The Ph.D. Programs in Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS) at Harvard Medical School
BBS is an interdepartmental program within the Division of Medical Sciences at Harvard Medical School. Through the Division of Medical Sciences, BBS recommends its candidates to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences of Harvard University for the Ph.D. degree.
*NEW PROGRAM within BBS: Human Biology and Translational Medicine*
We are excited to announce a new program in Human Biology and Translational Medicine (HBTM.) This new program begins in the Fall semester of 2008, and focuses on providing rigorous multidisciplinary training in the fundamental mechanisms and essential methodologies of human biology and disease-oriented research.
Human Biology and Translational Medicine provides training in a discipline that combines the understanding of the basic scientific mechanisms of human biology and disease with its translation into clinical medicine. This new graduate program both builds on and enhances current efforts in human biology and disease-oriented research at HMS, FAS, and Harvard-affiliated institutions. HBTM is configured within the Programs in Biological and Biomedical Sciences within the Division of Medical Sciences at Harvard Medical School.
BBS faculty are primarily drawn from or affiliated with 5 preclinical departments of the Medical School: Cell Biology, Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology (BCMP), Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Pathology, and Genetics. Selected faculty located within area hospitals and institutions are members of BBS and thus are available for rotations and dissertation research by the graduate students in the Program.
BBS offers interdisciplinary research training concentrated in one or more or the following areas: biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, pathology, microbiology, structural biology, pharmacology, virology, developmental biology and computational biology.
The methods and experimental approaches used to address questions within these areas range from the techniques of molecular biology, protein chemistry, morphology and biophysics to those of molecular and developmental genetics. The research of the program faculty and students is aimed at elucidating normal mechanisms, but may well take advantage of sharper questions raised by pathological conditions, such as hereditary abnormalities and neoplastic processes. (For a further breakdown of the areas of research, see the Index at the back of the manual.)
In addition, the Harvard Medical School community has a number of programs that are aimed at bringing people together from different departments and/or institutions to share their work on topics of mutual interest. For example, recently all of the cancer researchers from the Harvard community have united under one research organization, the Dana Farber Harvard Cancer Center. The participating institutions include Beth Israel/Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Children's Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health and Massachusetts General Hospital. The Institute for Chemistry and Cell Biology (ICCB) was started a couple of years ago to bring together biologists and chemists to develop high throughput screens for small molecules that affect biological processes. The Diabetes Research Working Group, whose members include scientific experts and members of the lay community, is working towards securing more money earmarked for diabetes research. There are also a number of informal groups that meet several times a year, again including individuals from different departments and/or institutions. Examples include the Virology Dinner Club, the Membrane Biology Club, and the Cell Cycle Club.
Academic Administration
BBS Program Office, Seely G Mudd Bldg., Room 221, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
Division of Medical Sciences, 260 Longwood Avenue, Harvard
Medical School
DMS Staff |
Title |
Phone |
Location |
Tom Fox
|
Associate Dean for Graduate Education Vice Chair of Division of Medical Sciences |
617-432-2405 |
MEC 432 |
Vivian Holmes |
Director of Finance and Administration |
617-432-2075 |
MEC 432 |
Leah Simons |
Director of Academic Administration |
617-432-0162 |
MEC 435 |
Bob Bridges |
Manager of Information Systems and Data |
617-432-2031 |
MEC 435 |
Valerie Sherman |
Assistant Director of Finance |
617-432-0071 |
MEC 430 |
Program Advising
Each entering student is assigned two faculty members, one who serves as his/her primary program advisor and another who serves as the back-up program advisor. Advisors are assigned by matching the research interest of the student with that of a faculty member from the Subcommittee of Advisors (listed below). Each program advisor has 4 or 5 advisees per incoming class and remains the advisor for each student as he/she progresses through the program. Program advisors provide the majority of advice on academic and non-academic issues in years 1 and 2. They meet with their advisees individually when students first arrive and at the beginning of each semester through year 2. They also sign ALL forms, including study cards (and add-drop forms), Rotation Registration forms and Dissertation Advisor Declaration forms. After each student identifies a Dissertation Advisor, most advice comes from the Dissertation Advisor and from the Dissertation Advisory Committee (see section on Dissertation Advisor and Dissertation Advisory Committee in the following pages).
For the 2007-2008 academic year the members of the Subcommittee of Advisors are:
Information made available to Program Advisors by the BBS Office includes academic background of incoming students, the academic requirements of BBS, the courses available to BBS students, course evaluations, research interests of BBS faculty, dissertation laboratories of BBS students, a list of where students have rotated, labs available for rotations in fall and spring semesters, preliminary exam reports and Dissertation Advisory Committee reports.
