Program Overview

Overview of the Cellular and Molecular Physiology PhD Program

The Department of Physiology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine offers a PhD program in Cellular and Molecular Physiology. This program integrates many disciplines to understand the functions of individual systems within a whole organism and the mechanisms that produce and sustain life. Faculty members tackle issues such as the molecular control of cell membrane activities, intercellular and intracellular communication, coordinated cell signaling for organ development, and mammalian embryonic development.

Why Choose the Cellular and Molecular Physiology PhD Program?

Every modern branch of biomedical research has its physiological roots. The Department of Physiology has a long-standing tradition of excellence, and its faculty, trainees, and staff seek to understand how the human body works from the head down to the toes and everything in between. Together, they exploit the range of available model systems to understand physiological processes at a mechanistic and integrated level in health, with the explicit goal of understanding human disease and identifying potential therapeutics.

Postdoctoral Training

Students who have already been awarded the PhD or MD degree may be accepted for postdoctoral research work with members of the faculty.

Admission Requirements

• December 8 is the deadline for the receipt of all application materials for August admission into the CMP graduate program.
• At the time of entry into the program, applicants must have completed a bachelors or higher degree, ordinarily in biology, physics, chemistry, mathematics, or engineering, or some combination of these.
• Scientific research experience is not required but is now common among applicants to the program.
• The following are entrance requirements:
  • Physics: one year college-level course is required; two years of study are recommended.
  • Chemistry: two years are required, and three recommended, of college-level courses with laboratory, including inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry.
  • Biology: two years of college-level courses, with laboratory.
  • Mathematics: through differential and integral calculus.
• Foreign applicants must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language Exam (TOEFL).
• Official transcripts or certified records from all university (undergraduate and graduate) study and three letters of recommendation from at least two faculty members who are acquainted with the applicant's academic work are required to complete the application for admission.

Application Requirements

• Completed Online Application
• Curriculum Vitae
• Statement of Interest and Career Objectives
• Undergraduate Transcripts
• Three (3) Letters of Recommendation
• Application Fee
• Note: GRE scores are no longer required and, if submitted, will not be used in the decision-making process.

Program Requirements

First Year

• The first year curriculum is comprehensive in scope and provides each student with an incredible foundation of scientific knowledge.
• Through three 10-week rotations, students select a lab to perform their dissertation research, working in a field that excites their curiosity and in an environment that is both nurturing and challenging.
• Courses include:
  • Analyses of Macromolecules: Energetics, Structure and Function
  • Current Physiology
  • Molecular Biology and Genomics
  • Principles of Genetics
  • Pathways and Regulation
  • Cell Structure and Dynamics
  • Organ Physiology
  • Research
  • Primary Source Readings and Analysis

Second Year

Electives

• Four electives must be completed as part of the degree requirements.
• These electives can be completed at any time prior to graduation, while enrolled in the CMP program.
• The selection of these courses is influenced by a students dissertation project and made in consultation with their mentor.

Thesis Proposal & Committee

• The first thesis meeting must occur no later than August 15th at the end of the second year.
• A thesis proposal, typically in the format of an NIH fellowship application, is prepared for the first meeting of a students thesis committee.

Examinations

Graduate Board Oral Examination

• Each student must pass an oral qualifying exam, which must occur by the end of March of the second year in the program.
• The goals of the exam are to test the depth and breadth of knowledge as covered in the first-year coursework and to examine the students ability to design and interpret experiments.

Doctoral Dissertation

• Usually in year four or five, the students thesis committee agrees that the student is nearing completion of their research.
• When a student receives a final phase check at the thesis committee meeting, they are expected to complete any remaining experiments, write their thesis, and get approval from their mentor and reader (another faculty member from the thesis committee) within 6 months.
• Following completion of the dissertation, the student will present their work at an open seminar.

Mission Statement

To develop agile, independent scientists who identify important scientific gaps, establish creative, mechanistic hypotheses, and execute experimental strategies that are comprehensive, cutting edge, and push their field forward.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of the PhD in Cellular and Molecular Physiology, students will have mastered the following competencies:

• Demonstrate a deep understanding of core concepts within physiology at a cellular and molecular resolution
• Accurately analyze and apply scientific knowledge to answer questions within their research discipline
• Identify and formulate critical questions and innovative approaches to advance their scientific field
• Analyze and interpret data with responsibility and integrity
• Explain and present complex scientific concepts clearly and effectively in written and oral forms
• Develop a career action plan
• Appraise and evaluate their own skills and professional interests
• Contribute to the scientific community and society at large