 |
Biological and Biomedical Sciences | / | Immunology | / | Neuroscience | / | Virology | // | Leder Human Biology | // | HILS Programs |
|
Biological and Biomedical Sciences | / | Immunology | / | Neuroscience | / | Virology | // | Leder Human Biology | // | HILS Programs |
The Ph.D. Programs in Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS) at Harvard Medical School
BBS is an interdepartmental graduate training program within the Division of Medical Sciences at Harvard Medical School (HMS). Through the Division of Medical Sciences (DMS), BBS recommends its candidates to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences of Harvard University for the Ph.D. degree. BBS faculty members are drawn from all of the basic science departments of Harvard Medical School –Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology (BCMP), Cell Biology, Genetics, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Pathology, Neurobiology and Systems Biology – and from many of Harvard’s affiliated teaching hospitals. Additionally, BBS has recently expanded to include faculty within the Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, a newly-established department spanning both HMS and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). BBS has also incorporated faculty from the FAS as part of its effort to build new initiatives in graduate training. The BBS graduate course curriculum consists of core courses as well as specialized courses organized in various formats that focus on different topics and/or methodologies relevant to modern biology. Students can choose to train in the disciplines represented by our five founding departments (BCMP, Cell Biology, Genetics, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, or Pathology) or in two new interdepartmental programs that have recently been created: Leder Human Biology and Translational Medicine (LHB) and Developmental and Regenerative Biology (DRB). Some specialized courses are required for students in the LHB or DRB programs. Additional advanced courses in a variety of research topics are offered through many Harvard departments and programs. The BBS graduate research training is interdisciplinary, with a concentration in one or more of the following areas: biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, pathology, microbiology, structural biology, pharmacology, virology, human biology, 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, cell biology and biophysics to those of molecular and developmental genetics. A breakdown of the areas of research is provided in the Index section in the rotation manual. In addition, the Harvard community has a number of programs that are aimed at bringing students and researchers together from different departments and/or institutions to share their work on topics of mutual interest. For example, 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. Similarly, the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI), founded in 2004, draws together a community of scientists, medical practitioners, educators, ethicists, and business and legal professionals from 19 different Harvard-associated institutions to address both the scientific and societal issues related to stem cell 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.
Graduate Programs BBS is comprised of multiple training programs that provide intellectual communities, enrichment activities and curricula in major topic areas aligned with the thesis research of our students. Groups of faculty and students work together in each of these communities to share knowledge and expertise, and support career development. The programs in BBS include departmental and interdepartmental units: Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology (BCMP), Cell Biology, Developmental and Regenerative Biology (DRB), Genetics and Genomics, Leder Human Biology and Translational Medicine (LHB), Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, and Pathology; a few of these are described below to provide examples. Leder Human Biology and Translational Medicine The Leder Human Biology and Translational Medicine (LHB) Program, named in honor of Dr. Philip Leder (the John Emory Andrus Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School), represents an interdepartmental collaboration to provide rigorous multidisciplinary training in the fundamental mechanisms and essential methodologies of human biology and disease-oriented research. This program has been formed by the recent merger of the Leder Medical Sciences Program and the Human Biology and Translational Medicine Program, and is jointly directed by Connie Cepko and Thomas Michel. The LHB Program offers training in basic scientific mechanisms of human biology and disease with additional training designed to show how basic science discoveries translate into clinical medicine. This graduate program both builds on and enhances current efforts in human biology and disease-oriented research at HMS, FAS, and Harvard-affiliated institutions. The LHB Program is configured within BBS, but students in graduate programs within the Harvard Integrated Life Sciences (HILS) can apply for admission to the LHB Program, typically in November of their first year (G1 year). Developmental and Regenerative Biology The Developmental and Regenerative Biology (DRB) Program is another relatively new interdisciplinary graduate program within BBS. This program focuses on providing rigorous training in the general areas of developmental biology, stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. DRB offers students a comprehensive understanding of the basic principles guiding development as revealed by different experimental models, different methodological approaches, and by evolution and physiology. The DRB curriculum includes a broad range of courses on both the Cambridge and Longwood Medical Area campuses. DRB is directed by Spyros Artavanis-Tsakonas. DRB integrates the substantial intellectual and physical resources related to developmental biology throughout Harvard, and DRB faculty members are drawn from the basic science departments at HMS, FAS and the HMS affiliated hospitals. Redesigned Program: Genetics and GenomicsWe are pleased to announce the launch of a redesigned training program in Genetics and Genomics within BBS. This program will provide rigorous training through coursework, research, and programmatic activities, all within a community of students, fellows, and faculty committed to the fields of genetics and genomics. The training program will commence with our 1st annual Fall Genetics Symposium to be held on Monday, December 14, 2009. Invited speakers include three prominent geneticists who are also graduates of HMS doctoral programs.
