Detailed Information
Program of Study
The Department of Biological Sciences offers a program of graduate study leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree in cell and molecular biology. The broad areas of study include molecular and cellular biology, molecular genetics, biochemistry, population genetics, developmental biology, sensory biology, and microbiology. These programs emphasize the preparation of scientists for research careers in academic or industrial settings.
Each student’s program is designed independently and is based on his or her background and needs. The diverse interests of the participating faculty members and the excellent student–faculty member ratio ensure a broad spectrum of research opportunities and a great deal of personal attention.
Research Facilities
The Department of Biology occupies approximately 45,000 square feet of laboratory and office space. Available facilities support most modern research areas of cell and molecular biology, including DNA purification and analysis, gene cloning, cell culture, and protein isolation and characterization. The department also features a High Resolution Microscopy and Advanced Imaging Center containing confocal and electron microscopes.
Financial Aid
Graduate teaching and research assistantships are available to qualified students. For 2009–10, stipends range from $7600 to $12,500 for nine months. Computer-based information on scholarships, loan funds, and other student assistance may be obtained from the Financial Aid Office. A limited number of assistantships providing tuition remission only or stipend only are also available.
Cost of Study
The 2009–10 tuition is $1015 per semester credit hour for all graduate students. Tuition is remitted for some graduate assistants.
Living and Housing Costs
Room and board on campus costs approximately $4500 per semester in 2009–10. On-campus housing (dormitories and apartments) is available for full-time single and married graduate students, but priority for dormitory rooms is given to undergraduate students. Many apartment complexes and rental houses are available near the campus.
Student Group
The Department currently has an enrollment of 65 graduate students from colleges throughout the United States and around the world. Approximately one half of the graduate students are women, and approximately one fourth are married. Most graduate students receive financial support.
Student Outcomes
Graduates of the Department of Biological Sciences are employed by such facilities as Dynamac, Bionetics, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dartmouth Medical School, University of Miami Medical School, Pfizer Foundation, Sri International, Autec, Kistler-Morse, DuPont Pharmaceuticals, Midwest Research Institute, Goodwin Bioscience, Invitrogen, and Johns Hopkins University.
Location
Florida Tech’s main campus is located in Melbourne, a residential community on Florida’s Space Coast. Melbourne is the key city in south Brevard County, which also encompasses nine other smaller communities on the mainland and beachside. The Kennedy Space Center and Disney World are within a 90-minute drive of the Institute. The area’s economy is a well-balanced mix of electronics, aviation, light manufacturing, opticals, communications, agriculture, and tourism.
The Institute
Florida Tech was founded in 1958 and has developed rapidly into a university that provides both undergraduate and graduate education in the sciences and engineering for selected students from throughout the United States and many other countries. In addition to cell and molecular biology, Florida Tech offers graduate programs in marine biology, conservation biology, applied mathematics, chemical engineering, chemistry, civil engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, mechanical engineering, ocean engineering, oceanography, operations research, physics, science education, space sciences, and systems engineering.
Applying
Further information and application forms for admission to the Graduate School may be obtained from the Graduate Admissions Office. Applicants must take the Graduate Record Examinations and arrange to have the scores sent to the Graduate Admissions Office. Separate application for financial aid must be made on forms available from the Department or the Graduate School and must be submitted to the Department by March 1.
The Faculty and Their Research
- David J. Carroll, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Connecticut, 1996. Molecular control of signal transduction at fertilization, with focus on egg activation during fertilization and how this activation relieves the cell-cycle block to initiate development.
- Combining microinjection and immunoblotting to analyze MAP kinase phosphorylation in single starfish oocytes and eggs. Meth. Mol. Biol. 518:57–66, 2009. With Wei.
- Michael S. Grace, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Emory, 1991. Behavioral neuroscience; cellular and molecular mechanisms of vision, non-visual photoreception, and infrared imaging in vertebrate animals; laser-based systems for cancer detection and treatment.
- Neural correlates of complex behavior: Vision and infrared imaging in boas and pythons. In Biology of the Boas, Pythons and Related Taxa, eds. R. L. Henderson and G. Schuett. Eagle Mountain, Utah: Eagle Mountain Publishers, 2006. With Matsushita.
- Julia E. Grimwade, Professor; Ph.D., SUNY at Buffalo, 1987. Control of DNA replication; cell-cycle control; DNA-protein interactions.
- Mutational analysis reveals E. coli oriC interacts with both DnaA-ATP and DnaA-ADP during pre-RC assembly. Mol. Microbiol. 66:428–39, 2007. With Torque et al.
- Alan C. Leonard, Professor; Ph.D., SUNY at Buffalo, 1979. Use of molecular genetic techniques to study the biology of microbial growth control; DNA-protein interaction and temporal gene expression during the bacterial cell division cycle; molecular regulation of plasmid and minichromosome replication in E. coli.
- Initiating chromosome replication in E. coli. it makes sense to recycle. Gene. Dev. 23:1145–50, 2009. With Grimwade.
- Lisa K. Moore, Assistant Research Professor; Ph.D., Arizona, 1993. Effects of epinephrine and its metabolites on the regulation of connexins in the vasculature.
- Modulation of vascular connexins by stress catecholamines and their metabolites. Faseb J. 21(6), A912, 2007. With Novak et al.
- Charles D. A. Polson, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Florida Tech, 1979. Development and application of biotechnology techniques in undergraduate education, especially in the areas of cloning, synthesis, and sequencing; electrophoretic separation of large DNA molecules by pulse-field electrophoresis.
- Richard R. Sinden, Professor; Ph.D., Georgia, 1978. Alternative DNA structures; mechanisms of spontaneous mutagenesis; mechanisms of DNA repeat expansion associated with human neurodegenerative diseases.
- A Z-DNA sequence at the myotonic dystrophy type 2 gene locus prevents slipped strand structure formation in the (CCTG)-(CAGG) repeat. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., U.S.A. 106:3270–5, 2009. With Edwards et al.
- Russell C. Weigel, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Maryland, 1970. Plant physiology, plant-tissue culture; basic and applied studies on the formation of organized tissues from cell cultures; preservation of rare species using tissue-culture techniques.
- In vitro propagation of Conradina etonia. Fla. Scientist 65:201–7, 2002. With Peterson.
- Shaohua Xu, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Purdue, 1989. AFM, TEM, and confocal microscopy of molecular events, biochemical analysis of protein self assembly and formation of amyloid fibers in Alzheimer's disease.
- Aggregation drives "misfolding" in protein amyloid fiber formation. Amyloid 14(2):119–31, 2007.
Correspondence and Information
Florida Institute of Technology
Graduate Admissions Office
150 West University Boulevard
Melbourne, Florida 32901
Telephone:
321-674-8027
800-944-4348 (toll-free)
Fax:
321-723-9468
Email:
grad-admissions@fit.edu
Florida Institute of Technology
Dr. Richard Aronson, Head
Department of Biological Sciences
150 West University Boulevard
Melbourne, Florida 32901
Telephone:
321-674-8034
Email:
raronson@fit.edu
