Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program

 

cell and developmental biologyThe NIH-funded training program in Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB) supports graduate students interested in the core areas of the MOCB Graduate program, with a focus on basic cell, molecular and developmental biology. The program is directed by Dr. Leslie Pick, former Director of the MOCB Graduate Program. In conjunction with this program, Dr. Pick teaches a class for first and second year MOCB students in Bioethics each Fall. The CMB program provides stipend, tuition and health insurance for 4 students per year, awarded competitively in the spring of each year through an NIH Training Grant (T32). Additional support for up to 2 students per year has been generously provided by the former Dean of the College of Chemical and Life Sciences, Dr. Norma Allewell. The program sponsors and/or contributes to additional enrichment activities, such as the yearly MOCB Retreat and the ‘Cake with a professor' Series, to begin in 2011. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Pick by email: lpick@umd.edu

 How to apply

Support by the CMB Training program is awarded to outstanding students in the MOCB Graduate Program. Applications are solicited each spring and decisions about support are made by the CMB Steering Committee each June. Applicants are nominated by their Thesis Advisors and are then asked to supply current CV's and summaries of their current research. The selection process is highly competitive. The committee evaluates and makes decisions based upon: undergraduate research, GPA and GRE scores; grades in graduate classes since entering MOCB; current CV and research quality; and letters of support from the advisor. 

Activities

CMB meeting attendees

Cake with a professor series: 
  • "Where does your financial support come from or why is your advisor so grouchy?"(presented February, 2011, presentation available here)
  • Career planning for an academic career, including timeline - where you should be when, and how to apply for postdoc positions" (presented March 8, 2011, presentation available here)
  •  "Paper writing: What to write, when to write, and where to submit" (presented April 12, 2011, presentation available here.)
Upcoming events:

Tuesday, May 10, 2011: Guest Professor: Dr. Elissa Lei: "Life as a PI at NIH"



    

Classes

Students in the CMB program follow the MOCB program guidelines for classes, exams, meetings, and other benchmarks. The required Bioethics class (MOCB708B) is taught in the Fall by Dr. Pick and in the spring by Dr. Simon. Students in the CMB program are advised to take Dr. Pick's section (0201) of this class.

Bioethics syllabus

 

 Students

Katharine (Katie) Briggs 
Amanda Field
Advisor:
John Marino, MOCB, CARB
Project Title:
Probing Nucleotide-bound Protein in Search
of Lithium's Therapeutic Mechanism of Action
for Biopolar Disorder		 Advisor:
Leslie Pick, MOCB/ENTM
Project Title:
The Evolution and Function of ftz
Lara Hause
Melvin Wiggins
Advisor:
Kevin McIver, MOCB/CBMG
Project Title:
Transcriptional Activation by the Group A
Streptococcal Mga Regulator		 Advisor:
Wenxia Song, MOCB/CBMG
Project Title:
The role of CD23 in Memory B cell activation
Sergei Sulima
Emilee Senkevitch
Advisor:
Jon Dinman, MOCB/CBMG
Project Title:
The Roles of Proteins L10 and L3 in the Eukaryotic Ribosome 		 Advisor:
Mendel Tuchman, MOCB/Children's National Medical Center
Project Title:
Transcriptional Regulation of Urea Cycle Enzymes
Jennifer (Jenni) Shemansky
  
Advisor:
Caren Chang, MOCB/CBMG
Project Title:
Investigating the Molecular Function of RTE3:
A Novel Protein Important for Proper Growth
and Development in Arabidopsis