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The Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB) program at Michigan State University is an interdepartmental Ph.D. program with  participating faculty from sixteen academic departments and centers, including the Van Andel Research Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The research programs address a wide variety of biological questions with an equally diverse array of organisms. However, the ideas and approaches common to cell biology and/or molecular biology unite the research programs of the participating faculty whether they are interested in herbicide resistance in crop plants, DNA replication in bacteria, or tumor development in humans.
 The CMB training program is designed so that the student will focus on a particular area of research while being exposed to a wide variety of topics in cell and molecular biology. The primary requirement for the Ph.D. is the completion of original research and the publication of a Ph.D. thesis describing that research. The CMB program emphasizes the importance of high quality research, and is designed to assist students in fulfilling their potential as research scientists. During the first academic year at MSU, students take required and elective courses and complete three research rotations in the laboratories of three different faculty members. This provides the student with in-depth exposure to several different research programs, and assists him or her in choosing a major professor with whom they will do their Ph.D. research. Thereafter, students are advised by both their major professor and their Graduate Advisory Committee, which includes three or four additional CMB faculty. Generally, about four years beyond the rotation period are required to complete the Ph.D. program.
MSU is one of the major public research universities in the nation, and it is especially prominent in biological sciences. MSU has a long tradition as a center for both basic and applied biological research and biotechnology. Twelve academic departments contain faculty who participate in the CMB program: In addition to these academic departments, several centers, including the DOE funded Plant Research Lab (PRL), the NSF funded Microbial Ecology Center, and the MSU Cancer Center, promote research in specific disciplines. There are many other areas of research strength at MSU, including protein structure, organelle biology, molecular genetics, chronic diseases, and animal health, among others. The Michigan Biotechnology Institute (MBI) is adjacent to MSU, and is dedicated to providing research and development in biotechnology that will assist and add to Michigan's industrial base. The conjunction of agricultural, health-related, and industrial research along with the fundamental cell and molecular biology that help form the basis for that research makes MSU and exceptionally stimulating setting in which to work.
Students in the CMB program take the following courses:
-Molecular Biology
-Cell Biology
-Either Microbial Genetics OR Eukaryotic Molecular Genetics
-2 Electives to be chosen by the student in consultation with his/her advisor and guidance committee.
In addition to the lecture courses described above, CMB students are required to complete three seminar courses in which students read and present current literature, one seminar course in the area of scientific ethics, and to participate in a research forum in which CMB students present their own research. Additional courses may also be suggested or required by the student's guidance committee.
During the first year of the program, students complete three (ten week) research rotations in the labs of three different CMB faculty. At the end of these rotations, students choose a permanent research mentor. A permanent guidance committee of four to five CMB faculty members are selected by the student in consultation with his/her research mentor and the CMB director at the end of the first academic year of the program (at the same time that the student chooses a permanent research mentor). The guidance committee meets with the student to evaluate his/her progress at least once per year for the remainder of the graduate training. At the end of the second year of study (spring semester of the second year), students complete a preliminary examination. Successful completion of this examination allows him/her to proceed to complete the Ph.D. degree.
All CMB students receive some teaching experience, since teaching and communication skills are important to the career development of professional scientists. Generally, CMB students fulfill one teaching assignment during their graduate training. This teaching assignment is typically in a laboratory or lecture course offered by one of the participating departments.
MSU also provides a wide variety of extracurricular activities for its students. As you can imagine for a campus of this size, there will be several other students who share in almost any outside interest you might have. This has led to the formation of a broad spectrum of clubs and teams of one sort or another. Intercollegiate, intramural, and individual sports are very popular at MSU, as are the many exhibits, concerts, plays, and performances that occur throughout the year, both on campus and in surrounding communities. In addition, East Lansing and MSU are located near the center of the State of Michigan, which is a major center for tourism in the nation, especially for those who enjoy outdoor activities.
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