Laboratory Research and Management (MS)

The College of Graduate Health Sciences offers a 16-month 35-credit program leading to the degree of Master of Biomedical Science with a concentration in Laboratory Research and Management.

The mission of this program is to train qualified individuals in the advanced technical, managerial, and administrative skills required to be a Senior Research Assistant/Lab Manager in basic and translational biomedical research laboratories in the academic, government and private biotech sectors. Candidates in this three-semester program will receive training in four integrated components:

Basic Science - Candidates will take existing graduate level courses in Biochemistry, Cell Biology, and Molecular Biology to advance their knowledge and understanding of biological disciplines that are critical for functioning in a basic or translational biological research laboratory.
Technical - Candidates will be trained in both the theoretical and operational aspects of laboratory methodology and critical mathematical calculations. This will include molecular biology methodologies, procedures in animal experimentation, statistical analysis, bioinformatics, scientific communication, scientific graphic design and basic laboratory equipment maintenance and repair.
Administrative - Candidates will be trained and/or certified in radiation, biohazard, animal handling, human tissue handling, general safety compliance issues, the ethical conduct of scientific research, personnel management, conflict resolution, laboratory inventory management, and laboratory finance management.
Practical - Candidates will put their skills to practical use through a 6-month research laboratory internship.

Graduates of this program will help fulfill the local and national need for experienced, highly skilled technical staff that is essential to the success of biomedical research.

Admission as a full-time student requires a bachelor degree or its equivalent with an undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 from an accredited college or university. Two letters of recommendation from previous instructors or persons capable of judging the applicant's qualifications for graduate study are also required. Any applicant to the graduate program whose first language is not English and who has earned neither a bachelor nor a masters degree from a college or university in an English-speaking country must have achieved a TOEFL score of at least 213/79 on the computer-based/Internet-based exam or an IELTS score of 6.5 (earned within 2 years prior to application). Any applicant to the CGHS whose first language is not English but who has earned a baccalaureate or master degree from a college or university in an English-speaking country where instruction was in English may be exempted from the requirement for the TOEFL or IELTS examination.

Students will participate in a rigorous academic curriculum that combines didactic courses, conference discussions and hands-on training over three semesters:

Term	Course Description	Credit Hours
Fall 1	Biochemistry The course presents the fundamental aspects of biochemistry including biochemical and biophysical principles (bonding, properties of water, thermodynamics, ionization and acid-base theory, and enzymology); structure, synthEsis, and function of proteins and enzymes; metabolism of sugars, amino acids, nucleotides, nucleosides, vitamins, coenzymes and lipids; energy production and conversion; mitochondria and bio-energetics; photosynthesis; membrane transport proteins; cytochrome P450 and cell signaling.	3.0
Fall 1	Essentials of Cell Biology. Introduction to the cell includes: animal cell structure; membrane compartmentalization and transport; nuclear structure and dynamics; protein transport and modification; receptor signaling; cell motility and migration; cell cycle regulation; extracellular matrix and cell adhesion; principles of development; and bacterial cell structure.	3.0
Fall 1	Biostatistics for Integrated Biomedical Sciences This online course provides a basic introduction to the use of statistical techniques in biomedical research. The course will cover common descriptive statistics including the mean, median, and standard deviation, inferential statistics, and techniques for testing hypotheses, and will emphasize application of these concepts to case studies.	2.0
Fall 1	Journal Club In this weekly conference, students will learn to read and critically evaluate peer reviewed scientific publications, with particular emphasis on the technical aspects of bench research. The students will also become familiar with cutting-edge methodologies and instrumentation that are described and utilized in recently published research. Upon completion of this course, the students will have learned to adopt the scientific literature as a continuous source of information in their careers.	1.0

