Overview of Graduate Studies Program

Research: Fields of Study

The Ph.D. and M.S. degrees are research degrees. The major endeavor of any student is the research that culminates in a dissertation or thesis. This research must be original and meet the highest standards of quality and thoroughness. The breadth of the department provides a diversity of research fields from which to choose. To help in determining the best fit of student and mentor, first-year students do laboratory rotations. During the rotations, which are ten weeks in duration, the students are temporary members of the laboratories whose research appears to be of greatest interest to them. Before the end of the student's second semester, an advisor who guides both research and selection of coursework is chosen by mutual agreement between faculty and student. The relatively small size of the research groups in this department allows students to interact closely with the faculty. Manuscripts arising from dissertation research are published in highly-respected peer reviewed journals.

The program has five major research emphasis groups: Cell and Developmental Biology; Genetics and Molecular Biology; Microbiology; Plant Biology; and Physiology. In some cases, students select research projects that include more than one of these fields of study.

Cell and Developmental Biology. The cell is the fundamental unit of organization in living organisms. Cell biologists seek to elucidate the principles whereby cells are organized structurally and functionally. Developmental biologists discover how cells differentiate, communicate and associate with one another over time in the development of an organism. The Cell and Developmental biologists at Marquette are a highly interactive group. We use diverse approaches in including biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, bioinformatics and imaging in a wide variety of model organisms to investigate the fascinating complexity of living things. 

Genetics and Molecular Biology. This emphasis group offers a comprehensive training in techniques used in molecular biology and genetics. You can expect to clone and express genes in organisms to study protein function, test gene expression using real-time PCR and/or microarray analysis. From classical Mendelian genetics to reverse genetics, students choosing an advisor in genetics will learn the fundamentals of gene duplication, segregation and maintenance. You can expect to obtain a good understanding of how genes are manipulated in organisms at a genomic level in order to determine gene/protein function. Specific areas of research in this emphasis group are flowering time regulation, egg shell development, DNA rearrangement, cellular energetics, osmoregulation and RNA metabolism.

Microbiology. In this research group we want students to learn in depth how microbes function as organisms.  Microbes have unique properties that allow a single cell to propagate autonomously and perform activities that higher organisms are incapable of.  However, students learn that in nature a microbial cell is almost always interacting with other cells and organisms.  Symbiosis is a particular research emphasis, but so are a range of other less intimate associations.  Students come to appreciate how microbes cope with diverse, often seemingly harsh, habitats and how they have tremendous effects on their immediate environments and the entire globe.  In order to perform research in this area, students receive training in molecular biology, biochemistry, and genetics, as well as specific training in microbiology. 

Plant Biology. This emphasis group is a sub-set of the genetics and molecular biology emphasis group with a focus on investigations of environmental gene regulation in plants including epigenetic mechanisms of gene regulation during development. Students will learn how to manipulate genes at a genomic level in order to determine gene/protein function, and will obtain in depth knowledge of powerful mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications and chromatin remodeling in proper gene regulation. Current areas of interest include environmental factors important for agriculture such as flowering time regulation, cold stress, and photoperiodic signaling.

Physiology. The primary focus of this emphasis group is on muscle, nerve, and epithelial physiology with formal course work in these disciplines emphasizing molecular, cellular, and systemic physiology. The goal is for our students to obtain an in depth knowledge base in physiology while appreciating and being able to incorporate molecular techniques into their research programs. Students will learn whole organ and single cell physiology techniques. Areas of current interest include osmoregulation, epithelial transport, ion channel structure and function, smooth, skeletal, and heart muscle physiology, neurobiology of locomotion, signal transduction, cell motility, energetics, and exercise physiology.

Coursework

Course selection is individually tailored to the student's specific career goals and prior academic background. Upon joining the program, each student consults with an advisor who considers the student's interests and undergraduate coursework and helps chart the first year of study. Once a student has a formal research advisor, the student's course of study is guided by a Ph.D. or M.S. advisory committee chosen by the student and the research advisor. In addition to the graduate courses, students may select upper-level undergraduate courses. Important in every student's program are the seminar courses, in which small groups of students and faculty examine in depth the current literature on specific topics of widespread interest. Besides the courses available at Marquette University, students may enroll in courses offered at other nearby graduate institutions.

Teaching

Undergraduate education is a very important activity of the research faculty at Marquette. Every graduate student gains experience in this endeavor by observing and by participating first-hand as a teaching assistant for at least two semesters. Recognizing that college teaching is often a major activity of Ph.D. graduates, yet traditionally one neglected in graduate training, the Marquette Graduate School participates in an innovative instructional program entitled “Preparing Future Faculty” for graduate students interested in teaching careers. Several graduate students in the Department of Biological Sciences have been very active participants in this program. Some of our graduates have sought faculty positions at liberal arts colleges directly upon graduation and have been remarkably successful. Marquette's emphasis on excellence in teaching may be a factor in this success.

Other Academic Activities

Students participate in one or more journal clubs that meet once a week to critically review an important recent publication. Because of the diverse research interests within the department, these gatherings and the other informal interactions between members of different laboratories give our graduates a wide breadth of perspectives on biological problems that become invaluable as they start research and/or teaching careers. Eminent scientists are invited to the department to deliver seminars on Friday afternoons, and students have ample opportunity to engage these scientists in individual or group conversation.

Presentation of Research Findings

Students gain experience in presenting their research before audiences in several settings. Individual research groups have weekly meetings for the purpose of exchanging ideas and results. Some research groups have combined meetings to provide broader input. After the first year, each student presents his/her research problem and findings at a "mini-seminar," a presentation of fifteen to twenty minutes to the entire department. Some faculty and graduate students participate in local scientific interest groups where students present their own research. Each year, many graduate students deliver research presentations at national and international meetings, and the department helps pay for the expenses incurred.

Doctoral Program

Ph.D. degree requirements include a minimum of 24 credit hours of course work, a Ph.D. qualifying examination, 12 credit hours of dissertation work, and a minimum of one year of teaching. A committee of five faculty members, including the dissertation advisor, guides the student in designing an individualized program. It is expected that the student will finish within four to six years.

Master's Program

M.S. degree requirements include 24 credit hours of course work, a comprehensive examination, a thesis based on original research work, and one year of teaching. The coursework, exam and thesis research are individually designed for each student by their three member advisory committee. A student can anticipate spending approximately three years to finish the requirements for the M.S. degree. The M.S. degree is not a prerequisite for the doctoral degree; students seeking a Ph.D. degree generally apply directly to the doctoral program.