Course Requirements
All students in BBS are required to have a graduate level background in cell biology, biochemistry, microbiology, genetics, and molecular biology. All BBS students, with the exception of MD/PhD students, are required to take a total of 8 courses - MD/PhD students are required to take 6 courses, at least one of which must be an upper level reading course. Micro 230 is the only specific course required of all BBS students (including MD/PhD and HBTM students). This course is a critical reading course in the fall semester of year 1. A wide selection of courses are available, including the core courses listed below, upper level reading courses focused on in-depth analysis of the literature, and advanced didactic courses. A current list of all courses is provided to students at the beginning of each semester. Below is a summary of the BBS Core Courses and Micro 230.
For Human Biology and Translational Medicine (HBTM) students, of the eight courses required, there are five courses specified by the HBTM curriculum.
FALL OF YEAR 1
Microbiology 230. Analysis of the Biological Literature - REQUIRED
Elaine A. Elion (Medical School), Alan B. Cantor (Medical School), Stephen Elledge (Medical School), William C. Hahn (Medical School), Edward E. Harlow (Medical School), Jonathan M. G. Higgins (Medical School), Jordan A. Kreidberg (Medical School), Andrea I. McClatchey (Medical School), Charles M. Roberts (Medical School), Ramesh Shivdasani (Medical School), Sheila Thomas (Medical School), and Amy Jo Wagers (Medical School)
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., 4:30–7:30 pm.
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, hypothesis, methods, and objective interpretation of results.
Note: Limited to and required of all first-year BBS students.
Course Head: Elaine A. Elion, elaine_elion@hms.harvard.edu
CORE COURSES - RECOMMENDED
Genetics 201. Principles of Genetics
Fred Winston (Medical School), Anne C. Hart (Medical School), Ann Hochschild (Medical School), and Mitzi I. Kuroda (Medical School)
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.
Course Head: Fred Winston, winston@genetics.med.harvard.edu
BCMP 200. Molecular Biology
Johannes Walter (Medical School), Stephen Buratowski (Medical School), David E. Fisher (Medical School), Richard Gregory (Medical School), Ralph Scully (Medical School), William Shih (Medical School)
Half course (fall term). M., W., F., 10:30–12.
An advanced treatment of the Central Dogma of molecular biology. Considers the molecular basis of genetic information transfer from DNA to RNA to protein, using current 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.
Course Head: Johannes Walter, johannes_walter@hms.harvard.edu
SPRING OF YEAR 1
Cell Biology 201. Molecular Biology of the Cell
Malcolm Whitman (Dental School) and members of the faculty
Half course (spring term). M., W., 10:30–12; and sections F. at 10:30–12.
Topics include the molecular basis of cellular compartmentalization, protein trafficking, cytoskeleton dynamics, mitosis, cell locomotion, cell cycle regulation, signal transduction, cell-cell interaction, and the cellular/biochemical basis of diseases. Methods covered include protein purification, mass spectrometry, and microscopy.
Prerequisite: Basic knowledge in biochemistry and genetics.
Course Head: Malcolm Whitman, mwhitman@hms.harvard.edu
BCMP 201. Proteins: Structure, Function and Catalysis
Michael J. Eck (Medical School), Stephen C. Blacklow (Medical School), Jarrod Marto (Medical School), Frederick P. Roth (Medical School), Timothy Springer (Medical School), and Michael Wolfe (Medical School)
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., 9:30–11, W., 4:30–6.
Protein biochemistry with emphasis on the interrelated roles of protein structure, catalytic activity, and macromolecular interactions in biological processes. Course provides the core background and perspective required to consider and dissect biological problems at a mechanistic, molecular level.
Course Head: Michael J. Eck, eck@red.dfci.harvard.edu
Microbiology 200. Molecular Microbiology and Pathogenesis
Stephen Lory (Medical School) and members of the faculty
Half course (spring term). M., W., F., 9–10:30.
Devoted primarily to bacterial structure, physiology, genetics, regulatory mechanisms and pathogenesis. Class consists of lectures, presentations emphasizing methods, results and interpretation of classic and contemporary literature, guest seminars, and small group discussions of papers.
Note: Offered jointly with the Medical School as MG 726.0.
