Jump To:  Graduate Search  >  Institution  >  College/School      

My Saved Schools  |  Print

School Web Site	Program Information	PhD Programs
Apply Now	Faculty	Research Facilities
News and Events

Detailed Information

Programs of Study

The George Washington University’s (GW) interdisciplinary doctoral programs in the biomedical sciences are organized within its Institute for Biomedical Sciences. Students are prepared for careers in research and teaching through an integrated program taught by faculty members from GW’s Columbian College of Arts and Sciences and School of Medicine and Heath Sciences, including scientists from the Children’s Research Institute of Children’s National Medical Center and the National Institutes of Health.

A core curriculum during the first year of graduate training covers macromolecular interactions of proteins and nucleic acids, cell biology, developmental biology, immunology, neurobiology, and metabolism. Laboratory rotations enable students to become more familiar with research techniques, scientific communication, and potential dissertation research projects. After the program area is selected, the student develops a plan of study consistent with that field and begins work on a dissertation research topic under the guidance of an Institute faculty mentor.

Admission to the Institute for Biomedical Sciences is the mechanism whereby students can ultimately become affiliated with the following Ph.D. programs: Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Microbiology and Immunology, and Molecular Medicine.

Research Facilities

Extensive research facilities are available in faculty laboratories in GW’s Medical Center and Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, the Children’s Research Institute as well as through the GW/NIH Graduate Partner Program in selected laboratories of adjunct faculty members at the National Institutes of Health. The University’s Gelman Library and Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library are available to graduate students, and there are numerous government agency and other research libraries in the Washington area, including the National Library of Medicine.

Financial Aid

Institute Fellowships are available on a competitive basis. They carry a $25,000-per-year stipend and 24-credit-hour tuition for the first year (support during the second year is dependent on a satisfactory record during the first year). Subsequently, students are supported by extramural fellowships, scholarships, or research grants to the laboratory in which they are doing their thesis research project. Student tuition and fees are provided in full.

The George Washington University offers one Presidential Merit Fellowship in the Biomedical Sciences that is available on a competitive basis. It carries a $25,000-per-year stipend and 24-credit-hour tuition for two years.

Cost of Study

The cost of tuition for the 2009–10 academic year is $1118 per credit hour, and the cost of student association fees is $1.50 per credit hour.

Living and Housing Costs

Cost of living varies widely according to the type of accommodations and the area in which the student chooses to live. University housing is not generally available.

Student Group

The Institute for Biomedical Sciences admits 10–15 students per year. During the first year, the students participate in the core curriculum and a dissertation adviser and program are chosen at the end of the first academic year. These affiliations are important for the students’ subsequent studies and research.

Location

The George Washington University is located in downtown Washington. In the immediately adjacent areas are the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and many other governmental and cultural institutions. The University’s proximity to the National Institutes of Health, the National Library of Medicine, the Library of Congress, and the Food and Drug Administration are of particular interest to the students in the health sciences.

The University

The George Washington University is both a national and international institution, educating students from fifty states and 150 countries in a climate of academic accomplishment and scholarly integrity. More than 14,000 graduate students, along with over 10,000 undergraduate students, interact with notable faculty members and a myriad of cultural, governmental, corporate, and research institutions in the vibrant atmosphere of one of the world’s most beautiful and influential cities.

The main GW campus is located five blocks from the White House in a historic area of Washington, D.C., known as Foggy Bottom. In addition to the extensive offerings of the on-campus libraries, students may have access through their research committee to a multitude of information and research resources, including the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, and the National Institutes of Health and other associations, nonprofit organizations, and institutions.

Ready transportation to the city’s resources is available through Metro, Washington’s extensive rapid transit system. With a station located on campus, Metro makes the University easily accessible from many parts of the city and the Virginia and Maryland suburbs. The Children’s Research Institute of Children’s Hospital and the National Institutes of Health are also near Metro stations.

