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- Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Research (Ph.D.)
For Additional Information:
Request More Information FormMarlenea Brand, MPA
Administrative Director of Graduate Studies
Phone: (304) 696-7399
Email: brandm@marshall.edu
Marie Murphy
Administrative Assistant
Phone: (304) 696-7278
Email: murphyma@marshall.edu
Marriah Menchaca
Recruitment and Marketing Specialist
Phone: (304) 696-3365
Email: menchacama@marshall.edu
Students in the Biomedical Research Ph.D. program will take an interdisciplinary approach to, and develop a broad basis in, biomedical research. As part of the interdisciplinary approach, Ph.D. students in the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine (MU JCESOM) graduate program will cross departmental boundaries and conduct research with a faculty mentor in one of the following research clusters - Cell Biology Research Cluster, Obesity and Related Diseases Cluster, Neurobiology and Addiction Research Cluster, Toxicology and Environment Health Research Cluster, Cardiovascular Disease Research Cluster - see areas below..
Areas of Research | |
Obesity Related Disorders | Pulmonary Disease |
Epithelial Transport | Addiction Neurobiology |
Regulation of Intestinal Sodium, Glucose, Amino Acid Absorption | Diabetes |
Intestinal Inflammation | Hypertension |
Intestinal Microbiome | Bone Growth Abnormalities |
Toxicology | Lipid Homeostasis |
Breast Cancer | Neurosciences |
Cardiovascular Disorders | Cell Biology |
Centers of research interest include
Submit form below with any questions you have about the program.
When entering the Biomedical Research Ph.D. program, students are required to complete rotations through a minimum of three different laboratories, each rotation consisting of at least 120 hours. These rotations help students build rapport with faculty and students, decide on their preferred area of research, and learn new research techniques. Students have the opportunity to rotate among labs within the following clusters:
Students are expected to complete the requirements of the Biomedical Research Ph.D. degree within five years. Students who possess a Master of Science (M.S) in Biomedical Research or the equivalent when admitted typically require three to four years to complete the Ph.D. degree.
Students in the Biomedical Research Ph.D. program complete the core courses below. After the first year, students will then begin taking courses in their desired research cluster.
Students select an advisory committee no later than the end of the first year of graduate education. The committee usually consists of at least five faculty members with appropriate expertise. Also, students MUST successfully complete additional courses as determined by their advisory committee. Please consult the advisory committee to learn more about their respective requirements.
Year I - Summer III |
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Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
BMR 785 | Introduction to Research | 3 |
BMR 882 | Research | 1 |
Year I - Fall Semester | ||
BMR 601 | Introduction to Nucleic Acids and Proteins | 3 |
BMR 602 | Introduction to Cell Structure and Function | 3 |
BMR 661 | Communication Skills I | 1 |
BMR 680 | Seminar | 1 |
BMR 882 | Research | 1 |
Year I - Spring Semester | ||
BMR 603 | Regulation of Cell Function | 2 |
BMR 604 | Cellular Basis of Disease | 1 |
BMR 661 | Communication Skills II | 1 |
BMR 680 | Seminar | 1 |
Required Research Cluster Courses |
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Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
PHS 667 | Experimental Approaches to Physiology | 4 |
PHS 666 | Physiology of the Cell | 4 |
BMR 665 | Cardiovascular Disease Colloquium | 3 (min) |
BMR 664 | Obesity and Related Diseases Colloquium | 3 (min) |
Suggested Electives | ||
BIC 638 | Advanced Molecular Genetics | 3 |
BIC 643 | Signal Transduction | 3 |
BMR 641 | Molecular Development | 3 |
BMR 631 | Neurosci/DevBio Lit Review | 1 |
Other Activities include attending one or more national scientific meeting to present the results of their research.
Students are required to select a minimum of 5 credit hours of courses from the list below (including at least one course from list A). Please note that Cancer Biology is offered in the spring every other year. Cancer Colloquium is offered every semester.
Students are required to take a minimum of four hours of electives in areas agreed upon by their advisory committees. One of the strengths of the CBRC is that it allows students to specialize according to their individual interests. Students have the opportunity to select from a wide variety of electives. For example, students in the cluster may have specific interests in epigenetics or signaling pathways in cancer research, or develop complementary skills in microscopy.
