Required Curricula for the Therapeutics Graduate Program
Required Courses
Please note this section is currently under construction. If you have questions about the curricula please contact Curriculum Fellow Catherine Dubreuil @ catherine_dubreuil@hms.harvard.edu
1. Neurobiology 306qc, Quantitative Methods for Biologists
2. BCMP 301qc. Translational Pharmacology
Catalog Number: 97487
January Term
Donald M. Coen (Medical School) 7617 and David E. Golan (Medical School) 1558
3. BCMP 309qc. Principles of Drug Action in Man
Spring Semester (Quarter Course)(Starts 1/29/13)
Tim Mitchison (Harvard Medical School)
Tuesday/Thursday 3:30pm to 5:50 pm
4. BCMP 307qc. Molecular Approaches to Drug Discovery and Design
Spring Semester (Quarter Course)(Starts 3/12/13)
Nathanael Gray (Harvard Medical School)
Tuesday/Thursday 3:30pm to 5:50 pm
5. Experimental Design for Biologists
6. BCMP 235, Human Physiology and Pathophysiology
Required Internship: students will be required to complete ONE of the following:
1. Industry Internship
2. Clinical Investigation and Trials Internship
3. Regulatory Internship
Required Paracurricular Activities
1. Monthly Meetings (including seminars, discussion groups, internship progress meetings)
2. Annual Symposium
Nanocourses
Link to the Nanocourse and Quarter Course Website
Nanocourses are quick mini-courses lasting for two days. They meet for a minimum of 6 hours over a period of 2 days. The first session is lecture-based and is taught by 2 or more faculty members over 3-4 hours. The lectures are contiguous and aim to provide an advanced level of knowledge on current research areas, specific experimental approaches and new technologies. This lecture-based session is open to the entire Harvard community. The second session is discussion-based and is intended only for students taking the nanocourse for credit. Nanocourses topics are continually being updated; the following is a sampling of nanocourses that are currently offered as well as courses completed last fall:
Quarter Courses
Link to the Nanocourse and Quarter Course Website
A quarter course is a half semester course that focuses on a specific topic, usually in the area of expertise of the faculty. Quarter courses are required to meet for at least 18 hours during the semester. Classes typically meet for one 2-hour session per week.There are optimally 5 to 10 graduate students from the Division of Medical Sciences in each course. Quarter courses are continually being updated; the following are examples of ones related to pharmacological sciences that have been offered in the past:
BCMP 301qc. Translational Pharmacology
Catalog Number: 97487
Enrollment: Enrollment may be limited.
Donald M. Coen (Medical School) 7617 and David E. Golan (Medical School) 1558
All students in BBS are required to have a graduate level background in cell biology, biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology. All BBS students are required to take a total of 8 courses. The only specific course required of all BBS students is “Analysis of the Biological Literature” (Micro 230); it is a critical reading course held during the fall semester of year 1. Fulfillment of the remaining course requirements can be satisfied from a wide variety of core courses as well as a number of specialized courses in pharmacological sciences.
Link to Division of Medical Sciences Course Listings
Core Courses in BBS
Fall of Year 1
Core Courses
Microbiology 230. Analysis of the Biological Literature
Catalog Number: 3791
Elaine A. Elion (Medical School), Welcome W. Bender (Medical School), Michael Demian Blower (Medical School), Dipanjan Chowdhury, Nika Danial (Medical School), Stephen J. Elledge (Medical School), Marcia C. Haigis (Medical School), J. Wade Harper (Medical School), Elizabeth Petri Henske, Jonathan M. G. Higgins (Medical School), Dimitrios Iliopoulos, Raghu Kalluri (Medical School), Jordan A. Kreidberg (Medical School), Cammie Lesser (Medical School), Danesh Moazed (Medical School), Adrian Salic (Medical School), David A. Sinclair (Medical School), Kevin Struhl (Medical School), Sheila Thomas (Medical School), Wenyi Wei (Medical School), David Marc Weinstock, and Johnathan Whetstine (Medical School)
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., 3:00-6:00.