Applying

Ph.D. graduate students are admitted to the Institute after a review of their qualifications and an interview. The Admissions Committee seeks students with broad interests and enthusiasm for further in-depth study in the biomedical sciences. It is important that applicants have course work that prepares them for a rigorous core curriculum in modern molecular and cellular biology. Normally, a minimum of a B average is required (3.0 on a 4.0 scale). All applicants must submit GRE General Test scores, three letters of recommendation, transcripts from all institutions attended, and a statement of purpose. International applicants should note that a minimum TOEFL score of 600 (250 on the computer-based test or 100 on the Internet-based test) is required. Applications are accepted for the fall semester only. The deadline for application materials is December 15.

The Faculty and Their Research

• Mahnaz Badamchian, Ph.D. Characterization of thymosins.
• Mark Batshaw, Ph.D. Inborn errors of urea synthesis–gene therapy.
• James F. Battey, M.D. Structure, function, and regulation of G-protein–coupled receptors.
• Patricia Berg, Ph.D. Role of BP1 and other homeobox genes in the progression of breast cancer and prostate cancer.
• Jeff Bethony, Ph.D. Genetic and parasite epidemiology.
• Maria Elena Bottazzi, Ph.D. Host-parasite relationships in hookworm disease.
• Bernard Bouscarel, Ph.D. Role of bile acids in hepatocellular signal transduction.
• Beda Brichacek, Ph.D. HIV pathogenesis.
• Paul Brindley, Ph.D. Schistosomes and other helminth parasites.
• Kenneth Brown, Ph.D. Role of neurotransmitters and hormones in cell differentiation.
• Michael Bukrinsky, Ph.D. Mechanisms of HIV-1 replication and pathogenesis, including virus-cell interactions at the step of entry, transport of viral genome into the nucleus, virus-induced cell-cycle perturbations, cellular innate anti-HIV responses, and impairment of cholesterol metabolism in HIV-infected macrophages.
• Ljubica Caldovic, Ph.D. Nitrogen metabolism and its disorders.
• Susan Ceryak, Ph.D. Carcinogenesis: Survival signaling after genotoxic insult.
• Yi-Wen Chen, Ph.D. Molecular basis of muscle diseases and physiological adaptation using genome-wide approaches.
• Vincent A. Chiappinelli, Ph.D. Properties of neuronal nicotinic receptors.
• Anne Chiaramello, Ph.D. Gene regulatory networks and neurodegenerative disorders.
• Janice Y. Chou, Ph.D. Molecular genetics of human inborn errors of metabolism.
• Anamaris Colberg-Poley, Ph.D. Cytomegalovirus pathogenicity.
• Stephanie Constant, Ph.D. Regulation of inflammatory responses and study of immune evasion mechanisms used by parasites.
• Joshua Corbin, Ph.D. Genetic and cellular basis of development of mammalian amygdala.
• Edward C. DeFabo, Ph.D. UV effects of cellular immunity.
• Louis DePalma, M.D. Gene expression in activated lymphocytes.
• Robert P. Donaldson, Ph.D. Glyoxysomal membrane electron transport.
• Stephen Dopkins, Ph.D. Mechanisms of memory.
• B. J. Fowlkes, Ph.D. T-cell differentiation in the thymus; thymus selection.
• Robert J. Freishtat, M.D., Ph.D. Molecular genetics and immunology of severe sepsis.
• Sydney W. Fu, M.D., Ph.D. Homeobox genes in breast cancer and cancer genetics; bioinformatics.
• Vittorio Gallo, Ph.D. Neurogenesis and gliogenesis; oligodendrocyte development myelination; glial signaling; regulation of glial ionic channels during brain development.
• David Goldman, M.D. Characterization of genetic behavioral differences.
• Allan L. Goldstein, Ph.D. Chemical and biological properties of the thymosins.
• Gaddam Goud, Ph.D. Development of hookworm vaccine.
• Gordon Hager, Ph.D. Transcriptional regulation and chromatin structure.
