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Program in Biology

College of Arts and Sciences
Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York

Others also viewed:

Albany Medical College, Graduate Programs in the Biological Sciences
Thomas Jefferson University, Jefferson College of Graduate Studies
University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences

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Detailed Information

Programs of Study

Graduate programs leading to either the M.S. or Ph.D. degree are offered in a wide variety of disciplines within the areas of biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, ecology, and evolution. Both degrees emphasize individual research, supplemented by training in formal course work and seminars. Students’ programs are individually designed, in consultation with their research adviser and a research committee, to reflect their particular background and interests. Students may rotate through several research laboratories to help them select a research topic and adviser. Courses may be taken in other departments of the University or in the State University of New York Health Science Center or College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry, both of which are adjacent to the campus. Experts from these institutions may also serve on the student’s research committee. Because of the various formal and informal collaborative training and research programs, an exceptionally rich variety of stimulating opportunities is available for graduate research and training.

The time needed to complete the programs is approximately three years for the M.S. and five years for the Ph.D. Qualification for the Ph.D. degree requires the student to pass an oral defense of a selected research topic. The successful completion of a student’s degree requires the writing and oral defense of a thesis (M.S.) or dissertation (Ph.D.) based on an independent research project.

An excellent seminar program featuring visiting biologists provides ongoing information about current research at other institutions. The biology department sponsors an annual conference at which graduate students have an opportunity to present their work.

Research Facilities

Research facilities currently include an AAALAC-accredited animal facility and extensive facilities and instrumentation for carrying out most kinds of modern biological research at the molecular, cellular, organismal, and population levels. Extensive library holdings and computing facilities are readily accessible for student and faculty use. Construction of the new life sciences complex was completed in fall 2008. The 210,000-square-foot building, the University’s largest, most ambitious construction project, brings the biology, chemistry, and biochemistry departments under one roof for the first time in the University’s history.

Financial Aid

Virtually all biology graduate students are supported by full-tuition scholarships, as well as teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or fellowships that pay competitive stipends. These include fellowship awards, guaranteed for a three-year period, to the most outstanding students. Advanced students may also compete for University funds that are distributed annually and can be used to facilitate their research. Supplemental summer fellowships are available for exceptionally well qualified students in the Ph.D. program.

Cost of Study

Tuition for graduate students is estimated at $1117 per credit hour for the 2009–10 academic year.

Living and Housing Costs

Graduate student housing is available on and off campus. Numerous apartments and rooms located in the University area are within walking distance to campus or are accessible by the free campus bus service.

Student Group

The Department currently has approximately 40 graduate students, mostly from the eastern United States, but many other states and several countries are also represented. An active Departmental Graduate Student Organization sponsors various social and athletic events.

Student Outcomes

Departmental graduates who wish to pursue academic careers commonly obtain postdoctoral fellowships at the leading universities and research centers nationwide. Departmental alumni hold positions in academic institutions, government and clinical laboratories, and the private sector.

Location

Syracuse has approximately 200,000 inhabitants, and the population of the metropolitan area exceeds half a million. Located in the center of New York State in one of the most beautiful regions of the country, Syracuse has most of the cultural advantages of a large city, and recreational facilities for all seasons are within easy reach. A major symphony orchestra; numerous other musical groups performing chamber music, opera, and choral music; a professional repertory theater; the ballet company; and two art museums provide a full schedule of events year-round, featuring both local and visiting artists. The University’s 50,000-seat Carrier Dome is used for University events, such as football and basketball games, and also for occasional concerts. Residents enjoy the seasonal variation, with mild springs, warm summers, crisp falls with spectacular colors, and cold winters with much snow. Within less than an hour’s drive there are numerous opportunities for exceptional recreational activities, such as downhill and cross-country skiing, camping, fishing, boating, and hiking. Syracuse has an easily accessible airport that is within an hour’s air travel of the major cities of the Northeast. There are also excellent interstate highways and a railway connection.