Course Head: Stephen Lory, stephen_lory@hms.harvard.edu
ADDITIONAL COURSES SHOULD BE TAKEN DURING SPRING OF YEAR I AND EITHER SEMESTER OF YEAR 2
The Program recommends that at least some of these courses be upper level reading courses focused on an in-depth analysis of the literature. A list of recommended courses will be provided prior to the beginning of each semester.
Laboratory Rotations
It is required that students in BBS will undertake 2 laboratory rotations before selecting a Dissertation Advisor. We strongly recommend 3 lab rotations. Through rotations, students have a chance to learn about different research areas and laboratories. Rotations give students the opportunity to explore important questions asked in different fields and the many approaches that are used to address these questions. The purpose of the rotation is to facilitate the choice of the dissertation laboratory, not to accomplish a research project.
The Program does not require the rotations to have a specific length of time. The average rotation is about 10 weeks; however, depending upon the nature of the rotation, they may be as short as 6 weeks or as long as 12 weeks. Student’s register for laboratory rotations by listing BBS 333r on their study card and the laboratory head assigns a grade of Sat/Unsat upon completion of the rotation. Rotations during the semester are usually not full time and are integrated with course work. Rotations are full time in the summer and during the month of January when there are no classes.
Before a laboratory rotation is undertaken, the student, in consultation with the laboratory head, must reach an agreement on the proposed project and complete a Rotation Registration form. The Program Advisor must also agree upon the rotation and sign the Rotation Registration form. The completed form is filed with the BBS Program Office. It is expected that the laboratory head and student meet for an “exit interview” at the conclusion of the rotation. The laboratory head must, within 4 weeks of the conclusion of the rotation, complete the Rotation Evaluation form, assign a grade of SAT or UNSAT and return the form to the BBS Program Office. The grade may be requested ahead of the summary if the rotation has not been concluded when grades are due.
To facilitate the choice of laboratory rotations, a list of students who have recently rotated within program laboratories will be available in the Program office. Entering students are encouraged to attend the BBS Rotation Club where current students share rotation experiences with their peers. Students should feel free to contact others who have experience in a particular laboratory to help guide them in their choice of rotation opportunities.
Teaching/Community Education
The Program requires that each student fulfill one semester as a non-paid teaching assistant. When possible, the student should be a teaching assistant in a Division of Medical Sciences or Medical School course. The Program has also established the Community Education Initiative, which provides teaching opportunities for BBS students in secondary school and after-school programs in the Boston area. Many students volunteer in the community schools and thereby fulfill their teaching requirement. If a student wishes to volunteer outside one of the predetermined programs, they will need to get permission from Dr. Fred Winston, Chair of the Community Education Program.
Students should inform the Program Office of their plan to fulfill their TA requirement and include this information on their study card by entering Time-T for the semester in which they will teach. If a student is TAing for a DMS course, the course director signs for Time-T on the study card. If a student is fulfilling the TA requirement through the Community Education Program, then Fred Winston signs for Time-T.
Preliminary Qualifying Exam Guidelines (PQE)
THE GOAL
The primary goal of the Preliminary Qualifying Examination (PQE) is to ensure that you have achieved a high standard of scientific scholarship and skills that are critical for successfully completing a Ph.D thesis and beyond. In addition to testing basic knowledge in genetics, cell biology and biochemistry, the PQE will test your ability to:
- Develop a set of original, testable hypotheses
- Prepare a compelling research plan to test these hypotheses
- Orally explain and defend these hypotheses and your research plan
- Critically analyze and interpret data
PROCEDURAL ISSUES
You are required to take the PQE before February of your G2 year. There will be three exam periods from which you can choose. The dates and deadlines for submitting necessary forms are listed below.
PQE Request Form (due 6 weeks before exam period)
1) Describe the topic (one concise paragraph)
2) Briefly outline the major questions that will be pursued
3) Briefly describe the experimental system and approaches (few sentences or keywords
4) Identify possible Exam Chairs from the Steering committee list (See below) .
If there are faculty you feel should be excluded because of a conflict of interest, inform the BBS office. Final selection of examiners will be at the discretion of the BBS Program Office. Once the BBS Program Office receives the PQE Request Form, an exam chair from the PQE Committee (see below) will be assigned to you.
Exam Periods and Deadlines for Submitting Form
- For the September 2007 exam date, the PQE Request Form is due in the BBS Office by 5:00 PM on July 27th, 2007.
- For the November 2007 exam date, the PQE Request Form is due by 5:00 PM on September 19th, 2007.
- For the January 2008 exam date, the PQE Request Form is due by 5:00 PM on November 16th, 2007.