• Tim G. Hales, Ph.D. Molecular mechanism of action of general anesthetics and opioids.
• Yetrib Hathout, Ph.D. Proteomics and mass spectrometry applications to study the pathophysiology of human diseases.
• John Hawdon, Ph.D. Hookworm development and infection; hookworm population genetics.
• Robert G. Hawley, Ph.D. Regulation of hematopoietic cell development; gene therapy.
• Tarik F. Haydar, Ph.D. Cellular and molecular studies of neural stem cells during development of cerebral cortex.
• L. Patricia Hernandez, Ph.D. Evolution of developmental mechanisms.
• Eric Hoffman, Ph.D. Gene discovery; diagnostic and therapeutics of neurological disorders.
• Peter J. Hotez, M.D., Ph.D. Vaccine development for parasitic and tropical diseases; Human Hookworm Vaccine Initiative.
• Valerie W. Hu, Professor; Ph.D. Genomic and bioinformatic analyses of autism spectrum disorders; biomarkers; mechanistic pathways.
• Arthur Hurwitz, Ph.D. Tumor immunology and tumor vaccine development.
• Steven Jacobson, Ph.D. Pathogenesis of the human disorder multiple sclerosis.
• Aleksandar Jeremic, Ph.D. Molecular endocrinology; nanobiology; brain and islet amyloidosis.
• Diana Johnson, Ph.D. Population genetics and molecular evolution.
• Fatah Kashanchi, Ph.D. Genomics and proteomics of human viruses; mutation analysis of HIV-1 and HTLV-1; use of cell-cycle inhibitor to study viral infections; molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis related to HIV-1, HTLV-1, and HHV-8.
• Jonathan R. Keller, Ph.D. Molecular and cellular biology of hematopoiesis.
• Katherine A. Kennedy, Ph.D. Molecular actions of antitumor drugs.
• Imtiaz Khan, Ph.D. Immune responses to infections by opportunistic pathogens.
• Andrei Komarov, Ph.D. Nitric oxide; biochemistry and detection; biomedical applications of electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy.
• Jay H. Kramer, Ph.D. Mechanisms of myocardial injury.
• Janette Krum, Ph.D. Astroglial and vascular mechanisms in brain repair; roles of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in CNS repair and development.
• Ajit Kumar, Ph.D. RNA-protein interactions.
• Rakesh Kumar, Ph.D. Coregulator biology.
• Stephan Ladisch, M.D. Metabolism and biological functions of tumor gangliosides.
• Raj Lakshman, Ph.D. Coronary heart disease; lipids; metabolic and genetic obesity; hepatoxins; gene regulation and expression; retinoids.
• Patricia S. Latham, M.D. Monocyte gene regulation and cytokine response.
• Norman H. Lee, Ph.D. Studying mRNA regulation and global patterns of gene expression with DNA microarrays.
• David Leitenberg, M.D., Ph.D. Regulation of T-lymphocyte activation and development.
• Craig Linebaugh, Ph.D. Neurologic speech and language disorders.
• Bai Lu, Ph.D. Neurotrophic regulation of synapse development and plasticity.
• Tobey MacDonald, M.D. Molecular biology of childhood brain tumors.
• I. Tong Mak, Ph.D. Oxidative endothelial-cell injury.
• H. George Mandel, Ph.D. Cancer drug metabolism.
• Timothy A. McCaffrey, Ph.D. Cardiovascular disease: genomics and stem cells.
• Ronald D. McKay, Ph.D. Brain development from stem cells to synapses.
• David Mendelowitiz, Ph.D. Electrophysiology of central cardiorespiratory neurons; anesthetics; nicotine receptors; viral tracing.
• Sally A. Moody, Ph.D. Molecular determination of neuronal phenotypes.
• Hiroki Morizono, Ph.D. Nitrogen metabolism and its disorders.
• Bernard Moss, Ph.D. Molecular characterization of vaccinia virus.
• Kanneboyina Nagaraju, Ph.D. Mechanisms of initiation and perpetuation of autoimmune and inflammatory responses in systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases.
• Sergei Nekhai, Ph.D. HIV/AIDS.
• Frances P. Noonan, Ph.D. UV-radiation carcinogenesis.