The University

Syracuse University, a nonsectarian, fully accredited, private institution, was founded in 1870. It consists of thirteen schools and colleges. On the main campus there are 11,455 full-time undergraduates, 3,256 full-time graduate students, and 864 full-time faculty members. Both the State University of New York Upstate Medical University and State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry border the campus.

Applying

For fall admission and consideration of financial support, preference is given to completed applications received by February 1. Later applications and spring admissions are considered on a space available basis. All applicants are required to provide a personal statement, transcripts from college-level institutions attended, three letters of recommendation, and scores on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examinations. TOEFL scores are required of all applicants whose native language is not English. Applications from women and members of minority groups are strongly encouraged. Prospective students are encouraged to correspond directly with faculty members in their areas of interest.

The Faculty and Their Research

R. Craig Albertson, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., New Hampshire, 2002. Genetic and developmental basis of craniofacial evolution.
David M. Althoff, Assistant Research Professor; Ph.D., Washington State, 1998. Species interactions; insect community ecology; molecular ecology.
John M. Belote, Professor; Ph.D., North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1979. Genetics and molecular biology of Drosophila proteasomes. The proteasome is a major component of the cellular machinery that is responsible for the selective breakdown of unwanted proteins. The goal is to understand the details of the proteasome’s structure, regulation, and function and to elucidate its roles during the development of a multicellular organism.
Samuel H. P. Chan, Professor; Ph.D., Rochester, 1970. Bioenergetics, with particular interest in the mechanism by which subcellular organelles such as mitochondria convert nutrients into ATP for cellular activities. The lab is studying membrane-bound enzyme complexes, including cytochrome oxidase, adenine nucleotide translocase, and ATPase from normal and pathological tissues.
Michael S. Cosgrove, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Syracuse, 1998. Structural biochemistry of proteins involved in the epigenetic regulation of chromatin structure.
Scott E. Erdman, Associate Professor; Ph.D., California, Davis, 1994. Cellular and molecular mechanisms in eukaryotes that underlie cell-shape change and cell adhesion in response to extracellular signals; functional genomic studies of mechanisms pertaining to lipid and membrane homeostasis in eukaryotes. These questions are being approached in the model system, baker’s yeast, through studies using a variety of biochemical, genetic, and light microscopy techniques.
Douglas A. Frank, Professor; Ph.D., Syracuse, 1990. Plant and ecosystem ecology. Research examines native ungulate regulation of grassland ecosystems. Scope includes grazer effects on grassland species composition and animal-plant-microbe energy and nutrient webs.
Jason Fridley, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., North Carolina, 2002. Plant ecology.
Anthony Garza, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Texas A&M, 1995. Biofilm formation; bacterial development; stress resistance in bacteria.
F. Reed Hainsworth, Professor; Ph.D., Pennsylvania, 1968. Comparative animal physiology and behavior. The research focuses on testing predictions of models of organism performance concerned with foraging, temperature regulation, movement, and their interactions.
Eleanor M. Maine, Professor; Ph.D., Princeton, 1984. Genetic and epigenetic control of development in the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. A variety of genetic and molecular approaches are used to study how germ-cell fate is regulated, particularly focusing on inductive cell-signaling and epigenetic mechanisms that regulate germ-cell proliferation and differentiation of gametes.
Melissa E. Pepling, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., SUNY at Stony Brook, 1995. Genetics and cell biology of early oocyte development; immunocytochemistry coupled with confocal microscopy used to analyze sterile mouse mutants that disrupt the early development of oocytes.
Scott Pitnick, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Arizona State, 1992. Reproductive behavior, morphology, and physiology; evolution of reproductive and life history strategies; diversification, and speciation.
Ramesh Raina, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Jawaharlal Nehru (New Delhi), 1991. Genetic and molecular mechanisms regulating plant-pest interactions; functional genomics of cell signaling in plants.
Mark E. Ritchie, Professor; Ph.D., Michigan, 1987. Plant-animal interactions and community ecology. Emphasis on how insect and mammalian herbivores interact with grassland plant communities and ecosystems and how the species diversity of these groups changes across space and continental environmental gradients. Research employs both mathematical, field experimental, and data synthesis methods in Minnesota, Utah, and South Africa.
John M. Russell, Professor; Ph.D., Utah, 1971. Ionic homeostasis and cell biology; causes and roles of effects of human cytomegalovirus on host cell ionic transport processes; basic mechanisms, regulation, and protein trafficking of the coupled Na,K,Cl cotransporter.
William T. Starmer, Professor; Ph.D., Arizona, 1972. Ecological genetics of microorganisms and insects. The lab investigates the reasons for general and specific associations of yeasts, Drosophila, and their host plants; the coadaptation of yeasts and their insect vectors; and the community organization of yeast, including widespread geographic studies of “killer” yeasts.
J. Albert C. Uy, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Maryland, College Park, 2000. Behavioral ecology; sexual selection; animal communication and signal evolution; evolution of premating isolation.
Roy D. Welch, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Wisconsin–Madison, 1997. Behavioral genetics of self-organization in bacterial biofilms.
Jason R. Wiles, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., McGill. Biology and science education; teaching and learning of biological evolution.
Larry L. Wolf, Professor; Ph.D., Berkeley, 1966. Behavior and ecology. Behavioral investigations, including studies of mating systems, foraging, aggression, and life history traits, are aimed at elucidating proximate and ultimate environmental influences and their interactions with the characteristics of the organism. The group also investigates the role of behavior in community organization.