Role of the PQE Committee Chair
The Chair of the PQE Steering Committee, Sheila Thomas, is available to answer questions, clarify expectations, and provide guidance at any point during the exam preparation process.
Role of Examination Committee Chair
PQE chairs are experienced examiners and are responsible for keeping the exam on course and ensuring that examiners pursue an appropriate line of questions.
THE PROPOSAL
Topic
The PQE proposal is to be focused explicitly on your thesis topic. While it is anticipated that some of the proposal will be based on the ideas of your thesis advisor, the proposal should be solely written by you. In addition, you are expected to develop at least one unique aim. This aim is expected to be creative and thought provoking yet must be balanced with feasibility. For aims that have been inspired by the ideas of others, we expect students to cite the sources of ideas and/or information derived from personal communication. Remember, the proposal should be designed so that you can realistically complete it in approximately four years.
Input/Advice
You are strongly encouraged to seek advice and help from post-docs and graduate students as you work to develop and write the proposal and prepare for the oral exam. Students are not allowed to receive input or feedback from any faculty. You may not use work that you have submitted for other courses here or at another institution. Past proposals can be reviewed in the BBS Program Office. We also encourage you to get feedback on your written proposal from post-docs and students.
Guidelines for Organization and Writing of the Proposal
Contents of Proposal
Your PQE proposal should contain the following elements:
- Succinct summary of the current state of knowledge in the field
- Discussion of how the proposed studies will address key questions in the field
- Clearly stated and testable hypotheses
- A well-reasoned and feasible set of experiments to test the key hypotheses
- Individual aims that are NOT based on one specific outcome of a previous aim.
- A thorough understanding of the tools and techniques necessary to carry out the experimental plan
- A discussion of potential pitfalls that may arise and possible solutions/alternative approaches
- A guide to quantitative analysis and interpretation of anticipated results.
Format of the Proposal
Cover page of the PQE exam must include student’s name, email address, date and location of exam, and committee members.
The proposal should conform to the following requirements:
1) Excluding figures, the proposal CANNOT be longer than 15 pages. Proposals that exceed this limit will be returned.
2) Use 11 point Helvetica or Arial font
3) Document is double-spaced
4) Margins, in all directions must be at least 1/2 inch
The following sections need to be included with suggested lengths in parentheses:
- Abstract (~1/2 page)
- Background and Significance
- Preliminary Data
- (~5-7 pages for these two sections)
- Specific Aims, (Hypotheses to be tested should be clearly stated) (~1/2 page)
- Experimental Design, Expected Outcomes & Interpretation, Pitfalls and Alternative approaches (~7 pages)
- Literature Cited (Full References with titles -- number of pages will not count toward total)
Figures with brief legends are expected to be included. It is usually more useful for the reader to have the figures embedded in the text. Again, figures do not count in the page limits.
ORAL EXAM
The oral exam will last approximately 2 hours. You should prepare a presentation of your proposal. During the exam, you will be expected to defend and explain your hypotheses, methods, and expected outcomes. You are also expected to know and understand the fundamental principles and experimental approaches in the fields of genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry and cell biology, either through advanced undergraduate curriculum, graduate core courses, or independent study. Questions that probe your knowledge in these areas will be framed in the context of the proposal.
You are strongly encouraged to give practice presentations to students and post-docs to help you prepare for the oral exam. Again, no input from faculty is allowed.
THE OUTCOMES
You will be informed of the outcome at the end of the exam (see below). Within a week, you will meet with the Exam Chair at which time feedback and specific recommendations may be made. In some cases this may be done via e-mail.
- Pass. No further work on the PQE will be required.
- Incomplete. A Student will receive an incomplete if the committee feels that he/she would benefit from taking a course, rewriting part of the proposal, or retaking the oral exam. The student will receive a “pass” once this work is completed to the satisfaction of the committee. All of this is expected to be done in parallel with continued research in the thesis laboratory.
- Fail. If there are serious concerns about both the written proposal and oral exam, the student will receive a fail. Students who fail will have the opportunity to rewrite their proposals and retake the exam. Any additional recommended tutorials/coursework would be conducted in parallel with continued research in the student’s thesis laboratory. The second PQE must be completed within one year of the first exam date. In the rare event of a second failure, the decision as to whether a student will be asked to leave the Program will be made by a committee including Davie Van Vactor, Tom Fox, Sheila Thomas and the student’s Thesis and Program Advisors.