• Stephen J. O’Brien, Ph.D. Population and evolutionary genetics.
• Travis O’Brien, Ph.D. Chromium toxicity; carcinogenesis.
• Jan Orenstein, M.D., Ph.D. Diagnostic electron microscopy; autopsy pathology; HIV/AIDS.
• Randall K. Packer, Ph.D. Renal ion and acid-base balance.
• Roger Packer, M.D. Neurologic and cognitive outcomes in cancer patients.
• Terence Partridge, Ph.D. Targeted exon-skipping as a therapeutic strategy.
• Steven R. Patierno, Ph.D. Molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis and metastasis.
• David C. Perry, Ph.D. Neuronal apoptosis; nicotinic receptors.
• Kenna D. Peusner, Ph.D. Central vestibular neural circuit development.
• John Philbeck, Ph.D. Human visual space perception and navigation.
• Ligia Pinto, Ph.D. Immune response to HPV and HIV.
• Joseph Pinzone, M.D. Cellular differentiation; endocrinology; metabolism; tumor; translational research.
• Sasa Radoja, Ph.D. Development and lytic function of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes.
• Patricio Ray, M.D. HIV and renal injury; pediatric renal disease.
• Marcos Rojkind, M.D., Ph.D. Fibrogenic mechanisms of alcohol and hepatitis C virus; oxidative stress and scarring of the liver; laminin-binding proteins of hepatocytes and hepatomas.
• Brian Rood, M.D. Tumor suppression genes and brain cancer.
• Mary C. Rose, Ph.D. Mucin glycoproteins, inflammatory mediators, and airway diseases.
• Jeffrey M. Rosenstein, Ph.D. Vascular changes in brain tumors.
• Lawrence A. Rothblat, Ph.D. Psychobiology of memory.
• Rita Teresa Roy, M.D. Bioinformatics; distance learning.
• Anthony Sandler, M.D. Immunotherapeutic strategies for tumor suppression.
• Thomas D. Sargent, Ph.D. Control of tissue differentiation.
• Narine Sarvazyan, Ph.D. Cellular origins of arrhythmias.
• Jeffrey Schlom, Ph.D. Tumor immunology.
• Pam Schwartzberg, M.D., Ph.D. T-lymphocyte signal transduction; T-lymphocyte activation and development.
• Gary L. Simon, M.D., Ph.D. Treatment of HIV infection; metabolic complications of antiretroviral therapy; sepsis and septic shock.
• L. Courtney Smith, Ph.D. Evolution of innate immunity.
• Eva M. Sorenson, Ph.D. Localization and function of neuronal nicotinic receptors.
• Mary Ann Stepp, Ph.D. Cell-cell and cell-substrate interactions.
• Yan A. Su, M.D., Ph.D. Microarray and bioinformatics; tumor suppressor gene.
• Mendel Tuchman, M.D. Nitrogen metabolism and its disorders.
• Jack Vanderhoek, Ph.D. Eicosanoid metabolism.
• Stanisku Vukmanovic, M.D., Ph.D. T-cell repertoire selection; maintenance and survival of peripheral T cells.
• Glenn Walker, Ph.D. Techniques in teaching biochemistry for graduate students and medical students.
• William B. Weglicki, M.D. Mechanisms of injury of myocardial membranes and cells.
• Thomas E. Wellems, M.D., Ph.D. Malaria.
• Linda L. Werling, Ph.D. Regulation of cerebral catecholamine release; nicotinic, sigma, and PCP receptors.
• Alexander Wlodawer, Ph.D. Structure-function relationship of proteins by the method of X-ray crystallography; particular targets include proteases, kinases, lectins, and cytokines and their receptors.
• Irene Zohn, Ph.D. Identification of novel genes required for early morphogenic events such as gastrulation and neural tube closure.

Correspondence and Information

The George Washington University
For information:
Institute for Biomedical Sciences
Ross Hall, Room 605
2300 Eye Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
Telephone: 202-994-2179
Fax: 202-994-0967
Email: gwibs@gwu.edu


The George Washington University
For application forms:
Columbian College of Arts and Sciences
Phillips Hall, Room 107
Washington, D.C. 20052
Telephone: 202-994-6210
Fax: 202-994-6213
Email: askccas@gwu.edu