Academic AdministrationBBS Program Office, Gordon Hall, Room 005, 25 Shattuck Street, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
Division of Medical Sciences, 260 Longwood Avenue, Harvard Medical School
Program AdvisingEach 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 3 or 4 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, add-drop forms and rotation registration forms. After each student identifies a Dissertation Advisor, most advice comes from the Dissertation Advisor and from the Dissertation Advisory Committee, detailed below in the sections on the Dissertation Advisor and Dissertation Advisory Committee. For the 2009-2010 academic year the members of the Subcommittee of Program Advisors are:
Curriculum Fellows
Curriculum fellows (CFs) are PhD-level scientists who are pursuing careers focused on teaching and improving science education through research. CFs work in various departments and programs at HMS and are engaged in developing and enhancing graduate and medical curriculum through: the support and improvement of current graduate courses, support of extramural student training grants, development of novel curriculum that covers biomedical and professional development topics, primary teaching of graduate, medical and continuing education students, and development of their own teaching skills and education-based research projects. If you are interested in teaching or learning more about our various projects and initiatives, we invite you to visit our website: http://curriculumfellows.hms.harvard.edu.
Course RequirementsAll students in BBS are required to have a graduate level background in cell biology, biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology. All BBS students, with the exception of MD-PhD students, are required to take a total of 8 full semester courses or their equivalent. MD-PhD students typically take 4-6 courses, at least one of which must be an upper level reading course. The only specific course required of all BBS students (including MD-PhD, LHB, and DRB students) is “Analysis of the Biological Literature” (course reference number is 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 choices, including the core courses listed below, upper level reading courses focused on an 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. A summary of the BBS core courses and Micro 230 is listed on the next page. For LHB students, five of the eight courses required for BBS are specified by the LHB curriculum. These courses are: Case Studies in Human Biology and Translational Medicine (G1 January term, “quarter course”) Either the Disease-Centered Tutorial and Clinic or the alternative as described below
For DRB students, it is required that they take at least two upper-level DRB related courses. These can include:
Summary of Core Courses
FALL OF YEAR 1 Microbiology 230. Analysis of the Biological Literature Catalog Number: 3791 Elaine A. Elion (Medical School and members of the faculty Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., 2:30-7:30 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. Course Head: Elaine Elion, elaine_elion@hms.harvard.edu Genetics 201. Principles of Genetics Catalog Number: 4225 Fred Winston (Medical School) and members of the faculty
Course Head: Fred Winston, winston@genetics.med.harvard.edu BCMP 200. Molecular Biology Catalog Number: 5591 Richard Gregory (Medical School), Johannes Walter (Medical School) and members of the faculty Half course (fall term). M., W., F., 10:30–12. 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. Course Head: Richard Gregory, rgregory@enders.tch.harvard.edu
SPRING OF YEAR 1
Cell Biology 201. Molecular Biology of the Cell Catalog Number: 1044 Malcolm Whitman (Medical School), and members of the Faculty Half course (spring term). M., W., 10:30–12:00; and sections F. 10:30–12:00. 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 mass spectrometry, microscopy, and computational approaches to Cell Biology. Note: Offered jointly with the Medical School as CB 713.0. Prerequisite: Basic knowledge in biochemistry and genetics. Course Head: Malcolm Whitman, malcolm_whitman@hms.harvard.edu Curriculum Fellow: Anu Seshan, Anupama_Seshan@hms.harvard.edu
BCMP 201. Proteins: Structure, Function and Catalysis Catalog Number: 5068 James Chou (Medical School) and members of the faculty Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., 9:00–10:30, W., 4:30–6:00. Protein biochemistry with emphasis on the interrelated roles of protein structure, catalytic activity, and macromolecular interactions in biological processes. Both fundamental principles and experimental methods will be covered. Note: Offered jointly with the Medical School as BP 714.0. Prerequisite: The course is intended for all DMS graduate students and is open to advanced undergraduates. Course Head: James Chou, james_chou@hms.harvard.edu
TO SATISFY THE COURSE REQUIREMENTS ADDITIONAL COURSES SHOULD BE TAKEN DURING SPRING OF YEAR 1 AND EITHER SEMESTER OF YEAR 2. The program advisors recommend 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 RotationsIt is required that students in BBS undertake 2 laboratory rotations before selecting a Dissertation Advisor. Three lab rotations are strongly recommended and are typical for most students. In order to rotate in more than 3 laboratories permission must be granted by a BBS Program Head. 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 BBS program does not require rotations of a specific duration. 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. Students register for laboratory rotations by listing BBS 333r on their study card and the laboratory head assigns a grade of satisfactory or unsatisfactory upon completion of the rotation. Rotations during the semester are usually not full time and must be managed along 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 approve the rotation and sign the rotation registration form. The completed form is filed with the BBS program office before the start of the rotation. It is expected that the laboratory head and student will 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 a rotation evaluation form, assign a grade of SAT or UNSAT and return the form to the BBS program office. The grade will 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 BBS 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 when selecting rotations.