THE NEXT STEP
After passing the PQE, you will assemble a Dissertation Advisory Committee (DAC). This meeting should be scheduled within 3 months of passing the PQE. In order to encourage students to apply the constructive critique that they receive during the PQE and address key weaknesses in the original proposal, all BBS students are required to submit a revised version of the PQE proposal to their DAC in preparation for the first DAC meeting. If your aims have changed, you should also prepare and submit a new thesis proposal to your DAC.
Dissertation Advisor and the Dissertation Advisory Committee
When the Dissertation Advisor has been selected (usually near the end of year 1 or beginning of year 2), the Dissertation Advisor Declaration Form, must be completed and filed with the BBS Office. Once the Dissertation Advisor signs the form, s/he indicates a financial commitment to the student for stipend in year 3 and 4, and stipend and tuition in year 5 and beyond. Students may pursue a dissertation in laboratories outside of BBS but they must be within HILS affiliated laboratories.
After passing the Preliminary Qualifying Examination (which is described above), a Dissertation Advisory Committee (DAC) of at least three members (not including the Dissertation Advisor) must be appointed and a meeting scheduled within 3 months of the completion of the PQE. The Committee should meet with the student and Dissertation Advisor at least once a year through G4 and every 6 months thereafter, and file a progress report, the DAC Report, with the BBS Office. The BBS Office shall be informed of all scheduled meetings prior to the day of the meeting and should receive a copy of all information that is given by the student to his or her DAC committee prior to the meeting.
Notes on Forming a DAC
Faculty on the committee may be from the DMS Program, other Harvard departments, or other Boston area universities. If a student chooses to have a committee member from outside the Program, it should only be one member of the committee. The Chair of the committee MUST be from the BBS Program but cannot be their Dissertation Advisor. The Chair is responsible for writing the committee report, having it signed by the other committee members and sending it to the BBS Program Office. We suggest that the student choose committee members who are generally accessible and whom s/he would feel comfortable consulting informally. Students should consult with their Dissertation Advisors very soon after choosing a dissertation lab about possible members.
Role of the DAC
The role of the DAC is to assist the student in defining the dissertation project, review scientific progress, offer critical evaluation, suggesting extension or modification of objectives, arbitrate differences of opinion between the student and the advisor if and when they arise, and decide when the work accomplished constitutes a dissertation. Our hope is that the committee will help students in the early stages to get their research off to a good start, and that they will be a resource for students at any point during their graduate career.
A detailed description of the role of the DAC, compiled by BBS students and faculty is available in the BBS Office.
Procedures for Setting up DAC meetings
The student is responsible for scheduling their DAC meetings. To schedule a room in the MEC, please schedule through E-Commons, call 432-2020 or email room_scheduling@hms.harvard.edu. If an overhead, slide projector or plasma screen is needed, be sure to request a room that has one. If a LCD projector is need, please schedule through E-Commons or call Media Services at 432-3899.
Dissertation Proposal and First DAC meeting
Students are to submit a dissertation proposal in written form to their Dissertation Advisory Committee at least one week before the meeting. The first DAC meeting is required to occur within 3-4 months of the PQE. If these requirements have not been met, the student may not be allowed to register for the semester or their stipend could be withheld. (Note: The dissertation proposal does not need to be as formal or as detailed as that presented for the PQE, but must be a written proposal.) The DAC committee, Dissertation Advisor and student will meet and discuss the proposal and the student will receive feedback, guidance and suggestions from committee members. They should help to define the dissertation project in terms of scope, direction and overall soundness of idea. A copy of the dissertation proposal should be attached to the DAC Report and sent to the BBS Program Office. The format is as follows:
Abstract
Background and Significance
Hypothesis
Rationale
Specific Aims
Experimental Design and Interpretation
Literature Cited (References with Titles)
Figures
The Role of the BBS Program Office in the DAC Process
The BBS Office maintains up-to-date progress files on all students. (It is the student's responsibility to bring the form to the meeting and remind the DAC Chairperson to complete the form). The DAC Chairperson is responsible for the preparation of the DAC Report, which should be signed by all committee members at the conclusion of the meeting. The report, which records the findings of a DAC meeting, should be submitted to the BBS Office and copies will in turn be forwarded to the Division of Medical Sciences (DMS) Office, members of the DAC Committee, the student's dissertation advisor and the student. This procedure will help to maintain the flow of information as it is generated from DAC meetings.
For the DAC meetings to be productive, it is recommended that one week prior to the scheduled meeting, the student present a one-to-two page write-up of his/her activities covering the period of time since the previous meeting to each member of his/her DAC and to the BBS Office.
