chemical biology phd programs

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Ph.D. Program

Entering the ph.d. program.

The official course of study in the Ph.D. graduate program begins during the second week of August, one week before the official start of the Fall Semester at Cornell. All incoming Ph.D. students take a series of graduate proficiency exams in Organic, Inorganic, and Physical Chemistry provided by the American Chemical Society (ACS). All Ph.D. students then meet with the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) and select professors in their area of interest for advice on course selection.

Chemistry and Chemical Biology Ph.D. Program Handbook

Read the Chemistry and Chemical Biology Ph.D. Program Handbook, here .

Ph.D. Coursework

Incoming Ph.D. students generally take three graduate courses during their first semester at Cornell. A minimum grade of B- is required in each course for the student to remain in good standing with the department and the university. An additional three courses are then taken in the spring semester, for a total of six required courses. Depending on a student’s academic background and research interests, one or more of these courses may be taken outside of the Graduate Field of Chemistry & Chemical Biology. Additional courses are often taken by Ph.D. students in the later years of their dissertation work, if they are deemed useful by the student's research advisor and/or special committee (see below). For the full list of courses offered at Cornell, please visit the Class Roster to select the appropriate department and semester.

Finding a Mentor and Laboratory to Conduct Thesis Research

During the first month of the Fall semester, all incoming Ph.D. students are expected to attend a series of research orientation lectures in which the faculty provide an overview of their current research projects. Students are expected to attend research group meetings of faculty of interest, talk to other students and postdoctoral research associates, and discuss potential research projects with at least three faculty members. Students then officially join research groups by November 1.

Special Committee

All Ph.D. students in C&CB are required to choose three or more faculty members to serve as a special committee to represent their major (and minor, if applicable) areas of study. The student’s faculty research advisor serves as chair of the special committee and usually has primary responsibility for directing the graduate student’s research and studies. Degree requirements are kept to a minimum and there are no specific course requirements. The number of formal courses required depends on students' academic background, chosen concentration, and the advice of the special committee.

Every Ph.D. student takes an oral examination for admission to candidacy (A-exam), typically during their second year of graduate study. The A-exam takes place after the student’s coursework has been completed and before the commencement of full-time research. The thesis, which is the final outcome of this research, must constitute an original contribution to chemical knowledge and be defended at a final examination overseen by the special committee (B-exam). The Ph.D. degree is awarded on successful defense of the thesis and students typically take five years to complete the Ph.D. program.

Financial Support

Complete financial support accompanies every offer of admission to the Ph.D. program. Each Ph.D. student is therefore guaranteed at least five years of full financial support as long as he or she makes satisfactory progress toward the Ph.D. degree. This support includes a 12-month stipend, a full tuition award, and health insurance. Financial support comes in the form of teaching assistantships, graduate research assistantships, research fellowships, and several NIH-funded training grant programs, such as the  Chemistry Biology Interface (CBI) Training Program . Eligible applicants are strongly encouraged to seek federally funded fellowships, such as those available from the National Science Foundation (NSF) as well as other government or private agencies.

Chemical Biology

Chemical biology is a rapidly growing field that combines the rigor and quantitative aspects of traditional chemistry and biochemistry programs with the excitement and medical relevance of modern molecular, cellular, organismic, and human biology. The program’s goal is to encourage students to develop their own ideas, drawing on the expertise available in the community to make exciting new discoveries. The program links together faculty on Harvard’s Cambridge campus in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences with faculty at Harvard Medical School, and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT.

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The University of Michigan Program in Chemical Biology is one of the largest free-standing programs of its kind in the United States. Students can earn a Ph.D. in Chemical Biology or an M.S. in Cancer Chemical Biology . 

The program spans the U-M campus to unite over 70 faculty from 14 departments. And our student-centered approach provides maximum flexibility to pursue your own interests — along with an interdisciplinary core curriculum and many opportunities to engage with a vibrant community of peers.

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Congratulations to three new pcb ph.d. recipients.

Three PCB students successfully defended over the Summer term - Congratulations to Dr. Tessa Epstein (Mapp/Narayan Labs), Dr. Sebastian Rivera (Sherman Lab), and Dr. Saffron Little (DeSantis Lab)!

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Advances In Basic Science And Molecular Medicine

The Department of Chemical and Systems Biology explores the frontiers of basic science and molecular medicine, particularly at the crossroads of cellular, chemical, and computational biology. We train Ph.D. students to apply genetic, chemical, cell biological, and quantitative methods to decipher the complex regulatory systems associated with normal physiology and disease states.

Specific research areas include cell signaling pathways, cell cycle control, epigenetics, cell fate specification, and genomic stability. The Chemical and Systems Biology Ph.D. program also emphasizes collaborative learning, and our research community includes scientists trained in molecular biology, cell biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering.

Our Ph.D. program consistently ranks among the top graduate training programs in the world. Most recently the National Research Council named us the top pharmacology-related training program in the United States, based on students’ GRE scores, faculty publications, median time to degree, program requirements, and training resources. The Chemical and Systems Biology graduate program was especially commended for the quality of its research activities.