Teaching/Community EducationGaining some experience with teaching is required in the BBS program. Each student must fulfill one semester (60 hours, including preparation time) as a non-paid teaching assistant. When possible, the student should be a teaching assistant (TA) in a BBS or other HMS graduate course. BBS has also established a 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 can apply to fulfill their teaching requirement (60 hours, including preparation time) in this way. An orientation session is organized each year to provide students with information about the various Community Education options. Permission for gaining teaching credit through the Community Education Initiative is obtained from Fred Winston, Chair of the Community Education Initiative. Students should inform the program office as they make plans to fulfill their teaching requirement. Time-T should be entered on the study card for the semester in which they will teach. If a student is TAing for a HMS course, the course director signs for Time-T on the study card. If a student is fulfilling the TA requirement through the Community Education Initiative, then Fred Winston signs for Time-T.
Preliminary Qualifying Exam Guidelines (PQE) Academic Year 2009-2010
The GoalThe 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 successful completion of your Ph.D. thesis and beyond. In addition to assessing your foundation in genetics, molecular biology, cell biology and biochemistry, the PQE will test your ability to:
Procedural Issues You are required to take the PQE before February of your G2 year. The dates and deadlines for submitting necessary forms are listed below. Before each Request Form Submission Deadline, there will be an informational session scheduled. Prior to submitting a Request Form, you are required to attend the informational session or arrange to meet with the PQE committee chair, Sheila Thomas. 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) . Inform the BBS office if there are faculty you feel should be excluded because of a conflict of interest. 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 (below) will be assigned. The BBS office will take care of scheduling the oral exam. Exam Periods and Deadlines
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 BBS PQE Committee for 2009-10
Keith Blackwell Alan Cantor Pat D’Amore Dan Finley Lee Gehrke Dan Goodenough Steve Gygi Wade Harper Xi He Ann Hochschild Victor Hsu Josh Kaplan Andrius Kazlauskas Roya Khosravi-Far Mitzi Kuroda Andi McClatchey Karl Munger Anders Naar Carl Novina Tom Rapoport Fritz Roth Jeff Settleman Jagesh Shah Ramesh Shivdasani Sheila Thomas – Chair Alex Toker Amy Wagers Bruce Zetter
The ProposalTopicThe PQE proposal is to be focused on your thesis topic or related to your thesis project and must be hypothesis-driven. While it is anticipated that some of the proposal will be based on the ideas of your thesis advisor, the proposal must be solely written by you. In addition, you are expected to develop at least one original aim driven by your own ideas. This aim(s) is expected to be creative and thought-provoking yet must be balanced with feasibility. This, as well as the other aim(s), do not necessarily have to be the exact aims of your dissertation research proposal. 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. The proposal should be designed so that you can realistically complete the work 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 craft the proposal and prepare for the oral exam. Students are not allowed to receive input or feedback from any faculty. This does not mean that you cannot continue to have normal discussions with your PI about your data; but rather that you should not be consulting your PI or other faculty about the details of your proposal (e.g. going over your aims, giving them drafts, etc). You may not use work that you have submitted for other courses here or at another institution. Examples of successful proposals can and should be reviewed in the BBS Program Office. We also encourage you to get feedback on your written proposal and the proposal presentation from post-docs and students.
