Baylor College of Medicine - Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics - Overview
An Overview of Baylor College of Medicine's Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
The Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) utilizes the most advanced technologies and facilities to understand basic biological mechanisms and determine how their aberration leads to disease. The Department's world-class investigators are very interactive and bring a wide range of expertise to study the impact of diseases from the molecular level to that of the whole organism. This collaborative approach extends to the graduate program with the goal of offering the broadest base possible for students to approach their thesis research.
Additionally, the DeBakey Heart Center Cardiovascular Sciences Track focuses on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of cardiovascular function, development, injury and disease as a track within the Molecular Physiology graduate program. A vigorous program of seminars, workshops, and journal clubs exposes the cutting-edge of specialized fields of research for student's career development. Students have access to a varied curriculum that includes physiology, biophysics, cell and molecular biology, genetics, microbiology, pharmacology, mathematics, computer sciences, physics, and neuroscience.
The Department takes a proactive role in career development for its students and postdoctoral fellows. Two highly interactive grant writing courses for first and second year students and postdocs are offered, and workshops, seminars, and personalized assistance are available for investigation of individual career options, career development, and career preparation.
Research Facilities at BCM
The Department occupies 33, 500 square feet of contiguous space with recently constructed laboratories equipped for electrophysiology, spectroscopy, protein biochemistry, multiphoton and confocal microscopy, X-ray crystallography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), echocardiography, genomic transcriptional variation, recombinant DNA technology, and a state-of-the-art departmental core facility dedicated towards the rapid production and characterization of transgenic, knockout and conditional mouse models of human disease.
The Department has a goal to translate basic research breakthroughs into actual applications to improve human health, offering an opportunity for students to train in translational research at the largest collection of medical facilities in the world, the Texas Medical Center. The Houston Academy of Medicine Texas-Texas Medical Center Library, across the street from Baylor College of Medicine, contains 76,500 square feet of space, and holds over 357,000 book and journal volumes, 172 electronic databases, 9,000 electronic journals and the John P. McGovern Historical Collections and Research Center.
Financial Aid
Costs for Ph.D. students are normally covered by scholarships awarded by the College. Tuition scholarships are available to all students. Stipends for entering Ph.D. students are $29,000 for the 2011-12 academic year. Health insurance is provided for students; additional financial aid is also available. Requests for information regarding financial aid should be addressed to the Financial Aid Office, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030.
Cost of Study in the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
Upon acceptance into the program, tuition in most cases is covered by a scholarship or tuition waiver. Tuition for the 2011-12 academic year is $1100. Students pay a one-time matriculation fee of $25, a one-time graduation fee of $140 during the fourth year, and a student fee of $150 for the first year and $20 for subsequent years. Students on temporary visas also pay an annual international services fee of $75 for an F-1 visa or $100 for a J-1 visa.
Living and Housing Costs at Baylor College of Medicine
One residence hall, located adjacent to Baylor College of Medicine in the Texas Medical Center, offers fully furnished rooms and apartments that are moderately priced. There are also a wide range of privately owned furnished and unfurnished apartments and houses available nearby. Housing in Houston is reasonably priced compared with other major U.S. cities, and the Medical Center is located near several of the most interesting and livable neighborhoods in the city. Baylor is also near the Metro Rail Service, which provides convenient transportation to the Medical Center, nearby apartments, and downtown Houston.
An Eclectic Group of Students Brings Varied Academic Backgrounds
The graduate students in the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics constitute an eclectic group with academic backgrounds from physics to biology. They are an integral part of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, with approximately 580 students enrolled, including 105 first-year students enrolled in 2010-11. The Department also maintains a vigorous postdoctoral training program that includes research fellows and visiting scientists.
Houston Is a Vibrant Scientific and Industrial Center
As the nation's fourth-largest city, Houston is rated by Kiplinger as the "number 1 best city to live, work and play" as well as being a vibrant scientific and industrial center. Its symphony orchestra, grand opera, ballet, theater companies, and art museums, many close to the Texas Medical Center, are nationally recognized. The Medical Center is close to Rice Village, Midtown Houston and the Montrose district, with more than 11,000 restaurants that feature nearly every type of cuisine and price range and night life options abound in the revitalized downtown area, as well as many other parts of town. Recreational activities abound, with facilities and opportunities for a wide range of professional and amateur sports. The Texas Medical Center adjoins Hermann Park, which includes a zoo, a garden center, the Miller Outdoor Theater, the Museum of Natural Science, the Burke-Baker Planetarium, a golf course, tennis courts, jogging tracks, and picnic areas.
About Baylor College of Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, the only private medical school in the Greater Southwest, is recognized as a premier academic health science center and is known for excellence in education, research, and patient care. Located in the Texas Medical Center, Baylor College of Medicine has affiliations with eight teaching hospitals, each known for medical excellence. BCM currently trains more than 3,000 medical, graduate, nurse anesthesia, and physician assistant students, as well as residents and postdoctoral fellows. For 2011, U.S.News & World Report ranked BCM as one of the top 25 medical schools for research. BCM is listed 17th among all U.S. medical schools for National Institutes of Health funding, and second in the nation in federal funding for research and development in the biological sciences at universities and colleges by the National Science Foundation. The college has a total research support of $400 million, with $344 million from federal sources, and more than ninety research and patient-care centers and units.
Applying to Baylor College of Medicine's Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
A free online electronic application can be accessed on the Web at http://www.bcm.edu/gradschool/. The school year begins in August and ends in July; it consists of five terms, each eight weeks long. Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree or a more advanced degree or must be in the final stages of a program leading to a bachelor's degree or the equivalent. Undergraduate course requirements include a year each of general biology, physics, mathematics, chemistry, and organic chemistry, all with a B average or better. The TOEFL is required of all students who have not earned a degree at a university in which the primary language is English. Official transcripts from each college or university attended, letters of evaluation from at least 3 professors, and scores from the Graduate Record Examinations (General Test and Subject Test recommended in biology, chemistry, or biochemistry, cell and molecular biology) must be mailed directly to the School rather than by the applicant. January 1 is the target date for completed applications; early application is encouraged.
Correspondence and Information
Director of Graduate Studies
Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
Baylor College of Medicine
One Baylor Plaza, BCM335
Houston, Texas 77030
Phone: 713-798-5109
Fax: 713-798-3475
E-mail: molphysgrad@bcm.edu
Web site: http://www.bcm.edu/physio