Why Chemical And Systems Biology?

How do cells achieve directed migration? Why doesn’t a skin cell become a neuron? How do drug-resistant cancers arise and how might they be prevented or overcome? Finding answers to these and other biomedical questions increasingly requires molecular, quantitative, and interdisciplinary approaches.

The Department of Chemical and Systems Biology is uniquely focused on understanding cell biology at the molecular and systems levels, and many of its faculty have expertise in biochemistry, chemistry, physics, and engineering. Developing novel technologies for basic research and translating discoveries into therapeutic strategies are also areas of special interest in the Chemical and Systems Biology community.

Our goal is to train a new generation of scientists with the interdisciplinary skills and creative thinking required to tackle emerging challenges in biomedical research. We invite all interested students to apply to the Chemical and Systems Biology Ph.D. program through the Stanford Biosciences online application form. Applicants whose research interests match well with our scientific mission are encouraged to select Chemical and Systems Biology as their primary home program.

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Chemical Biology

Training in chemical biology at MIT enables graduate students to address problems that transcend the traditional boundaries of chemistry and biology. Chemical biologists interrogate molecular processes that occur in human, plant, and microbial cells, as well as in viruses and animals.

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Chemical Biology Doctoral Program

Program details.

Develop the deep expertise you need to drive innovations in cancer biology, drug discovery and development, genetics and more with a Ph.D. in chemical biology.

Stevens’ interdisciplinary chemical biology doctoral program trains students to investigate biological problems, use advanced statistical methods and interpret the kinetic parameters of biological reactions. You’ll also work alongside expert faculty to conduct independent research in areas like cell and molecular biology, physiology, organic chemistry and computational chemistry. Our graduates are well-prepared for careers in academia as well as industry and medicine, and they assume roles such as research scientist, pharmaceutical chemist and materials scientist.

The Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology offers dynamic opportunities to explore leading-edge research within a close community of faculty mentors. You'll be able to study under a faculty mentor in the area that you find most exciting:

Cancer Biology

Drug Discovery and Development

Cell and Molecular Biology

Organic Chemistry

Computational Chemistry

Other opportunities

Unique courses such as Molecular Biology Laboratory Techniques and Biochemical Laboratory Techniques, as well as electives such as Computational Biology

Research using real data sets

Collaboration with other universities and adjunct faculty who work in the pharmaceutical industry for companies such as Merck

Opportunities to work closely with experts in cancer biology, drug discovery, genetics and cellular and microbiology

Experience working in or with national research centers

An independent research project spanning several years

The Stevens Advantage: Widen Your Career Options

Graduate Cooperative Education Program : Available with two tracks, your co-op experience can serve as a starting point for a research project or augment your on-campus research with complimentary experience.

International Student Experience : Tap into our expanding worldwide network of research, academic and alumni partners and mentor with our expert faculty in a number of federally-designated STEM degree programs. Optional Practical Training (OPT) or Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is available to gain work experience in your major/field of study.

State-of-the-Art Research Labs and Facilities : Build, tinker and test your designs in Stevens' MakerCenter, Prototype and Object Fabrication Lab, or numerous other research facilities.

Research Opportunities : Renowned faculty, labs and research centers – as well as industry partnerships and funding from leading national agencies – support strategic and interdisciplinary research in engineering and science.

Assistantships and Fellowships: Stevens offers funding to select graduate students in the form of teaching assistantships, research assistantships and fellowships. Limited in number, these highly competitive opportunities are awarded to exceptional candidates based on merit.

Expanded Learning Options : The Schaefer School offers new opportunities for doctoral students to do coursework at universities in the New York City area – and around the world – through our growing list of academic partnerships with other prestigious universities. Learn more about our latest partnerships.

Hands-On Chemistry and Chemical Biology Research

At Stevens, you have the ability to join research groups with students at a variety of levels of experience, and outstanding faculty so you can learn cutting-edge technology as a team, just like in the real-world. In our state-of-the-art research labs and facilities, you'll have the opportunity to engage in experiential learning.

Program Admission Requirements

Bachelor’s degree, with a minimum GPA of 3.0, from an accredited institution

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Two letters of recommendation (academic or professional only; Select Ph.D. programs require a third letter of recommendation)

Statement of Purpose

$60 non-refundable Application Fee

Proof of English language proficiency

A competitive GRE or GMAT score (required for both part-time and full-time applicants)

Writing sample(s). All applicants are encouraged to submit a lab report (preferable) or paper that they wrote, individually, for an engineering course. Applicants who have published a journal article are also encouraged to submit a copy of their article.

For more complete details, visit our General Admissions Requirements page .

Apply Online >

Information about assistantships and fellowships can be found here .

The four fields comprising STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – offer a wide variety of professions that are classified as some of the highest-growing and highest-paying jobs right now and in the future. And for international students, the demand for STEM-related professionals in the United States can open the door for an extended stay. An ever-growing list of eligible programs across all levels is available here .

