The overall educational goal of this track is to prepare future biomedical researchers who can interact effectively with the spectrum of clinical providers and community members, and function efficiently within large research teams, either as members or as team leaders. The curriculum in this track is designed to provide a strong foundation in biological science along with activities that will encourage team-oriented projects, enhance communication between team members from different disciplinary backgrounds, develop leadership skills, and provide the foundation for broad understanding of pertinent scientific, medical, and regulatory issues.

Gary Adams, D.V.M./Ph.D. -- College Station
Professor
Veterinary Pathobiology
Research Interests: Select agents – Intracellular bacterial pathogens - Brucella, Mycobacterium, Salmonella and extracellular Mycoplasma; infectious diseases; molecular mechanisms of host-pathogen interaction in immunity and disease.

Gianfranco Alpini, Ph.D. -- Temple
Professor
Internal Medicine
Research Interests: The pathophysiology of intrahepatic bile duct epithelial cells or cholangiocytes, which line the intrahepatic biliary tree inside the liver.

Kenneth M. Baker, M.D. -- Temple
Professor
Division of Molecular Cardiology
Research Interests: Understanding the biochemical and molecular mechanisms that regulate cardiac cell growth.

Raymond Carrol, Ph.D. -- College Station
Distinguished Professor
Statistics
Research Interests: Measurement error models, semiparametric regression, transformations and weighting in regression, molecular biology in nutrition, deconvolution, functional data analysis, case-control studies, nutritional and radiation epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, marine biology, longitudinal data, data that are missing not at random and robustness.

Rob Chapkin, Ph.D. -- College Station
Regents Professor
Nutrition and Food Science
Research Interests: The impact of dietary fat and fiber on the cellular "signaling cascades" in the colon. His laboratory is involved in Systems Biology, the modeling and understanding at the molecular level of the dynamic relationships among diet and biological molecules which regulate colon cancer development.

Zhilei Chen Ph.D. -- College Station
Assistant Professor
Chemical Engineering
Research Interests Using protein engineering principles to engineer novel agents for the treatment of various viral infections, including hepatitis C virus and HIV. She also is working toward developing new technologies to facilitate applications such as gene therapy, tissue engineering, drug delivery and identification of novel drug targets.

John Criscione -- College Station
Associate Professor
Biomedical Engineer
Research Interests: Biomedical optical sensing and imaging and biomechanics, including emphasis on mechanobiology -the response of the biological system to stress.

Allison Ficht, Ph.D. - College Station
Regents Professor
Molecular and Cellular Medicine
Research Interests: Use of unique biomaterials for controlled release of live and subunit vaccines and the study of alpha crystalline structure and function.

Terry Fossum, D.V.M./Ph.D. –- College Station
Professor
Small Animal Clinical Science
Research Interests: Cardiovascular surgery; myocardial ischemia and angiogenesis; cardiac assist devices; cardiopulmonary bypass; hypertension; canine chronic degenerative valve disease, canine cardiomyopathy

Art Frankel, M.D. -- Temple
Professor
Internal Medicine
Research Interests: Hematology and medical oncology

Rene Garcia, Ph.D. –- College Station
Associate Professor
Biology
Research Interests: The focus of the lab is to understand how simple neural-muscular circuits are assembled, and how the behavioral outputs of those circuits are controlled by the external environment and the physiological state of the organism. We use the round worm C. elegans to dissect the cellular and molecular regulation that control feeding and sexual reproduction in both sexes.

Suzy Gulliver, Ph.D. -- Temple
Professor
Psychiatry and Behavioral Science
Research Interests: Substance abuse and PTSD

Magnus Hook, Ph.D. -- Houston
Regents Professor
Center for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases
Research Interests: The molecular pathogenesis of infections and inflammatory diseases. We are interested in two key areas in the pathogenic process; microbial adherence to host tissue and microbial evasion of host defense systems.

David P. Huston, M.D. – Houston
Professor
Microbial & Molecular Pathogenesis
Research Interests: The overall goal of his laboratory is to understand mechanisms regulating inflammation and thereby develop strategies for modulating immune responses.

Richard Kreider, Ph.D. -- College Station
Professor and Head
Health and Kinesiology
Research Interests: Exercise physiology, the role of exercise and nutrition on health, disease, performance and rehabilitation, and sport nutrition.

Lih Kuo, Ph.D. -– Temple
Professor
Microbial & Molecular Pathogenesis
Research Interests: The overall goal of his laboratory is to understand mechanisms regulating inflammation and thereby develop strategies for modulating immune responses.

Julian Leibowitz, M.D., Ph.D. -- College Station
Professor
Microbial & Molecular Pathogenesis
Research Interests: The replication of the murine coronavirus MHV (mouse hepatitis virus) and the molecular and genetic basis of its interactions with the host.

Margarita Martinez-Moczygemba, Ph.D -- Houston
Assistant Professor
Microbial & Molecular Pathogenesis
Research Interests: Research Interests: The research focus of our laboratory is to understand the molecular mechanisms controlling interleukin-5 receptor endocytosis and signal termination. Currently, we are investigating how the ubiquitin/proteasome degradation pathway controls the endocytic trafficking of the IL-5 receptor.

Robert Rosa, M.D. -- Temple
Professor and Vice-chair for Research
Ophthalmology
Research Interests: Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Macular and Retinal Diseases, Ophthalmic Pathology.

Steve Safe, Ph.D. – Houston/College Station
Professor
Center for Environmental and Genetic Medicine
Research Interests: The molecular biology of cancer cell growth and development of new mechanism-based anticancer drugs, with emphasis in the areas of molecular biology of endocrine disruption chemicals, mechanisms of toxicity, breast cancer including mechanisms and therapeutics, pancreatic, prostate, colon, and bladder cancer including mechanisms of growth and effects of PPARyagonists.

James Samuel, Ph.D. -- College Station
Professor and Chair
Microbial & Molecular Pathogenesis
Research Interests: The obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen, Coxiella burnetii, the etiologic agent of Q fever and a category B biothreat agent. The long-term goal of this research is to understand the molecular pathogenic mechanisms involved in the host-pathogen interaction.

Manjit Sanghera, Ph.D. –- Temple
Assistant Professor
Scott & White Neurosciences Institute
Research Interests: Neurophysiologial mapping to treat Parkinson's Disease, multiple sclerosis and dystonia. A current research interest is the underlying mechanisms of the pathophysiology of Parkinson's Disease.

Steve Wright, Ph.D. –- College Station
Professor
Biomedical Engineering
Research Interests: To develop new methods and technology to improve magnetic resonance imaging and to train students in MRI, RF, applied electromagnetics, and image and signal processing.

David C. Zawieja, Ph.D. -- Temple
Professor
Associate Department Head
Systems Biology & Translational Medicine
Research Interests: To investigates the microcirculatory movement of fluid and macromolecules. Our interests include the control and regulation of fluid and macromolecular exchange and transport throughout the three microcirculatory compartments: the microvascular compartment, the interstitial compartment, and the lymphatic compartment.