Correspondence and Information

Syracuse University
Graduate Program Secretary
Department of Biology
107 College Place, Life Science Complex
Syracuse, New York 13244-1220
Telephone: 315-443-9154
Fax: 315-443-2156
Email: biology@syr.edu

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Enter Username Enter Password: Forgot Username/Password? New User? Register Now!	Jump To: Graduate Search > Institution > College/School > Department/Program My Saved Schools \| Print Program in Biology College of Arts and Sciences Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York Admissions Student Body Financial Aid Programs and Degrees Research Contact Info Detailed Information Others also viewed: Albany Medical College, Graduate Programs in the Biological Sciences Thomas Jefferson University, Jefferson College of Graduate Studies University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences View full list Detailed Information Programs of Study Graduate programs leading to either the M.S. or Ph.D. degree are offered in a wide variety of disciplines within the areas of biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, ecology, and evolution. Both degrees emphasize individual research, supplemented by training in formal course work and seminars. Students’ programs are individually designed, in consultation with their research adviser and a research committee, to reflect their particular background and interests. Students may rotate through several research laboratories to help them select a research topic and adviser. Courses may be taken in other departments of the University or in the State University of New York Health Science Center or College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry, both of which are adjacent to the campus. Experts from these institutions may also serve on the student’s research committee. Because of the various formal and informal collaborative training and research programs, an exceptionally rich variety of stimulating opportunities is available for graduate research and training. The time needed to complete the programs is approximately three years for the M.S. and five years for the Ph.D. Qualification for the Ph.D. degree requires the student to pass an oral defense of a selected research topic. The successful completion of a student’s degree requires the writing and oral defense of a thesis (M.S.) or dissertation (Ph.D.) based on an independent research project. An excellent seminar program featuring visiting biologists provides ongoing information about current research at other institutions. The biology department sponsors an annual conference at which graduate students have an opportunity to present their work. Research Facilities Research facilities currently include an AAALAC-accredited animal facility and extensive facilities and instrumentation for carrying out most kinds of modern biological research at the molecular, cellular, organismal, and population levels. Extensive library holdings and computing facilities are readily accessible for student and faculty use. Construction of the new life sciences complex was completed in fall 2008. The 210,000-square-foot building, the University’s largest, most ambitious construction project, brings the biology, chemistry, and biochemistry departments under one roof for the first time in the University’s history. Financial Aid Virtually all biology graduate students are supported by full-tuition scholarships, as well as teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or fellowships that pay competitive stipends. These include fellowship awards, guaranteed for a three-year period, to the most outstanding students. Advanced students may also compete for University funds that are distributed annually and can be used to facilitate their research. Supplemental summer fellowships are available for exceptionally well qualified students in the Ph.D. program. Cost of Study Tuition for graduate students is estimated at $1117 per credit hour for the 2009–10 academic year. Living and Housing Costs Graduate student housing is available on and off campus. Numerous apartments and rooms located in the University area are within walking distance to campus or are accessible by the free campus bus service. Student Group The Department currently has approximately 40 graduate students, mostly from the eastern United States, but many other states and several countries are also represented. An