Term	Course Description	Credit Hours
Spring	Essentials of Molecular Biology This course covers the essentials of prokaryotic and eukaryotic molecular biology. Topics include DNA and RNA structure; DNA replication, repair, and recombination; the mechanism and regulation of transcription; and protein translation. Fundamental concepts are reinforced by the discussion of human genetic diseases.	3.0
Spring	Techniques - Methods for Nucleic Acids The theory and practical application of commonly used techniques for working with nucleic acids are considered, including nucleic acid isolation, quantitation, and electrophoresis; hybridization, mini-and micro arrays; DNA sequencing; oligonucleotide synthesis, uses, PCR and qPCR; restriction and modification enzymes, and polymerases; prokaryotic and eukaryotic cloning vectors; library construction and clone detection; cDNA-expression and siRNA-silencing libraries; making transgenic mice; in vitro mutagenesis, gel retardation, footprinting, and chromatin assays.	2.0
Spring	Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory I This course will constitute the laboratory companion of the course, Techniques - Nucleic Acid Methods. Students will put theory into practice and receive hands-on instruction on both core and cutting-edge techniques used in cell and molecular biological experimentation.	1.0
Spring	Integrity in the Conduct of Scientific Research This course consists of a study of the ethical principles and related federal and state laws that govern scientific research. Through a combination of lecture and case study discussion, students learn both the substance and application to scientific research of ethical principles and related laws. Topics addressed include research with human subjects, research with animals, the use of human biological materials, privacy and confidentiality of research and medical records, conflicts of interest, scientific misconduct, ownership of research, responsible re-porting of research, and ethical training practices.	1.0
Spring	Bioinformatics I This course consists of eleven 2.5-hour segments. The material will be introduced in a brief lecture format for 30-45 minutes as necessary. The majority of time will be spent using computer applications of bioinformatics tools. The course is designed to provide practical training in bioinformatics methods including accessing the major public sequence databases, using the five BLAST tools to find sequences, analyzing protein and nucleic acid sequences, detecting motifs or domains in proteins, assembling protein sequences from genomic DNA, detecting exons and finding intron / exon boundaries, aligning sequences (Clustal W), and making phylogenetic trees (Phylip). Basic proteomics methods and comparative genomics will also be discussed. Students should leave the course with a working knowledge of how to carry out research using these tools.	2.0
Spring	Bioinformatics II This course consists of six 2.5-hour segments partially as lecture and partially as computer tutorial sessions to demonstrate advanced bioinformatics methods and the use of databases. The course follows Bio-informatics I. Topics include knowledge base mining; 3D structure viewers like Cn3D, the VAST databases of 3D structure alignments; use of genome browsers like UCSC, Ensemble and NCBI's genomic biology section; gene arrays and their construction, use, and data analysis; mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and radiation hybrid mapping; genome assembly and annotation.	1.0
Term	Course Description	Credit Hours
Fall 2	Techniques - Biochemical and Cellular Methods The theory and practical application of commonly used techniques in biochemistry, cell biology, immunology, and structural biology are considered, including absorption and emission spectroscopy; multiple chromatographic methods for use both with and without tags; protein purification strategies; protein electrophoresis and blotting; mass spectroscopy and proteomics; NMR and X-ray crystallography; generation and use of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies; flow cytometry; light, fluorescence, and confocal microscopy; apoptosis and cell purification.	2.0
Fall 2	Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory II This course will constitute the laboratory companion of the course, Techniques - Biochemical and Cellular Methods. Students will put theory into practice and receive hands-on instruction on both core and cutting-edge techniques used in cell and molecular biological experimentation.	1.0
Fall 2	Essentials in Animal Experimentation This course is designed to provide an overview of appropriate and effective use of animals in biomedical research. Topics to be covered include regulatory requirements, biomethodology, principles of experimental animal surgery, postoperative veterinary care, and animal care and use procedures. Emphasis is placed on practical experience with living animals and practice of techniques under anesthesia. No text is required. Scheduling of lecture and laboratory will be done following registration to accommodate other courses and time obligations.	2.0
Fall 2	Laboratory Management This course provides the fundamental principles of laboratory management, including safety compliance, communication skills, inventory management, laboratory financial management, scientific writing, scientific graphic design, small equipment maintenance, and personnel supervisory skills.	2.0
	Masters Research (Internship) This six-month internship will provide the opportunity to accrue work experience in the career for which the student is training. Degree candidates will be placed in active research laboratories and participate in a technical capacity in ongoing research projects in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science	9.0

If interested in applying to the MS in Biomedical Science (Laboratory Research and Management) program, please first contact the Program Director: Dr. Meiyun Fan, mfan2@uthsc.edu or 901.448.4192. Applying online is free. Please go to the UTHSC | Applicant Login Page Section (liaisoncas.com), create an application account, if a first time user, and select the application for "Laboratory Research and Management (MS)", once logged into the system.

Laboratory Research and Management (MS)

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