyses of fission yeast. David D. Thanassi, Ph.D., 1995. Virulence factors of pathogenic bacteria. Eckard Wimmer, Ph.D., 1962. RNA virus genetics, replication, and pathogenicity; cellular virus receptors.
Department of Neurobiology and Behavior
• Simon Halegoua, Ph.D., 1978. Molecular control of the neuronal phenotype. Maurice Kernan, Ph.D., 1990. Differentiation and signal transduction in Drosophila mechanosensory cilia and sperm. Joel M. Levine, Ph.D., 1980. Cell-surface molecules of the developing nervous system. Gail Mandel, Ph.D., 1977. Gene expression in the nervous system. David McKinnon, Ph.D., 1987. Molecular physiology of sympathetic neurons and cardiac muscle. Howard Sirotkin, Ph.D., 1996. Genetic and molecular analysis of early vertebrate development.
Department of Oral Biology and Pathology
• Jonathan Garlick, D.D.S., 1985; Ph.D., 1993. Oral and epidermal carcinogenesis/gene therapy/tissue engineering. Lorne B. Taichman, M.D./Ph.D., 1971. Cutaneous gene therapy.
Department of Pathology
• Howard B. Fleit, Ph.D., 1980. Leukocyte Fc receptors; macrophage differentiation. Martha Furie, Ph.D., 1980. Interactions among pathogenic bacteria, endothelium, and leukocytes. Berhane Ghebrehiwet, D.V.M./D.Sc., 1974. Biochemistry; function of the complement system. Richard R. Kew, Ph.D., 1986. Leukocyte chemotaxis/inflammation. Ute M. Moll, M.D., 1985. The p53 and Rb/E2F tumor suppressor gene family: function/regulation in normal cells and tumor-associated inactivation. Nancy Reich, Ph.D., 1983. Signal transduction and gene expression in response to cytokines and virus. Eric D. Spitzer, M.D./Ph.D., 1985. Molecular biology of Cryptococcus neoformans. Gary Zieve, Ph.D., 1977. Assembly/transport of snRNP particles.
Department of Pharmacological Sciences
• Miguel Berrios, Ph.D., 1983. Nuclear structure and function; cell biology of DNA damage and repair. Daniel Bogenhagen, M.D., 1977. Mitochondrial DNA; mitochondrial proteomics. Paul Fisher, M.D./Ph.D., 1980. Nucleus structure-function; eukaryotic DNA synthesis. Michael A. Frohman, M.D./Ph.D., 1986. Signal transduction; membrane vesicle trafficking; regulated exocytosis; diabetes; phototransduction. Arthur P. Grollman, M.D., 1959. Molecular carcinogenesis and DNA repair. Caroline Kisker, Ph.D., 1994. Structural and functional studies on DNA repair enzymes; DNA polymerases and structure-based drug design. Craig C. Malbon, Ph.D., 1976. Wnt-Frizzled signaling, G-proteins, and development. Masaaki Moriya, Ph.D., 1981. Cellular response to DNA damage. Joav Prives, Ph.D., 1968. Cytoskeletal membrane interactions in muscle cells. Styliani Anna Tsirka, Ph.D., 1989. Neuronal microglial interactions in the physiology and pathology of the central nervous system. David L. Williams, Ph.D., 1972. Cell biology of atherosclerosis and lipoprotein receptors.
Department of Physiology and Biophysics
• Nada Abumrad, Ph.D., 1978. Membrane transport of fatty acid. Roger A. Johnson, Ph.D., 1968. Adenine nucleoside 3'-polyphosphates, adenylyl cyclases, and signal transduction. Stuart McLaughlin, Ph.D., 1968. Calcium/phospholipid second messenger system. W. Todd Miller, Ph.D., 1989. Tyrosine phosphorylation and signal transduction. Nicholas Nassar, Ph.D., 1992. Crystallographic and biochemical studies of signal proteins. Suzanne Scarlata, Ph.D., 1984. Structure/oligomerization of membrane proteins. Ilan Spector, Ph.D., 1967. Actin cytoskeleton in normal and cancer cells. Thomas White, Ph.D., 1994. Molecular biology and physiology of gap-junction channels.
School of Medicine and Other Departments
• Wen-Tien Chen, Ph.D., 1979. Proteases and integrins in cancer invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Leland N. Edmunds, Ph.D., 1964. Regulation of cell cycles by circadian oscillators in Euglena. Yaacov Hod, Ph.D., 1977. Hormonal control of gene expression in prostate cancer cells. Jolyon Jesty, D.Phil., 1972. Mechanisms of thrombogenesis. Richard Lin, M.D., 1988. Signal transduction and cell growth. Erich R. Mackow, Ph.D., 1984. Hantavirus and rotavirus pathogenesis; viral regulations of cell signaling pathways and responses; viral attachment and entry; reverse genetics. Wolfgang Quitschke, Ph.D., 1983. Gene regulation of proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Mario J. Rebecchi, Ph.D., 1984. Phospholipases and signal transduction. Roy T. Steigbigel, M.D., 1966. Immune dysfunction induced by HIV infection. Linda Tseng, Ph.D., 1968. Reproductive molecular endocrinology. William E. VanNostrand, Ph.D., 1985. Physiologic and pathophysiologic vascular functions of the Alzheimer’s disease amyloid beta-protein precursor.
Brookhaven National Laboratory
• John Dunn, Ph.D., 1970. Genomics and gene expression. Richard Setlow, Ph.D., 1947. DNA damage and repair; carcinogenesis and mutagenesis in fish. F. William Studier, Ph.D., 1963. Molecular genetics of phage T7; structural genomics.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
• Gregory Hannon, Ph.D., 1991. Genetics of growth in mammalian cells and dsRNA-induced gene silencing. David Helfman, Ph.D., 1981. Cytoskeleton organization and function. Nouria Hernandez, Ph.D., 1983. Transcription by mammalian RNA polymerase II and III. Winship Herr, Ph.D., 1982. Control of eukaryotic transcription. Adrian Krainer, Ph.D., 1986. mRNA splicing; gene expression; RNA-protein interaction. Yuri Lazebnik, Ph.D., 1986. Molecular mechanisms of cancer and apoptosis. David L. Spector, Ph.D., 1980. Spatial organization of gene expression. Arne Stenlund, Ph.D., 1984. DNA replication of papillomaviruses. Bruce Stillman, Ph.D., 1979. DNA replication and chromatin assembly in human and yeast cells. William P. Tansey, Ph.D., 1991. Regulation of oncoprotein stability. Nicholas Tonks, Ph.D., 1985. Characterization of protein tyrosine phosphatases. Linda Van Aelst, Ph.D., 1991. Role of ras in mammalian cell transformation. Michael Wigler, Ph.D., 1978. Genomics and cancer.