There are fifteen faculty members in the Department of Microbial and Molecular Pathogenesis that serve as mentors for students pursuing doctoral studies. Their research interests cover molecular biology, virology, immunology and microbial pathogenesis. Currently 15 graduate students are pursuing a Ph.D. in our department.

Requirements for Ph.D. in Medical Sciences

Students specializing in Microbial and Molecular Pathogenesis will receive in-depth coursework in basic disciplines that comprise the biological processes underlying microbial pathogenesis. These include:

• Cell and Molecular Biology (MSCI 601)
• Microbial Pathogenesis of Human Disease (MMIM 601)
• General Biochemistry (BICH 603)

Other core courses include Statistics and a course in Professionalism and Ethics. Additional course work may be selected by the student and his/her advisory committee, according to the individual educational objectives of the student. Elective courses available to students include Immunoregulation, Virology, Bacterial Physiology, Bacterial Genetics, Genomics, Cell Biology, Electron Microscopy and many others in the Colleges of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture and Life Sciences of Texas A&M University. The remainder of the course credits for the Ph.D. are earned through participation in seminars and journal clubs and thesis research. Although there is no teaching requirement for the Ph.D., teaching assignments can be arranged for students who wish to gain experience in this area.

Financial Support

For first and second year graduate students, stipends (Research Assistantships) are available from the College of Medicine. Advanced graduate students are generally funded directly from research grants of individual faculty. Several departmental faculty members also participate in training grant programs that award stipend support to graduate students.

Research Facilities

The Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine basic science faculty occupy the Reynolds Medical Building, a four-story modern research facility on the campus of Texas A&M University located adjacent to the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Medical Sciences Library. The Department of Microbial and Molecular Pathogenesis is located on the fourth floor of the Reynolds Medical Building. In addition to individual research laboratories, the fourth floor contains a laser flow cytometry unit, a photographic darkroom, and a BL3 biohazard suite.

Cost of Study

The 2008-2009 tuition for Texas residents is $103 per semester credit hour. Nonresident and international student tuition is $456 per semester credit hour, but those nonresident and international students who hold Graduate Assistantships pay the same tuition as Texas residents.

Cost of Living

Students living off campus pay between $400-$600 per month for rent. Additional information is available from the Texas A&M University Housing Office (979-845-4744).

Location

The Texas A&M Health Science Center is located in College Station, Texas. The adjacent cities of Bryan and College Station have a combined population of about 120,000. The community offers good school systems, a regional shopping mall, and a variety of other retail outlets. Students can take advantage of the cultural and intellectual activities associated with an academic community, as well as the many outdoor recreational activities. The two cities maintain 40 parks, six swimming pools, several public golf courses, and numerous tennis courts. In addition, there are a number of private and University recreational facilities.

Emily Wilson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Phone: (979) 862-8673
Email: emilyw@tamu.edu