Guidelines for Organization and Writing of the Proposal ContentsYour PQE proposal should contain the following elements:
FormatCover page of the PQE exam must include student’s name, email address, date and location of exam, and committee members. You should also designate on the cover page which aim(s) you specifically derived. The proposal should conform to the following requirements: 1) Excluding figures, the proposal CANNOT be longer than 20 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:
(~6-8 pages for these two sections)
Figures with legends are expected to be included. It is expected that these figures will be embedded within the document (ie., they should not all be placed together at the end of the proposal but should be embedded just as they would be in a published paper). Figures do not count in the page limits. Oral ExamThe oral exam will last approximately 2 hours. You should prepare a presentation of your proposal including an abbreviated Background and with a focus on the Experimental Design and Expected Outcomes and Interpretation. 10-15 slides will likely be sufficient. During the exam, you will defend and explain your hypotheses, methods, and expected outcomes. You are expected to have a strong command of the primary literature related to your field. You are also responsible for the materials covered in the core courses, including fundamental principles and experimental approaches in the fields of genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry and cell biology. Questions testing your knowledge in these areas may be framed within or outside the context of your proposal. You are strongly encouraged to give practice presentations to students and post-docs to help you prepare for the oral exam. No input from faculty is allowed.
The OutcomesYou will be informed of the outcome (pass conditional pass or fail) at the end of the exam (see below). Within 1 week and in rare cases 2 weeks, a written evaluation will be provided.
It is expected that the work will be done in parallel with your thesis project.
The Next StepAfter passing the PQE, you will assemble a Dissertation Advisory Committee (DAC). This meeting should happen within 3-4 months after 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 prepare and submit a new thesis proposal to your DAC.
Dissertation Advisory Committee (DAC) Guidelines Mission The DAC has four main missions:
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 BBS program, it should be only one member of the committee. The Chair of the committee MUST be from the BBS Program. The student’s Dissertation Advisor cannot serve as a formal committee member or committee chair – although the Dissertation Advisor is expected to attend all meetings. 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 Advisor about possible DAC members very soon after choosing a dissertation lab. The DAC Chair The DAC has a key role in charting and facilitating the progress of students in the program. The DAC chair is responsible for making sure that the views of the DAC are effectively communicated to the student and that any major concerns of the DAC are effectively communicated to the advisor and/or to the BBS program. DAC chairs are also expected to guide DAC members in BBS and DMS policies and standards of practice for advising. Because of the importance of the chair in overseeing the DAC and maintaining a consistent DAC process, all DAC chairs should have prior experience as members of at least one DAC committee, and must be a BBS faculty. In choosing a committee, students should make sure that at least one member of the committee satisfies these criteria. Procedures for setting up DAC meetings Students are responsible for scheduling their DAC meetings. This involves scheduling a room in the MEC (this can be done through E-Commons 432-2020, room_scheduling@hms.harvard.edu) or elsewhere within HMS. MEC rooms with overhead, slide projector or plasma screen can be requested; LCD projectors require scheduling through E-Commons or Media Services at 432-3899. Timing and frequency of DAC meetings Initial meeting: The initial DAC meeting must be held within 4 months of the PQE – of special note, no preliminary data are required at this initial meeting. Students should start the process of scheduling this meeting within 2 months of the PQE given the complexities and time often required to establish a date agreeable to all. Subsequent meetings (through G4): Subsequent DAC meetings must be held every 3-9 months.G5 and after: DAC meetings must be held every 6 months or even more frequently. Format of student’s Research Progress Report for DAC meetings and outline of thesis. General: The student’s Research Progress Report must be submitted to the BBS Program office and each member of the DAC 7 days in advance of the DAC meeting. It is expected that the student will receive feedback from his/her advisor on the report before it is submitted; thus, it is recommended that the student provide a draft of the report to their advisor several days before the report needs to be submitted to the committee and program office. Prior to each DAC meeting, upon receiving the written documents from the student, the DAC chair has the responsibility of reviewing the documents to assess whether they are acceptable for going forward with the meeting. If there is an issue, the DAC chair should contact the student and PI directly. The document text should be font 11 with 1.5 line spacing; margins at 0.5” and pages numbered. The Research Progress Report cover sheet should include the title of the project; the student's name, year, e-mail address; the advisor's name; an indication if this is the initial DAC meeting; the names of the members of the DAC committee; and the date, time, and location of the DAC meeting. Initial DAC meeting Report (G2 year): The student write-up for the initial DAC meeting takes the form of a grant proposal in which a biological question or technology is proposed for in-depth investigation. The PQE proposal can serve as a starting point for this document, but it is not expected that the aims of the DAC meeting write-up will necessarily be the same as those laid out in the PQE proposal. It is also anticipated that the content and focus of the thesis may change during the course of thesis research. The initial DAC meeting write-up is expected to be a substantial document (no longer than 15 pages excluding figures) and should be structured as follows: 1. Specific Aims: The Aims of the student's dissertation research (~1-2 page). 