Molecular Pathogenesis and Molecular Medicine

The Department of Pathology Molecular Pathogenesis and Molecular Medicine Graduate Program (MPMM) offers a program of advanced study and research in experimental pathobiology, broadly defined but with particular emphasis in immunobiology, molecular oncology, and vascular pathophysiology, and gut epithelial biology.  The committee encourages scholarship and achievement and offers flexibility in its program to permit each student to pursue the most effective course of study and research.

The MPMM faculty come from basic science, translational, genetics, and clinical traditions providing for the prompt transfer of fundamental discoveries to practical application in the understanding and treatment of such widespread and important diseases as atherosclerosis, asthma, diabetes, Crohn's disease, and autism.  Furthermore, commonalities of scientific foundations and experimental approaches underlying investigation of seemingly diverse questions in these organ systems leads to remarkable cross-fertilization and synergy among faculty and trainees.

The MPMM curriculum provides instruction in the areas of biochemistry, defense reactions, cancer biology, immunology, cellular and molecular pathology, and cell, molecular, and genetic biology that are generally completed within the first two years of study.  Each student must select a faculty sponsor who is willing to supervise his or her thesis research.  These faculty members may be chosen from the various departments in the Division of the Biological Sciences provided the research program is considered suitable by the departmental graduate student advisory committee.

The Committee’s graduate program is integrated within the Biomedical Sciences Cluster, which also includes graduate programs from the Committee on Cancer Biology, the Committee on Immunology, the Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition, and the Committee on Microbiology.  The five academic units share a joint admissions committee, several common courses, a seminar series, and additional common events for students and faculty within the cluster.  The goal of the cluster system is to encourage interdisciplinary interactions among both trainees and faculty, and to allow students flexibility in designing their particular course of study.