MBMB Graduate Program
The Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry Graduate Program (MBMB) is an interdisciplinary graduate program providing training leading to either the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Master of Science (M.S.) degrees in Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry.
The program draws its faculty from basic science departments at SIU School of Medicine (Carbondale and Springfield campus) and the College of Science (Carbondale campus).
Faculty include members of these departments:
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology (Springfield).
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Carbondale).
- Department of Microbiology (Carbondale)
The program offers advanced training in biochemistry, biophysics, bacteriology, genetics, immunology, microbial physiology, virology, mycology, cancer biology, molecular biology, cell biology, developmental biology, and structural biology. The participating departments have modern, well-equipped research laboratories and supporting facilities for confocal and electron microscopy, imaging, and flow cytometry.
Students with graduate degrees in molecular biology, microbiology, and biochemistry are in demand in several occupational areas. Many graduates are employed by pharmaceutical or biotechnology firms. Ph.D. graduates have options to be employed by pharmaceutical, chemical, biochemical, or biotechnology firms or continue for advanced academic training as postdoctoral fellows (see the list of the recent graduates under Alumni). Many of our Ph.D. graduates are successful faculty members at colleges and universities throughout the United States.
MMICB has further capitalized on the multi-disciplinary aspects of the MBMB graduate program by collaborating with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to offer a non-thesis MBMB master degree focused on training and applied research in the Public Health Laboratory Sciences (PHLS). In pursuing this Master of Science degree, the base courses in MBMB are augmented with courses in public health, microbiology, immunology, biochemistry and environmental chemistry. In lieu of a research thesis, students conduct applied research in a IDPH laboratory in the areas of diagnostic microbiology, environmental microbiology, environmental chemistry, heavy metals analysis, HIV/serology, or molecular diagnostics. At the successful completion of this 2-year Master of Science program, the highly educated and experienced laboratory professionals are eligible to assume duties as lead workers or supervisors in local, county, state or federal public health laboratories.
For more information about the MBMB, Ph.D. and Master graduate programs, as well as PHLS Master program, please contact Denise Kauffman at 217-545-2220 or dkauffman98@siumed.edu.