2. Background and Significance: Concise review of scientific literature relevant to the proposal, with emphasis on critical knowledge gaps likely to be filled, at least in part, by the proposed thesis research (~3 pages). 3. Preliminary Results: Data that is directly relevant to the proposal, including data generated by the student (although in many cases the student will not as yet generated substantial data) and by other members of the laboratory. It is anticipated that this may be an exploratory period. (~2-5 pages). 4. Research Methods: Describe proposed research methods by Aim, include how the data will be interpreted and possible pitfalls and alternative approaches (typically 3-5 pages). Subsequent DAC meeting Reports should take the form of the 2-to-3-page NIH Progress Report: For each subsequent DAC meeting, the Research Progress Report should not exceed 3 pages (excluding figures) and should consist of:
Thesis Outline (for DAC meetings beginning in G3): Beginning in G3, in addition to the Research Progress Report, the student should prepare a brief (1 to 1-1/2 pages) draft outline of his/her thesis. The outline should be structured as follows: Chapter 1 - Introduction: Brief review of the scientific literature relevant to the proposal with a clear description of the overall hypothesis being tested in the thesis. Chapter 2 – Presentation of a specific question or hypothesis being tested and its relationship to the overall hypothesis of the thesis, followed by presentation, interpretation and discussion of results obtained. Chapter 3 etc. – (As for Chapter 2) As appropriate, additional data chapters should be included. Chapter 4 (or higher) – Discussion: Summary of accomplishments and significance of findings. Appendix – Methods and findings somewhat peripheral to the main thesis but which nonetheless deserve representation within the dissertation as a whole and which can benefit the student and the lab by having this material organized in one easily accessible document. Organization of the actual DAC meeting: 1. Student and faculty alternately leave the room. To provide an opportunity for both the student and the adviser to communicate with the DAC members on a confidential basis, the meeting will start with first the student leaving the room and then the advisor leaving the room. In the absence of the student, the advisor will have a chance to present his/her assessment of the student’s progress and whether the student is on course to graduate in a timely fashion. In the absence of the advisor, the student may likewise communicate his/her own assessment of his/her progress and whether the advisor and the laboratory environment provide the support that he/she needs. This is also an opportunity to share with the committee any other problems of a confidential nature that the student needs help with. 2. Student presentation. The main part of the meeting will consist of a 20-40 minute presentation by the student of results and plans. Committee members will typically interrupt the presentation with questions, and the presentation is followed by a discussion of progress and future plans. 3. Assessment of student's progress. The student's progress will be assessed by the DAC in several areas:
Timeline and Benchmarks The thesis proposal should be crafted with the goal of completing all of the work required for a PhD thesis within five years. This takes planning and considered evaluation of the main aims of the project. We realize that progress is unpredictable and sometimes the most fruitful approaches are also the most challenging and take longer to bear fruit. The DAC will therefore take the nature of the problem into account in making its recommendations. Year 1: Complete rotations, choose thesis lab, complete 5-6 semester-long courses. Year 2: Complete most course work and TA requirement. Complete the PQE (September, November, or January). Have a clear plan for a thesis project that will be presented at the first DAC meeting (December, February, or April) – preliminary data is not required for this initial meeting and it is understood that plans will likely evolve over the course of the thesis. Year 3: Have clear evidence of progress toward meeting the goals of the thesis proposal. Preliminary outline of thesis chapters strongly encouraged – again expect will evolve over time; goal is to start the thinking process on ways the work might be packaged. Year 4: Solidify outline of thesis chapters, which should include a body of work that will form the basis of one or two first author, peer-reviewed, primary research papers prior to the thesis defense. Given the length of time typically involved from submission to successful publication of a manuscript, we expect that a first author manuscript will be presented to the DAC and submitted for publication in year 4 so as to ensure “in press” status by the time of thesis defense in year 5. We realize that progress is unpredictable and each situation distinct, thus justifiable exceptions are anticipated; the DAC chair is expected to report such exceptions to the Program for review. If progress is unduly slow, serious assessment should occur as to whether the student would be better served by options other than continuing toward a Ph.D. Year 5: Continue filling in the outline of the thesis with data and discussion. Requirement for granting of a Ph.D. BBS requires each student to complete a body of primary research of publishable quality. We expect that the vast majority of graduating students will have