Dissertation Preparation and Defense
The Dissertation Advisory Committee, in consultation with the Dissertation Advisor, determines when it is time for a student to stop laboratory work and begin to write their dissertation. Once a student has been given permission to write their thesis they must contact DMS (617-432-0162) to schedule an appointment to discuss requirements, dates, etc.
Three readers and a chairperson are required by DMS to form a Dissertation Examination Committee. In addition, it is recommended that the student have an alternate examiner chosen in the event an examiner cannot be present at the exam. All proposed examiners must have faculty positions of Assistant Professor or higher.
To broaden the examination and enhance its significance, one member of the examination committee must be from outside Harvard University. The Chairperson of the DAC should preferably chair the examination, but students may invite another DAC member to do so. The role of the chairperson is to (a) be impartial, (b) arbitrate problems, and (c) administer the exam.
The student and the Dissertation Advisor shall submit, in rank order, a list of potential examiners to the Program Head or designate, with whom, in consultation, a final list is generated. After the Program Head or designate approves the list of examiners, the Dissertation Advisor, or the student shall then “set up” the exam by contacting the examiners, giving them details as to date, time, etc.
The Division of Medical Sciences sends the announcement of the dissertation seminar to all DMS faculty and students.
It should be noted that at least two weeks before the exam, copies of the dissertation must be presented to the DMS Office for inspection, then delivered to the examiners by the student.
DMS requires that the dissertation be submitted in an unbound, loose-leaf form so that any suggestions for revision made by the readers may be more readily accomplished. At least four unbound copies of the dissertation must be submitted to the DMS Office. DMS also requires that a Summary of the dissertation be delivered to the DMS Office three weeks before the scheduled exam. The Summary is to be 3-5 typed double-spaced pages. A pamphlet entitled “Form of the Doctoral Dissertation” describing the requirements of the University in writing the dissertation, is available at the DMS Office. This pamphlet is included in the Dissertation Information Packet, which all students are required to pick up when they are preparing for their dissertation seminar and defense. Any specific questions not contained in the pamphlet should be directed to the Archives Office at Widener Library.
Examiners should be informed that acceptance or rejection of the dissertation is required and should be delivered to the chairperson of the Dissertation Examination Committee and the DMS Office no later than 72 hours prior to the scheduled examination. If the dissertation is rejected, a meeting of the examiners and student is to be convened immediately. (Per DMS policy) The dissertation examination will not be held unless all examiners agree to proceed.
The candidate is expected to give a seminar of approximately one-hour duration as part of the examination, on the day of the examination, preferably prior to the defense of the dissertation.
It is customary for the exam to be opened by allowing the candidate 5-10 minutes to summarize his or her work. Each reader in turn is then asked to examine the candidate (approximately 20 minutes per reader), and then questions are permitted from anyone in the attendance, at the discretion of the chairperson. The examination is open to all faculty members and to any others who receive permission from the exam chairperson. It has been the practice of the Division to exclude graduate students other than the candidate from dissertation examinations.
Extracurricular Activities
Extracurricular activities are considered part of the informal training of all students in the Program and student participation is strongly encouraged.
For first and second year students to become acquainted with faculty there is a weekly BBS Dinner Seminar Series. New BBS faculty members are invited to give a seminar, in an informal setting, in which dinner is provided for students and the speaker.
Also for first year students, there is a weekly BBS Rotation Club, in which lunch is provided. Two to three students will give a 15 - 20 minute presentation on their lab rotations, sharing the techniques they have learned, the data they have acquired and the scope of the project. Rotation Club is held from September through March.
For second year students and above, the BBS Data Club meets weekly with a student presenting his/her data in an informal setting in which dinner is provided.
All current BBS students are invited to attend the BBS Student Retreat. The schedule for the weekend will be planned by students and will include student talks, a poster session, a guest speaker, topical discussion groups, and social gatherings.
At the beginning of each academic year, there will be a series of Poster Sessions. All faculty and students are invited to participate. The poster sessions are an excellent way for new students to meet BBS faculty and students and for faculty and current students to learn what is going on in the Program. Many students find their rotations through these sessions.
All students are welcome to participate in the Harvard Biomedical Graduate Student Organization (BGSO) sponsored events and activities. Some of the events are the following: The Mountain Club plans outings such as ski trips, hiking and bike rides throughout the year. Some other BGSO activities include the Graduate Student Council and Graduate Student Course Evaluation Committee.
The BBS Bulletin is the Program newsletter written and managed by BBS students and is published every other month.
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