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Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
This program provides advanced education and research training for a career in academia, industry or the public sector and emphasizes development of research skills in combination with relevant course work. The program is of interest to those wishing to use cutting edge laboratory and/or computational approaches to address research problems in biology, biochemistry or biomedical disciplines.
間眅埶AV Requirements
Applicants must satisfy the University admission requirements as stated in Graduate General Regulations 1.3 in the 間眅埶AV Calendar. Applicants must have a bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline and should preferably have research experience. In addition, applicants must have found a supervisor who is willing to support their application. Applicants should contact faculty members directly to discuss their research interests and confirm the availability of funding and space in their research group. Only students having a proposed supervisor can be considered for admission to the program.
Program Requirements
This program consists of required courses, elective courses, and a thesis for a minimum of 30 units.
Students must complete
Discussion of recent literature through student seminars and written reports. Introduction to professional skills for scientific careers.
and one unit of MBB colloquia by completing one of
Recent research articles on the molecular mechanisms underlying cellular activities will be presented and discussed by students and faculty, with an emphasis on critically analyzing concepts, experimental design, and methodology. A student may not take more than 3 units of colloquia for credit. Prerequisite: BISC 331/MBB 331 or equivalent.
Recent research articles on modern genomic techniques will be presented and discussed by students and faculty, with an emphasis on critical analysis of the concepts, experimental design, technologies and the practical application of bioinformatics algorithms. A student may not take more than 3 units of colloquia. Prerequisite: It is recommended that students have previously taken one introductory computer-programming course (e.g. CMPT 102, 110, 120, 130 or equivalent) and one introductory statistics course (e.g. STAT 201, 270 or equivalent); or permission of the instructor.
Recent research articles on the structure, function, and interactions of macromolecules including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, as well as their complexes, will be presented and discussed by students and faculty, with an emphasis on critical analysis of the concepts and experimental design and methods. Prerequisite: BISC 331/MBB 331 or equivalent.
and an additional eight elective graduate units
(These courses are chosen in consultation with the supervisory committee and can include appropriate courses from MBB and/or other departments. Two of these eight units can come from colloquia and/or journal clubs, with journal clubs being completed as one-unit directed readings courses.)
and a thesis
A major part of the program is original research. A thesis describing the research is submitted and defended in accordance with Graduate General Regulations.
Research Seminar Series and Journal Clubs
Students are expected to attend the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry research seminar series and participate regularly in a journal club. Journal clubs are discussion groups that focus on the current research literature, and can be in the form of the MBB colloquia, or informal groups consisting of the members of one or more research laboratories.
Program Length
Students are expected to complete the program requirements in six terms.
Other Information
Interdisciplinary Oncology Graduate Specialization (IOGS)
This specialization is for students who are interested in gaining exposure to diverse facets of cancer-related research. Application to the program is through the interdisciplinary oncology graduate specialization steering committee. The program consists of required courses, elective courses, and a thesis for a minimum of 30 units.
The MSc program requirements for this specialization are as follows:
Students must complete the following
Discussion of recent literature through student seminars and written reports. Introduction to professional skills for scientific careers.
This course covers the biology and epidemiology of cancer and theories behind prevention, diagnosis and treatment of different types of cancer. A major goal of the course is to integrate knowledge and research on the biology of cancer with all disciplines in oncology. This course can only be taken once, either during an MSc or during a PhD. Prerequisite: Enrollment in a participating graduate program. No specific courses are prerequisites.
This course features cancer-related research by trainees and faculty at the BC Cancer Research Centre. Topics include recent developments in the molecular basis of oncogenesis, cancer bioinformatics, cancer epidemiology, cancer treatment and other clinical studies, and ethical issues. Students are required to present seminars on their research. Students undertaking the Interdisciplinary Oncology Graduate Specialization must enroll in this course throughout their entire time as a graduate student. This course can be taken twice, if a student does the Interdisciplinary Oncology Graduate Specialization (IOGS) as an MSc student, and also does it as a PhD student. Students who transfer from MSc to PhD would only take it once. Prerequisite: Enrollment in a participating graduate program. No specific courses are prerequisites.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD |
and one unit of MBB colloquia by completing one of
Recent research articles on the molecular mechanisms underlying cellular activities will be presented and discussed by students and faculty, with an emphasis on critically analyzing concepts, experimental design, and methodology. A student may not take more than 3 units of colloquia for credit. Prerequisite: BISC 331/MBB 331 or equivalent.
Recent research articles on modern genomic techniques will be presented and discussed by students and faculty, with an emphasis on critical analysis of the concepts, experimental design, technologies and the practical application of bioinformatics algorithms. A student may not take more than 3 units of colloquia. Prerequisite: It is recommended that students have previously taken one introductory computer-programming course (e.g. CMPT 102, 110, 120, 130 or equivalent) and one introductory statistics course (e.g. STAT 201, 270 or equivalent); or permission of the instructor.
