Program Overview

Program in Biomedical Sciences

The Program in Biomedical Sciences (PIBS) at the University of Miami Miller's School of Medicine (UMMSM) provides students with a wide variety of research opportunities in the biological sciences across many disciplines and departments.

Overview

First-year students take a core curriculum that builds a solid foundation in the biomedical sciences. The common coursework in the first semester ranges from molecules to cells to systems of human physiology. Lectures are balanced by breakout sessions, in which faculty members discuss the primary literature with students in small groups. Students have the flexibility to select breakout sessions that match their interests. The core curriculum also offers critical learning opportunities in biostatistics, genomic and analytical tools. In the second semester, students select individual modular courses offered in our eight disciplines. These courses cover topics of specific relevance to graduate programs or research topics. Students also complete a course in Biostatistics and a workshop in BioInformatics.

PhD Program Selection

During their first year in the umbrella program, students complete three to four laboratory rotations in various disciplines. This opportunity allows students to explore their interests before selecting a program and dissertation mentor. Students match with mentors in specific programs and achieve program affiliation at the end of their first year in one of the following programs (for years two through five):

• Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
• Cancer Biology
• Cellular Physiology and Molecular Biophysics
• Human Genetics & Genomics
• Microbiology & Immunology
• Molecular & Cellular Pharmacology
• Molecular Cell & Developmental Biology
• Neuroscience

Admission Requirements

Please see the Office of Graduate Studies website for application requirements for the Program in Biomedical Sciences (PiBS).

Curriculum Requirements

The following courses are required:

• PIB 700: Journal Club (2 credits)
• PIB 701: Introduction to Biomedical Sciences (5 credits)
• PIB 702: Scientific Reasoning (1-3 credits)
• PIB 705: Biostatistics for the Biosciences (3 credits)
• PIB 731: Laboratory Research (1-6 credits)
• PIB 780: Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (1 credit)
• PIB 782: Professional Development: Skills for Success I (1 credit)
• PIB 783: Professional Development: Skills for Success II (1 credit)
• PIB 790: Grant Writing Basics for Biomedical Graduate Students (1 credit)
• PIB 830: Doctoral Dissertation (1-12 credits)

Program Elective Courses

The following program courses are available to first-year students in their spring semester:

• BMB 705: Principles of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (4 credits)
• BMB 709: Advanced Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (3 credits)
• BMB 715: Structural Biology and Applications to Drug Discovery (2 credits)
• BMB 719: Fundamentals of Epigenetics (3 credits)
• CAB 710: Cancer Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (3 credits)
• HGG 630: Variation and Disease (2 credits)
• HGG 640: Family Studies and Genetic Analysis (2 credits)
• MCP 704: Mechanisms of Drug Action (3 credits)
• MCP 743: Introductory Python Programming for Bioscientists (3 credits)
• MCP 752: Systems Biology and Approaches in Pharmacology (3 credits)
• MCP 753: Computational Pharmacology and Fundamentals of Drug Design (2 credits)
• MDB 751: Advanced Cell Biology Approaches to Molecular Medicine (3 credits)
• MDB 752: Current Topics in Mammalian Development (3 credits)
• MDB 753: Histology (1 credit)
• MIC 623: Mechanisms of Microbial Virulence (2 credits)
• MIC 728: Principles of Immunology (3 credits)
• NEU 721: Principles of Membrane Physiology and Biophysics I (2 credits)
• NEU 722: Principles of Membrane Physiology and Biophysics II (2 credits)
• NEU 760: Neuroscience 1A (Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience) (2 credits)
• NEU 761: Neuroscience 1B (Developmental Neuroscience) (2 credits)
• PHS 741: Principles of Membrane Physiology and Biophysics I (2 credits)
• PHS 742: Principles of Membrane Physiology and Biophysics II (2 credits)
• PHS 610: Cell Physiology Biophysics (2 credits)
• PHS 611: Neurophysiology (2 credits)
• PHS 612: Systemic Physiology (4 credits)

Plan of Study

Students enrolled in the first year program complete the biomedical sciences foundation coursework in the first year and then complete the curricula for years two through five based on the selected PhD program.

Course Descriptions

• PIB 700: Journal Club (1 credit)
• PIB 701: Introduction to Biomedical Sciences (1-5 credits)
• PIB 702: Scientific Reasoning (1-3 credits)
• PIB 703: Methods in Biomedical Sciences: Experimental Techniques Bootcamp (1 credit)
• PIB 705: Biostatistics for the Biosciences (3 credits)
• PIB 706: Informatics for the Biosciences (3 credits)
• PIB 707: Survey of Data Science for Bioinformatics (3 credits)
• PIB 710: Internship in Biomedical Sciences (1-9 credits)
• PIB 731: Laboratory Research (1-6 credits)
• PIB 780: Research Ethics (1 credit)
• PIB 782: Professional Development: Skills for Success I (1 credit)
• PIB 783: Professional Development: Skills for Success II (1 credit)
• PIB 784: Practical Graduate Teaching (1 credit)
• PIB 785: PIBS Bioinformatics Workshop (1 credit)
• PIB 790: Grant Writing Basics for Biomedical Graduate Students (1 credit)
• PIB 791: Introduction to Computing and Data Science Environments for Bioinformatics (1 credit)
• PIB 792: Data Science for Bioinformatics (1 credit)
• PIB 830: Doctoral Dissertation (1-12 credits)