BBS Course Requirements/Core Courses

All 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 courses. 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”)
Cellular Metabolism and Human Disease (G1 Spring semester)
Principles and Practice of Human Pathology (G1 Spring semester)
Mechanisms of Disease: Physiology and Pharmacology (G2 Fall semester)

Either the Disease-Centered Tutorial and Clinic or the alternative as described below

Two courses permit LHB students to directly encounter the practice of medicine, from the viewpoint of both physicians and patients. The Disease-Centered Tutorial and Clinic will take place one half-day each week during the summer between the 1st and 2nd graduate school years. Each weekly session will be organized around a clinic at one of the HMS affiliated hospitals with a one-hour tutorial (led by a physician-scientist member of the LHB faculty) that highlights the scope of medical problems being addressed in the particular clinic, after which the students will “shadow” a physician-scientist as s/he evaluates the patients in the clinic. An alternative clinical experience for LHB students that may be chosen is a 1.5 semester long course in the G2 year. In this course, a clinical mentor selects a patient for each student to follow closely for six months. The student learns about the patient’s disease, its biological determinants, its interplay with the patient as person, its environmental etiology, and its socioeconomic consequences.

In addition to these courses, LHB students are involved in a broad range of ongoing paracurricular programs, including a monthly dinner seminar/career planning series. Along with the Harvard MD-PhD Program, there is a monthly dinner seminar “LHB/MD-PhD Rounds” featuring a lecture and discussion led by MD-PhD and LHB students under the mentorship of LHB faculty. LHB students are also invited to attend selected Medical Grand Rounds presented by investigators who pursue work using approaches related to human biology and translational medicine. Students and faculty from the LHB program participate in an annual day-long retreat (open to all interested students and faculty) that will highlight student research.

For DRB students, one of the eight courses required for BBS must be:

CB 330: Experimental Approaches to Developmental Biology, taken in January of year 1.

FALL OF YEAR 1

REQUIRED

Microbiology 230. Analysis of the Biological Literature

Critical analysis of original research articles in an 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.
Half course (fall term).

CORE COURSES - RECOMMENDED

Genetics 201. Principles of Genetics

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.
Half course (fall term).

BCMP 200. Molecular Biology

An advanced treatment of molecular biology's Central Dogma. Considers the molecular basis of genetic information transfer from DNA to RNA to protein, using examples from eukaryotic and prokaryotic systems.

Prerequisite: Intended primarily for graduate students familiar with basic molecular biology or with strong biology/chemistry background.
Half course (fall term).

SPRING OF YEAR 1

CORE COURSES - RECOMMENDED

Cell Biology 201. Molecular Biology of the Cell

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.

Note: Offered jointly with the Medical School as CB 713.0
Prerequisite: Basic knowledge in biochemistry and genetics.
Half course (Spring term).

BCMP 201. Proteins: Structure, Function and Catalysis

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 the perspective required to consider and dissect biological problems at a mechanistic, molecular level.

Note: Offered jointly with the Medical School as BP714.0
Prerequisite: The course is intended for all DMS graduate students and is open to advanced undergraduates.
Half course (Spring term).

Microbiology 200. Molecular Microbiology and Pathogenesis

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.
Half course (fall term).

ADDITIONAL COURSES SHOULD BE TAKEN DURING SPRING OF YEAR 1 AND EITHER SEMESTER OF YEAR 2

The Program strongly recommends that 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.

For all Course Listings refer to DMS Curriculum.