active Departmental Graduate Student Organization sponsors various social and athletic events. Student Outcomes Departmental graduates who wish to pursue academic careers commonly obtain postdoctoral fellowships at the leading universities and research centers nationwide. Departmental alumni hold positions in academic institutions, government and clinical laboratories, and the private sector. Location Syracuse has approximately 200,000 inhabitants, and the population of the metropolitan area exceeds half a million. Located in the center of New York State in one of the most beautiful regions of the country, Syracuse has most of the cultural advantages of a large city, and recreational facilities for all seasons are within easy reach. A major symphony orchestra; numerous other musical groups performing chamber music, opera, and choral music; a professional repertory theater; the ballet company; and two art museums provide a full schedule of events year-round, featuring both local and visiting artists. The University’s 50,000-seat Carrier Dome is used for University events, such as football and basketball games, and also for occasional concerts. Residents enjoy the seasonal variation, with mild springs, warm summers, crisp falls with spectacular colors, and cold winters with much snow. Within less than an hour’s drive there are numerous opportunities for exceptional recreational activities, such as downhill and cross-country skiing, camping, fishing, boating, and hiking. Syracuse has an easily accessible airport that is within an hour’s air travel of the major cities of the Northeast. There are also excellent interstate highways and a railway connection. The University Syracuse University, a nonsectarian, fully accredited, private institution, was founded in 1870. It consists of thirteen schools and colleges. On the main campus there are 11,455 full-time undergraduates, 3,256 full-time graduate students, and 864 full-time faculty members. Both the State University of New York Upstate Medical University and State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry border the campus. Applying For fall admission and consideration of financial support, preference is given to completed applications received by February 1. Later applications and spring admissions are considered on a space available basis. All applicants are required to provide a personal statement, transcripts from college-level institutions attended, three letters of recommendation, and scores on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examinations. TOEFL scores are required of all applicants whose native language is not English. Applications from women and members of minority groups are strongly encouraged. Prospective students are encouraged to correspond directly with faculty members in their areas of interest. The Faculty and Their Research R. Craig Albertson, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., New Hampshire, 2002. Genetic and developmental basis of craniofacial evolution. David M. Althoff, Assistant Research Professor; Ph.D., Washington State, 1998. Species interactions; insect community ecology; molecular ecology. John M. Belote, Professor; Ph.D., North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1979. Genetics and molecular biology of Drosophila proteasomes. The proteasome is a major component of the cellular machinery that is responsible for the selective breakdown of unwanted proteins. The goal is to understand the details of the proteasome’s structure, regulation, and function and to elucidate its roles during the development of a multicellular organism. Samuel H. P. Chan, Professor; Ph.D., Rochester, 1970. Bioenergetics, with particular interest in the mechanism by which subcellular organelles such as mitochondria convert nutrients into ATP for cellular activities. The lab is studying membrane-bound enzyme complexes, including cytochrome oxidase, adenine nucleotide translocase, and ATPase from normal and pathological tissues. Michael S. Cosgrove, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Syracuse, 1998. Structural biochemistry of proteins involved in the epigenetic regulation of chromatin structure. Scott E. Erdman, Associate Professor; Ph.D., California, Davis, 1994. Cellular and molecular mechanisms in eukaryotes that underlie cell-shape change and cell adhesion in response to extracellular signals; functional genomic studies of mechanisms