at least one published first-author, peer-reviewed, primary research paper plus a body of work that will constitute at least one additional thesis chapter. The thesis should be composed of at least 4 chapters: chapter 1 (introduction), chapter 2 (data chapter), chapter 3 (data chapter), and chapter 4 (discussion and future directions). In addition to evaluating completed experiments and manuscripts, readiness to graduate will also be considered with respect to maturity and independence in scientific judgment. Changes to the faculty composition of a DAC Students should choose a DAC chair likely able to serve for the duration of the thesis, regardless of changes in scientific direction of the project. If a DAC member is unable to continue to serve on a DAC, or if the scientific direction of the dissertation project changes, DAC members can be replaced, or additional DAC members added to the committee, at the discretion of the student and advisor, and with the prior agreement of the DAC chair. Approval from BBS Program heads is required for exchange of more than one DAC member. Checking the box When the Dissertation Committee agrees that the student has met the requirements for earning a Ph.D. and is ready to begin writing his/her thesis, the Committee will "check the box" on the student's DAC meeting form that indicates this. The student's dissertation defense must take place within 6 months of the date on which the box is checked; to delay the defense beyond this time point requires that the student petition the BBS Head for permission. Attributions to the Dissertation (DMS policy): In some cases, the student has done all of the work in the dissertation; more often portions of the dissertation result from collaborative research. In all dissertations containing collaborative results, the dissertation should indicate concisely who contributed the work. For example, a chapter containing multi-authored, published work must include a complete reference and a brief description of the candidate's and the colleagues' contributions. For work that is not published but which resulted from multiple researchers, the contributors must be named and respective attributions made clearly. This policy allows stylistic flexibility; depending on the amount of collaborative work in the dissertation and the status of publication(s), the attributions can be together at the end of either the Acknowledgments or Introduction sections of the dissertation or before each relevant chapter. It is permissible for more than one student to include work from the same collaboration or publication as long as the required attributions are clear, justified, and complete.
Dissertation Preparation and DefenseThe 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 the DMS office at 617-432-0605 or dmsphddefense@hms.harvard.edu to schedule an appointment to discuss requirements, dates and receive their dissertation information packet. A pamphlet entitled “Form of the Doctoral Dissertation” describing the requirements of the University in writing the dissertation, is included in the dissertation information packet, which all students receive at their appointment with DMS. Three readers and a chairperson are required by DMS to form a Dissertation Examination Committee. 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 an academic institution 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 examination committee chair is the only member of the DAC permitted to serve on the examination committee.
The Division of Medical Sciences sends the announcement of the dissertation seminar to all DMS faculty and students. DMS also requires that a title page and summary of the dissertation be sent via email (dmsphddefense@hms.harvard.edu) to the DMS Office at least three weeks before the scheduled exam. The Summary is to be 3-5 typed double-spaced pages. At least two weeks before the exam, the copies of the dissertation being sent to the examiners must be presented to the DMS Office for inspection. Once approved, the student then delivers these copies to the examiners. DMS requires that these copies be in a binder. Seventy-two hours before the scheduled examination, the examiners will be contacted by the examination committee chair. The committee members will be asked whether the dissertation document suggests the student will be able to defend successfully. If any committee member has a concern, the chair will inform the DMS office and a meeting of examiners will be held immediately. The dissertation examination will not be held unless and until all examiners agree to proceed. The candidate is expected to give a seminar of approximately one-hour as part of the examination, on the day of the examination, prior to a defense of the dissertation with the examination committee. It is customary for the defense 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 attendance, at the discretion of the chairperson.
Extracurricular ActivitiesExtracurricular 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, with dinner provided for students and the speaker. Also for first year students, there is a weekly BBS Rotation Club, where 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 December. For second year students and above, the BBS Data Club meets weekly with a student presenting his/her data in an informal setting with dinner 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 learn about possible 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 DMS Bulletin is the division newsletter written and managed by DMS students and is published every other month.
The BBS Program webpage is http://www.hms.harvard.edu/dms/bbs. Much of our Program information is on the web, including this Rotation Manual. One can look at the research interests of faculty, view courses that are available, job and career information and opportunities.
BBS Webpage Address: http://www.hms.harvard.edu/dms/bbs
|
Harvard University Home / GSAS Home / HMS Home
Copyright © 1999-2008
by The President and Fellows of Harvard College