Required Research Cluster Courses |
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Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
List A | ||
BMR 651 | Cancer Biology | 4 |
PHS 666 | Physiology of the Cell | 3 |
PHS 667 | Experimental Approaches to Physiology | 4 |
List B | ||
BMR 679 | Special Problems | 1 |
BMR 676 | Cell Biology Research Cluster Journal Club | 1 |
BMS 652 | Cancer Biology Colloquium | 1 |
BMR 631 | Neuroscience and Developmental Biology Literature Review | 1 |
ACB 640 | Current Topics in Cellular Biology | 1 or 2 |
Suggested Electives | ||
BIC 643 | Molecular Signal Transduction | 3 |
BIC 638 | Advanced Molecular Genetics | 3* |
CHM 678 | Applied Microscopy in Research | 4 |
BMS 670 | Molecular Cloning | 2 |
MCB 648 | Molecular Basis of Pathogenesis | 3 |
BMR 641 | Molecular Development | 3 |
*Only offered every odd-number year.
Required Research Cluster Courses |
||
Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
PHS 628* | Mammalian Neurophysiology | 2 |
PHS 629* | Mammalian Physiology | 6 |
PHS 667* | Experimental Approaches to Physiology | 4 |
PHS 666 | Physiology of the Cell | 3 |
BMS 665 | CDRC Colloquium | 1 |
Suggested Electives | ||
PHS 638 | Advanced Cardiovascular Physiology | 1-2 |
BIC 643 | Signal Transduction | 3 |
BMS 670 | Molecular Cloning | 2 |
*PHS 667 is an alternate to (PHS 628 and PHS 629), so we may need to add that statement.
Required Research Cluster Courses |
||
Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
BMR 785 | Intro to Research | 3 |
BMR 882 | Research | 1 |
BMR 601 | Intro to DNA, RNA, and Proteins | 3 |
BMR 602 | Intro to Cell Structure and Function | 3 |
BMR 660 | Communication I | 1 |
BMR 680 | Seminar | 1 |
BMR 603 | Regulation of Cell Function | 2 |
BMR 604 | Cell Basis of Disease | 1 |
BMR 617 | BMS Statistics | 3 |
BMR 644 | Research Conduct | 1 |
BMR 661 | Communication II | 1 |
BMS 631 | Neuroscience Journal Club | 1 |
Suggested Electives | ||
PHS 628 | Mammalian Neurophysiology | 2 |
BMS 600 | Neuroanatomy I | 2 |
BMS 628 | Neuroscience I | 3 |
Required Research Cluster Courses |
||
Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
PMC 650 | Toxicology | 3 |
PMC 655 | Toxicology Reviews | 1 each (3 total) |
Suggested Electives | ||
PHS 667 | Experimental Approached to Physiology | 3 |
PMC 621 | Medical Pharmacology I | 6 |
PMC 621 | Medical Pharmacology II | 2 |
BMS 670 | Molecular Cloning | 2 |
BIC 643 | Signal Transduction | 3 |
MCB 648 | Molecular Basis of Pathogenesis | 3 |
Mentor: Wei Li, M.D./Ph.D.
Project Name: Role of TYMP in Type II Diabetes Associated High Risk of Thrombosis
Undergraduate Institution: Marshall University
belcher111@marshall.edu
Mentor: Nalini Santanam, M.D./Ph.D.
Project Name: Testing new drug treatments in endometriosis through targeting epigenetic changes
Undergraduate Institution: University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
binion2@live.marshall.edu
Mentor: Brandon Henderson, Ph.D.
Project Name: To understand the effects that electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) flavors have on nicotine addiction and neurological function
Undergraduate Institution: Lake Michigan College, University of Findlay
cooper394@live.marshall.edu
Mentor: Monica Valentovic, Ph.D.
Project Name: Examining the effects of the e-cigaratte flavoring cinnamaldehyde in kidney proximal tube (HK2) cells.