Critical analysis of original research articles in intensive small group discussions. Analyze range of papers in biochemistry, genetics, microbiology, and cell and developmental biology in terms of context, hypotheses, methods, results and future experiments.
Note: This course is required for first year BBS students. Students who are not first year BBS are welcome to contact the course director to determine if space and receive course materials in advance of class.
Organizational Meeting: Thursday, September 1, 2011, 3 PM
Location: TMEC Bldg., Room 250
Course Head: Elaine Elion, elaine_elion@hms.harvard.edu
Genetics 201. Principles of Genetics
Catalog Number: 4225
Fred Winston (Medical School), Ann Hochschild (Medical School), and Mitzi I. Kuroda (Medical School) Curriculum Fellow: Leah Brault
Half course (fall term). M., W., F., 9-10:30.
An in-depth survey of genetics, beginning with basic principles and extending to modern approaches and special topics. We will draw on examples from various systems, including yeast, Drosophila, C. elegans, mouse, human and bacteria. Note: Intended for first-year graduate students. Offered jointly with the Medical School as GN 701.0.
First Meeting: Friday, September 2, 2011 9 AM
Location: Cannon Room
Course Head: Fred Winston, winston@genetics.med.harvard.edu
BCMP 200. Molecular Biology
Catalog Number: 5591
Richard Ian Gregory (Medical School), Kami Ahmad (Medical School), Stephen Buratowski (Medical School), Joseph John Loparo, Jack Szostak (Medical School), and Johannes Walter (Medical School) Curriculum Fellow: Johanna Gulterner
Half course (fall term). M., W., F., 10:45-12:15.
An advanced treatment of molecular biology’s Central Dogma. Considers the molecular basis of information transfer from DNA to RNA to protein, using examples from eukaryotic and prokaryotic systems. Lectures, discussion groups, and research seminars. Note: Offered jointly with the Medical School as BP 723.0.
Prerequisite: Intended primarily for graduate students familiar with basic molecular biology or with strong biology/chemistry background.
First Meeting: Wednesday, August 31, 10:45 AM
Final Meeting: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 10:45 AM
Location: Cannon Room
Course Head: Richard Gregory, rgregory@enders.tch.harvard.edu
Spring of Year1
Core Courses
Cell Biology 201. Molecular Biology of the Cell
Catalog Number: 1044
Sheila Thomas (Medical School), Joan V. Ruderman (Medical School), and members of the Department
Half course (spring term). M., W., 10:30-12, and sections F., at 10:30-12.
Molecular basis of cellular dynamics: subcellular compartmentalization, protein trafficking, regulated ubiquitin-proteasome pathways, cell cycle logic, cytoskeleton dynamics, motors, signal transduction, cell-cell interactions, and programmed cell death, with emphasis on experimental design, evolving methodologies, and relevance to disease.
Note: Offered jointly with the Medical School as CB 713.0. Prerequisite: Basic knowledge in biochemistry, genetics and cell biology.
First Meeting Day: Monday, January 23, 2012, 10:30 AM
Location: Cannon Room
Course Head: Sheila Thomas, sthomas@fas.harvard.edu, Joan Ruderman, joan_ruderman@hms.harvard.edu
BCMP 201. Proteins: Structure, Function and Catalysis
Catalog Number: 5068
Stephen C. Blacklow (Medical School), Gaudenz Danuser (Medical School), Stephen Harrison (Medical School), and Peter Sorger (Medical School)
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., 9:30 - 11
Macromolecular structure with emphasis on biochemistry , interactions and catalysis in cellular processes and pathways. Links between theory and observation will emerge from discussion of fundamental principles, computational approaches and experimental methods. Note: The course is intended for all Division of Medical Sciences (DMS) graduate students and is open to advanced undergraduates. Offered jointly with the Medical School as BP 714.0.
First Meeting Day: Tuesday, January 24, 2012, 9:30 AM
Location: Cannon Room
Course Head: Stephen Blacklow, sblacklow@rics.bwh.harvard.edu
ADDITIONAL COURSES SHOULD BE TAKEN DURING SPRING OF YEAR 1 AND EITHER SEMESTER OF YEAR 2