pertaining to lipid and membrane homeostasis in eukaryotes. These questions are being approached in the model system, baker’s yeast, through studies using a variety of biochemical, genetic, and light microscopy techniques. Douglas A. Frank, Professor; Ph.D., Syracuse, 1990. Plant and ecosystem ecology. Research examines native ungulate regulation of grassland ecosystems. Scope includes grazer effects on grassland species composition and animal-plant-microbe energy and nutrient webs. Jason Fridley, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., North Carolina, 2002. Plant ecology. Anthony Garza, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Texas A&M, 1995. Biofilm formation; bacterial development; stress resistance in bacteria. F. Reed Hainsworth, Professor; Ph.D., Pennsylvania, 1968. Comparative animal physiology and behavior. The research focuses on testing predictions of models of organism performance concerned with foraging, temperature regulation, movement, and their interactions. Eleanor M. Maine, Professor; Ph.D., Princeton, 1984. Genetic and epigenetic control of development in the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. A variety of genetic and molecular approaches are used to study how germ-cell fate is regulated, particularly focusing on inductive cell-signaling and epigenetic mechanisms that regulate germ-cell proliferation and differentiation of gametes. Melissa E. Pepling, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., SUNY at Stony Brook, 1995. Genetics and cell biology of early oocyte development; immunocytochemistry coupled with confocal microscopy used to analyze sterile mouse mutants that disrupt the early development of oocytes. Scott Pitnick, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Arizona State, 1992. Reproductive behavior, morphology, and physiology; evolution of reproductive and life history strategies; diversification, and speciation. Ramesh Raina, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Jawaharlal Nehru (New Delhi), 1991. Genetic and molecular mechanisms regulating plant-pest interactions; functional genomics of cell signaling in plants. Mark E. Ritchie, Professor; Ph.D., Michigan, 1987. Plant-animal interactions and community ecology. Emphasis on how insect and mammalian herbivores interact with grassland plant communities and ecosystems and how the species diversity of these groups changes across space and continental environmental gradients. Research employs both mathematical, field experimental, and data synthesis methods in Minnesota, Utah, and South Africa. John M. Russell, Professor; Ph.D., Utah, 1971. Ionic homeostasis and cell biology; causes and roles of effects of human cytomegalovirus on host cell ionic transport processes; basic mechanisms, regulation, and protein trafficking of the coupled Na,K,Cl cotransporter. William T. Starmer, Professor; Ph.D., Arizona, 1972. Ecological genetics of microorganisms and insects. The lab investigates the reasons for general and specific associations of yeasts, Drosophila, and their host plants; the coadaptation of yeasts and their insect vectors; and the community organization of yeast, including widespread geographic studies of “killer” yeasts. J. Albert C. Uy, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Maryland, College Park, 2000. Behavioral ecology; sexual selection; animal communication and signal evolution; evolution of premating isolation. Roy D. Welch, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Wisconsin–Madison, 1997. Behavioral genetics of self-organization in bacterial biofilms. Jason R. Wiles, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., McGill. Biology and science education; teaching and learning of biological evolution. Larry L. Wolf, Professor; Ph.D., Berkeley, 1966. Behavior and ecology. Behavioral investigations, including studies of mating systems, foraging, aggression, and life history traits, are aimed at elucidating proximate and ultimate environmental influences and their interactions with the characteristics of the organism. The group also investigates the role of behavior in community organization. Correspondence and Information Syracuse University Graduate Program Secretary Department of Biology 107 College Place, Life Science Complex Syracuse, New York 13244-1220 Telephone: 315-443-9154 Fax: 315-443-2156 Email: biology@syr.edu
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