Recent research articles on the structure, function, and interactions of macromolecules including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, as well as their complexes, will be presented and discussed by students and faculty, with an emphasis on critical analysis of the concepts and experimental design and methods. Prerequisite: BISC 331/MBB 331 or equivalent.
and at least one of the following elective courses*
Review of basic processes in cell biology including, but not limited to, cell adhesion/migration, cytoskeleton, endo/exocytosis, intracellular trafficking, signal transduction, ion homeostasis, energy generation, protein processing/apoptosis, post-translation modifications, genomics. A review of each topic will be followed by an introduction to cutting-edge work in this field. Prerequisite: Permission of the course co-ordinator.
This class will integrate current knowledge on the process of carcinogenesis in tissues in which cancer commonly occurs in North America. Discussions will focus on new techniques being developed to identify individuals at risk for cancer and new approaches being used to intervene to prevent development of the disease. Prerequisite: BPK (or KIN) 431.
Discussion of novel and advanced topics in chemical covalent modifications of chromatin that influence gene regulation. Prerequisite: MBB 331 or permission from the instructor.
Topics in molecular biology-based research into pathologies of disease related to drug and environmental exposures will be discussed. Focus on systems pharmacology and the molecular determinants of drug and toxicant action as they relate to gene expression and signal transduction.
An examination of the molecular mechanisms that contribute to tumor formation, the hallmarks of cancer and their relationship to therapeutic strategies.
The organization of the human genome and the role of genomic variation in health and disease. Genomics and personalized medicine; intellectual property and privacy issues.
This course allows students to gain hands-on experience by rotations through specialty laboratories and/or by shadowing clinicians. Students can use the rotation opportunity to learn new techniques and or gain an understanding of the clinical aspects of their research project. The supervisor and supervisory committee create a custom rotation plan for the student. A grade is assigned based on a written report by the student, which is evaluated by the student's supervisory committee. This course can only be taken once, either during an MSc or during a PhD. Prerequisite: Enrollment in a participating graduate program. No specific courses are prerequisites. Permission from instructor required.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD |
and a thesis
A major part of the MSc specialization program will be devoted to original research. A thesis describing the work must be submitted and defended in accordance with 間眅埶AV Graduate General Regulations.
*Note: Any relevant special topics course from any department may be included upon permission of the IOGS steering committee. Oncology related courses at other institutions may also be used to satisfy the elective requirement. Please consult with the IOGS steering committee for queries regarding course eligibility.
Optional Specialization in Translational and Integrative Neuroscience (TRAIN)
Application to TRAIN is through the TRAIN steering committee. Students must fulfill all Departmental requirements for the MSc.
To receive TRAIN specialization, students must complete both NEUR courses with a grade of B+ or higher. These courses can be taken as part of graduate elective course requirements for this program.
Students must complete all of
Covers fundamental concepts related to the basic cellular neurobiology of neurons and other nervous system cells, neuronal pathfinding, electrophysiology, dendritic organization, axonal transport, plasticity, and signal transduction, as well as the integration of neurons into neural circuits and diseases of the nervous system. This course can only be taken once, either during a Masters or Doctoral program.
Fundamental concepts related to information processing (sensing, encoding, planning, decision-making, execution) by neural circuits are discussed. Topics include: neural communication, sensorimotor control of movement, neuroplasticity, and diseases of the brain. Issues of experimental design and application of modern neuroscience methods will be integrated across these topics. Additional topics will vary depending on the year. This course can only be taken once, either during a Masters or Doctoral program.
and participate in at least two TRAIN workshops over the course of their degree
Workshops focus on providing students with skills to facilitate the translation of neuroscience, broadly defined, for the benefit of society. Faculty members at 間眅埶AV as well as relevant clinicians and company representatives will run these workshops. Topics may include: how to translate fundamental questions into clinical-oriented questions; how to perform clinical research; how to start a spin-off company; how to pitch ideas for commercialization; how to work with industry; how drug-discovery works; and how to communicate to different audiences. All topics will relate specifically to neuroscience. Prerequisite: Enrollment in translational and integrative neuroscience graduate specialization or permission from lead workshop organizer.
*Workshops will normally be offered approximately once per term and will be approximately three hours in duration.
For more information on TRAIN, please see Translational and Integrative Neuroscience.
Academic Requirements within the Graduate General Regulations
All graduate students must satisfy the academic requirements that are specified in the Graduate General Regulations, as well as the specific requirements for the program in which they are enrolled.