Overview
The Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences at Emory Offers Students Unique Research Opportunities
Emory University has a diverse campus, with nearly 6,000 graduate and professional students. The Laney Graduate School has over thirty graduate programs, including the internationally recognized Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences. Emory generates more research funding than any other university in Georgia, and is one of the Top 20 best-funded research institutions in the country in terms of NIH research funding. Emory is one of the major biological research and medical referral centers in the Southeast, and one of the fastest growing medical centers in the United States, making it an ideal place for graduate students to perform scientific research. Emory provides students with unique opportunities to work with world-renowned researchers who are located on or near the Emory campus, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, and the American Cancer Society.
The Emory campus itself is located just a few miles east of downtown Atlanta, giving students a wide range of activities to take advantage of in the local metropolitan area. The Winship Cancer Institute is located on campus and recently earned the prestigious National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Center designation. With NCI designation, Winship Cancer Institute joins the ranks of the nation's elite cancer research and treatment facilities and becomes one of only sixty-five NCI Cancer Centers in the United States. The faculty, facilities, research funding, and other resources available to Emory students give them the tools and training necessary to excel in their field and they are prepared for jobs in many different areas. These include faculty and postdoctoral positions at top research universities; positions in prestigious institutions such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health; and positions in law, government, and the pharmaceutical industry.
Students at Emory Enjoy a Green Campus and Suburban Life in Proximity to the Major Metropolitan City of Downtown Atlanta
Emory University's campus consists of more than 700 acres near the suburb of Druid Hills, and more than half of its campus has been set aside as protected green space. The Druid Hills area offers a quiet, suburban, and pedestrian-friendly environment that includes green space and an abundance of trees. The city of Atlanta is only six miles from campus and is largely considered the cultural and industrial center of the Southeast.
New buildings are designed in accordance with the architectural style of the campus and follow Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) guidelines. Emory has some of the largest square footage of LEED-certified buildings on any campus in the nation, and is one of eleven colleges that received a "Princeton Review" Green Rating of 99 (a perfect score) in its Best 368 Colleges Honor Roll list.
Training in the Eight Graduate-Division Ph.D. Programs is Interdisciplinary, Interdepartmental, and Flexible
All Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences programs are interdisciplinary and research-intensive, equipping students with both the broad foundational knowledge and the in-depth training required for them to be successful in their chosen fields upon receiving their Ph.D. degrees. There is great flexibility in tailoring graduate education to the particular needs and interests of each student. Students enter into one of the eight Ph.D. programs and typically complete three rotations before affiliating with a faculty member for their dissertation research. Because of the Division structure, every student potentially has access to training with any of the over 300 faculty members affiliated with the training programs.
The Biochemistry, Cell, and Developmental Biology Program trains students to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of biological processes and to understand physiological and developmental processes in the context of the cell as a fundamental unit.
The Genetics and Molecular Biology Program offers a wide range of research opportunities in bacterial, human, and eukaryotic model genetic systems that enables students to specialize in an area of interest while obtaining an essential foundation in genetics.
The Immunology and Molecular Pathogenesis Program offers interdisciplinary training in molecular and cellular immunology, the role of the immune system in the pathogenesis of infectious disease, and virology.
The Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Program provides training in the study of microorganisms as well as in the use of microbial models to investigate basic problems in molecular genetics, microbial physiology, and microbial pathogenesis.
The Molecular and Systems Pharmacology Program teaches students how today's drugs work and how tomorrow's drugs might be developed. Emory is considered by many to be the world's top university for pharmacology and toxicology research.
The Neuroscience Program provides training in the study of the nervous system, with emphasis on cellular, molecular, and system levels of organization. A significant training component is also devoted to the understanding and treatment of neurological and psychiatric diseases.
The Nutrition and Health Sciences Program integrates the fields of nutrition and public health sciences and provides students with the necessary skills to investigate the relationship between nutrition and human health from biochemical, clinical, and population perspectives.
The Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution Program provides training in population biology, ecology, and evolution of infectious diseases and microorganisms, as well as the genetic and molecular foundations of evolutionary processes.
Students Receive Tuition Scholarships, Health Insurance, and Stipends, and Enjoy a Low Cost of Living in the Area
Students admitted to the Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences receive a financial support package that includes a tuition scholarship, health insurance, and stipend. The stipend for the 2009-10 academic year is $24,500. In addition, several competitive fellowships are offered to outstanding applicants each year. These fellowships provide students with a supplement to their stipend that ranges from $2,000 to $5,000 per year for five years, depending on the award. Students who apply for and receive external funding that provides at least 75 percent of their stipend receive a $2,000 supplement to their stipend each year for the duration of the award. The cost of living in suburban Atlanta compares very favorably to other university cities, and in only rare instances is the cost of living in the Emory area higher than that of comparable universities.