A Tech Forward Education

Funded by the Komen Foundation, the U.S. Department of Defense and the National Institutes of Health, Abhishek Sharma on Stevens’ chemistry and chemical biology faculty is developing next-generation anticancer agents to treat breast cancer and novel chemical tools to label and modulate the function of disease relevant proteins.

Abhishek Sharma

Chemistry & Chemical Biology Faculty

Marcin Iwanicki studies the mechanisms of ovarian cancer initiation and progression with novel techniques such as CRISPR/CAS9 gene editing.

Marcin Iwanicki

Ansu Perekatt investigates the molecular changes that enable cell fate plasticity towards oncogenic stemness that can inform targeted therapies against cancer relapse.

Ansu Perekatt

Related Programs

Chemical engineering doctoral program.

Advance independent research that addresses some of society’s biggest challenges in the entrepreneurial environment of Stevens’ chemical engineering Ph.D. program.

Biomedical Engineering Doctoral Program

Gain the advanced research skills and hands-on experience you need to engineer innovative medical solutions in the biomedical engineering Ph.D. program.

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This track draws on one of the great strengths in the department aimed at using molecular techniques to create and study new function in biological systems. This highly interdisciplinary field includes faculty from Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physical Chemistry, and involves collaborations with faculty in the departments of Biology and Bioengineering, as well as within the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the UCSD School of Medicine, the UCSD Moores Cancer Center, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

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Chemical Biology

Chemical biology combines the rigor and quantitative aspects of traditional chemistry and biochemistry programs with the excitement and medical relevance of modern molecular, cellular, organismic, and human biology. Internationally recognized as a vital interdisciplinary field, it offers an exciting research direction for bright undergraduates.

Increasingly, many biological problems demand molecular and quantitative answers that can only be supplied by tools and approaches derived from chemistry, such as single-molecule measurements, single-cell imaging, and the use of exogenous molecules to precisely modulate cellular components.

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The Chemistry and Chemical Biology Graduate Program at UC Davis is world-renowned and represents the full breadth of the discipline, including analytical, biological, inorganic, organic, physical, and theoretical chemistry. The program has over 200 graduate students engaging in research across six areas of study: analytical, chemical biology, inorganic, organic, physical, and chemical physics. We encourage and support graduate research that transcends traditional academic boundaries by bringing together faculty from departments across campus, including the School of Medicine, College of Engineering, College of Biological Sciences and the Genome Center. Students pursuing their Ph.D. receive a competitive salary, tuition and fees paid for and comprehensive health insurance.

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High schoolers at the cutting edge of chemistry.

Professor Ted Betley (from left), Pathways intern Mustafa Mohamadomar, and Program Administrator Hannah Miller.

Photo by Yahya Chaudhry

The Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology (CCB) celebrated the successful completion of the third iteration of its Pathways program, an immersive and transformative initiative designed to provide high school students with hands-on laboratory experience. The program, formerly known as High School Lab Skills, concluded with a celebration breakfast held on Aug. 15, honoring the commitment and achievements of all its participants.

For six weeks during the summer, a select group of local high school students from Brighton High School and Boston Green Academy delved into the world of chemical experimentation and discovery. Designed and executed in partnership with the Harvard Ed Portal, Pathways seeks to expose students to the cutting edge of chemistry and introduce them to career pathways in the sciences. The Pathways summer program offered a well-rounded experience, including science literacy lessons along with hands-on laboratory work. Guided by professors and experienced researchers, interns engaged in collaborative projects and got to experience firsthand the excitement and challenges of scientific research.

“Our goal is to identify and support high school students who may not yet be aware of the exciting possibilities within STEM laboratory careers,” said Hannah Miller, CCB program administrator. “For chemistry, this program complements our collective focus on fostering mentorship, increasing diversity, and engaging with the Boston public school community.”

Local high school students were nominated for the Pathways Program by their teachers, which kicked off last spring with a weekly class at the Ed Portal focused on science literacy and laboratory skills. At the end of the semester, the Ed Portal hosted an event where the students demonstrated their acquired skills and were paired with mentors from CCB labs for their summer research internship.

Throughout the summer, the graduate student and postdoc mentors provided helpful guidance and instruction. The mentors worked alongside their interns as they performed experiments, read scientific papers, attended group meetings, lunched with faculty and staff, and utilized the department’s advanced research facilities.

“The work of this program cannot be done without our mentors,” said Deana Reardon, executive director of CCB. “They are the face of the department, their labs, of making science accessible to students, and they are truly the key to making this program successful.”

The program made a significant impact on the high schoolers, exposing them to potential careers in the STEM fields and equipping them with new skills in chemistry research.

“My favorite thing about the program is how they encourage you to stay curious and to ask questions,” said Ni Lab intern Anabel Del Rosario.

Looking ahead, CCB is committed to building on the success of Pathways. Photos and a celebration video are available CCB’s Website.

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