Undergraduate Institution: Marshall University
saunders29@live.marshall.edu
Mentor: TBD
Project Name: TBD
Undergraduate Institution: Marshall University
evans327@live.marshall.edu
Mentor: Louise Risher, Ph.D.
Project Name: Elucidating the intersection of adolescent binge drinking and blast traumatic brain injury on astrocyte function
Undergraduate Institution: Lincoln University of PA
harris455@live.marshall.edu
Mentor: TBD
Project Name: TBD
Undergraduate Institution: Texas Tech University
herrera9@live.marshall.edu
Mentor: Sandrine Pierre, Ph.D.
Project Name: Drug Development based on Na/K-ATPase
Undergraduate Institution: Wuhan University (China)
huangm@marshall.edu
Mentor: Uma Sundaram, M.D.
Project Name: Regulation of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) absorption in chronic intestinal inflammation
Undergraduate Institution: Primeasia University, Bangladesh
islam8@live.marshall.edu
Mentor: Sandrine Pierre, Ph.D.
Project Name: Role of Proximal Tubule Na,K-ATPase alpha1 signaling in sodium handling and blood pressure regulation
Undergraduate Institution: University of Mumbai (India)
mukherji@live.marshall.edu
Mentor: Uma Sundaram, M.D.
Project Name: TBD
Undergraduate Institution: Anna University, Chennai, India
rajkumar1@live.marshall.edu
Mentor: Lydia Bogomolnaya, Ph.D.
Project Name: TBD
Undergraduate Institution: North Carolina A&T State University
sierra3@live.marshall.edu
Mentor: Maria Serrat, Ph.D.
Project Name: The role of the IGF-1 signaling axis in obesity-induced linear growth acceleration.
Undergraduate Institution: Chaminade University of Honolulu
song27@live.marshall.edu
Mentor: TBD
Project Name: TBD
Undergraduate Institution: West Virginia State University
williams987@live.marshall.edu
Mentor: Shekher Mohan, PhD
Project Name: Assessing the effects of neuroprotective agents in a mouse model of opioid-induced neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS)
Undergraduate Institution: Cedarville University
stevens107@marshall.edu
Mentor: Uma Sundara, M.D.
Project Name: Glutamine transporter and its regulation in inflammation and obesity
Undergraduate Institution: Caldwell College
tsopmegha@live.marshall.edu
Mentor: Louise Risher, Ph.D.
Project Name: Investigating the role of astrocytes in the development of addiction and how acute and chronic binge ethanol exposure influences astrocyte function.
Undergraduate Institution: University of Pikeville
walker583@live.marshall.edu
Mentor: TBD
Project Name: TBD
Undergraduate Institution: University of Ghana
wellington3@live.marshall.edu
Ph.D. Alumni from 2005 to 2010 |
||
Name | Hometown | Current Job |
Ryan Morrison, '06 | Huntington, WV | N/a |
Marcus Terneus, '06 | Huntington, WV | Alcon pharmaceutical |
Sean Thatcher, '07 | Huntington, WV | Assistant Professor - Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Kentucky |
Jason Black, '07 | Crown City, Ohio | N/a |
Aaron Holley, '08 | Milton, WV | N/a |
Zina-Ann Cardozo, '08 | Huntington, WV | N/a |
Eun Kim, '09 | Huntington, WV | N/a |
Kari Wilson, '09 | Ashland, KY | N/a |
Fredrick Damron, '09 | Huntington, WV | Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Director of Vaccine Development Center, West Virginia University |
Kan Huang, '09 | Glen Oaks, NY | N/a |
Dawn Turner, '09 | Barboursville, WV | Assistant Professor - University of Charleston |
Nicholas Adkins, '09 | Huntington, WV | N/a |
Rabaa Al-Rousan, '09 | Charleston, WV | N/a |
Amy Nash, '09 | Indianapolis, IN | N/a |
Sandeep Joshi, '10 | Rockville, MD | National Cancer Institute, University of Maryland |
