Director and Graduate Advisor: : Associate Professor Simon Atkinson, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical Science Building, Room 4053, (317) 278-0435

Degrees Offered
General Information
Special Program Requirements
Master of Science Degree
Doctor of Philosophy Degree
Courses

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Degrees Offered

Degrees Offered: Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy

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General Information

The interdisciplinary program in biomolecular imaging offers graduate research training that leads to the Ph.D. in Medical Biophysics and is designed to train talented students in the use of imaging techniques to study biological processes from the molecular to the cellular level. Core courses in the fundamentals of biomedical science are complemented by courses teaching specialized knowledge in the physical basis of cell and molecular imaging. The interdisciplinary nature of the program allows students to choose from faculty research mentors, in a variety of departments in the School of Medicine and other schools on the Indianapolis campus who have a wide range of expertise in biomedical and physical science. Further information is available on the program Web site, bioimage.medicine.iu.edu.

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Special Program Requirements

(See also general University Graduate School requirements.)

Admission Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, biology, biophysics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, physics, or an equivalent major. Undergraduate level calculus, physics, organic and inorganic chemistry will routinely be required. Exceptions may be made if other strengths are identified in the application. Graduate Record Examination scores on the General Test are required as a part of the application.

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Master of Science Degree

Course Requirements
At least 30 credit hours, of which 20 credit hours must be in biophysics, including 7 credit hours in research; remaining credit hours in related courses.

Thesis
Required.

Final Examination
Comprehensive oral examination.

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Doctor of Philosophy Degree

Course Requirements
A total of 90 credit hours, with a minimum of 36 credit hours in course work (including those for the minor). Required core courses include F592 Introduction to Biomolecular Imaging, G613 Advanced Cellular Imaging, G614 Advanced Molecular Imaging, G817 Eukaryotic Cell Biology, and G865 Fundamentals of Molecular Biology. Additional elective courses totaling at least 9 credit hours are determined by the advisory committee in discussion with the student and selected from a list compiled by the faculty.

Minor
A minimum of 9 credit hours in course work in a departmental minor or an interdepartmental minor in physical science or in cellular and molecular biology.

Research Proposal
A dissertation research proposal is required.

Final Examination
Oral defense of the dissertation.

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Courses

F592 Introduction to Biomolecular Imaging (3 cr.) The goal of the course is to introduce key concepts that carry through all imaging modalities, and provide examples of how these concepts of modern imaging apply in the real world at the level of cellular and molecular imaging. The course will include a survey of the principles and application of modern imaging methods. Hurley and Staff

G613 Advanced Cellular Imaging (3 cr.) The course goal is to introduce the imaging methods and concepts that are used to extract information about cellular structure and function. The course emphasizes general principles of light microscopy, electron microscopy and digital imaging as modalities of cellular imaging. Applications and examples relate to analysis of cellular properties. Dunn and Staff

G614 Advanced Molecular Imaging (3 cr.) The course emphasizes general principles of macromolecular structure and dynamics applied to ensemble and single molecules. Methodologies use visible light, electrons, X-ray diffraction and atomic force mapping as modes of molecular imaging. Naumann and Staff

A610 Research in Biophysics (1-15 cr.) Staff

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