Lauren Waugh, '10 | Huntington, WV | West Virginia Officer of the Chief Medical Examiner in Charleston |
Jennifer Napper, '10 | Portsmouth, OH | Assistant Professor - Shawnee State University |
Melinda Varney, '10 | Huntington, WV | Assistant Professor - Marshall University School of Pharmacy |
Ph.D. Alumni from 2011 to 2015 |
||
Name | Hometown | Current Job |
Jasjeet Bhullar, '11 | Elkridge, MD | N/a |
Yue Huang, '11 | Huntington, WV | Mount Sinair School of Medicine - New York |
Sunil Kakarla, '11 | N/a | Veterinarian in North Carolina |
Anjaiah Katta, '11 | N/a | Veterinarian in Tennessee |
Juliana Akinsete, '11 | Proctorville, OH | N/a |
Linda Eastham, '12 | Crown City, OH | Progenesis Technologies, LLC in Huntington, West Virginia |
Siva Nalabotu, '12 | N/a | Associate Veterinarian in Cincinnati, Ohio |
James Brown, '12 | Huntington, WV | N/a |
Madhukar Kolli, '12 | Huntington, WV | Associate Veterinarian |
Aileen Marcelo, '12 | Huntington, WV | Sanders-Brown Center on Aging at University of Kentucky |
Anne Silvis, '12 | Hurricane, WV | Research Assistant Professor for Marshall's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology |
Johannes Fahrmann, '13 | Davis, CA | McCombs Institute for Early Detection and Treatment of Cancer, MD Anderson Cancer Center |
Thomas Withers, '13 | Huntington, WV | Principal Research Scientist at Progenesis Technologies, LLC. |
Jacqueline Fannin, '14 | Paintsville, KY | N/a |
Benjamin Owen, '14 | West Paducah, KY | Morehouse School of Medicine |
Meagan Valentine, '14 | Huntington, WV | N/a |
Mary Wolf, '14 | Sumter, NC | N/a |
Nandini Manne, '14 | Huntington, WV | Marshall University |
Miranda Carper, '14 | Marietta, OH | Post Doc at UNC-Chapel Hill |
Sarah Daron-Mathis, '15 | Huntington, WV | Post Doc at Vanderbilt University |
Rounak Nande, '15 | Annadale, VA | Post Doc at Georgetown University |
Ph.D. Alumni from 2016-Present |
||
Name | Hometown | Current Job |
Justin Tomblin, '16 | Huntington, WV | Post Doc |
Christopher Racine, '16 | Huntington, WV | Scientist at Mylan Pharmaceutical |
Kristeena Ray-Wright, '17 | Huntington, WV | Post Doc at Harvard University |
Adam Fischer, '17 | Linn, WV | N/a |
Rachel Murphy, '17 | Okenos, MI | Contract Research Company in Kansas |
Sean Piwarski, '18 | Huntington, WV | Post Doc at Duke |
Mani Maheshwari, '18 | Farmington Hills, MI | Post Doc - Henry Ford Health System |
Holly Racine, '18 | Huntington, WV | Professor of Biology, West Liberty University |
Taha Ahmad, '19 | Huntington, WV | N/a |
Deborah Amos, '19 | Parkersburg, WV | Professor, Ohio Valley University |
Molly Butts, '19 | Huntington, WV | Post Doc, Marshall University |
Jamie Friedman, '19 | Durham, NC | Scientist at Bioagilytix, Durham, NC |
Niraj Nepal, '19 | Huntington, WV | Post Doc, Marshall University |
Jacaline Parkman, '19 | Huntington, WV | Scientist at Bioagilytix, Durham, NC |
Dakota Ward, '19 | N/a | Scientist at Bioagilytix, Durham, NC |
Roy Al Ahmar '20 | Huntington, WV | Post Doc at Marshall University |
Laura Kutz '20 | Huntington, WV | Post Doc at Marshall University |
Caroline Hunter, '20 | N/a | TBD |
Lexie Blalock, '20 | N/a | National Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH |
Applicants will be considered until June 30, if openings are available.
Vice Dean, Office of Research & Graduate Education
Phone: (304) 691-184
sundaramu@marshall.edu
Co-Director, MU JCESOM Graduate Program
Phone: (304) 696-3523
egleton@marshall.edu
Administrative Director of Graduate Studies
Phone: (304) 696-7399
brandm@marshall.edu