Graduate Program in Environmental Toxicology

GUIDELINES for PH.D. DEGREE

 

Training Program Requirements
Dissertation Research
Environmental Toxicology Ph.D. Curriculum
Core Course Description for Environmental Toxicology
Suggested Elective Courses in Environmental Toxicology
Environmental Toxicology Faculty

Training program requirements

The following requirements are the ones you must meet to be awarded a Doctor of Philosophy, in the Environmental Toxicology program in the Department of Environmental Health, and you must be acquainted with them. The program director, the Graduate Studies Office and the chairperson of the Degrees Committee are available to help you with queries which may arise.

1. You have been admitted into the doctoral program by the Graduate School on the recommendation of the Program Admissions Committee. You are a provisional doctoral degree candidate, and have been assigned an academic advisor, who for all first-year students is normally the Program Director. You are urged, however, to talk with all faculty in the Program at the first opportunity, in order to familiarize yourself with the research that is being carried out in venous laboratories, and to identify areas in which you might later develop a research interest. In this respect you are strongly recommended to affiliate yourself with a laboratory, both intellectually and physically, as soon as possible. This does not necessarily represent a commitment to that laboratory, but you will generally find the experience of immense benefit in exposing yourself to research techniques and ideas which will be useful in your Qualifying Examination and dissertation research.

If you have already been accepted into the department in another program and wish to be admitted into this Ph.D. program, you should send to the Program Admissions Committee a letter from a member of the faculty of the Department stating that your academic achievements to date have been of high quality and indicating that the faculty member is willing to serve as advisor and chairperson of your dissertation committee. The Program Admissions Committee will collect other pertinent data and seek faculty recommendations on your behalf.

After your first academic year, you should decide in which laboratory you would like to do your dissertation research. Your decision will be made easier if you have actively participated in one or more research laboratories during your first year. As soon as you have made the decision, you should change advisors. This is done simply by confirming your choice with the Program Director, then writing a memo to the Graduate Studies Office with the name of your dissertation Advisor, and informing them that the change has been approved by the Program Director and the new advisor. Although you can change advisors again at any time with the approval of the Program Director and the new advisor, this should be avoided wherever possible. The advisor/student relationship is at the very core of the graduate student experience. Once you have carried out research in a particular laboratory for a while, it is very disruptive to change laboratories and research topics. You should therefore chose your advisor carefully in the first place, and the best way to do this is by getting into the laboratory as early as possible in your graduate career.

Before you select a dissertation advisor you should be aware that no advisor may have more than 3 students who have passed the Qualifying Examination in his/her laboratory at any one time. Your advisor also should be able to provide funding or must be willing to work actively with you to identify and obtain funding. After your first year, you are expected to receive your research moneys and your stipend from non-University resources, although we will not discontinue the award of a University stipend as long as stipends are available and reasonable efforts have been made to procure alternative support. Curing the first year, we prefer that stipends come from general (University or non-University) sources, but first-year support may at times include funds from faculty research grants.

2. The required course work for the Environmental Toxicology Ph. D. Training Program is described in detail in the ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY PH.D. CURRICULUM. In brief. all students are required to take a core curriculum consisting of Cell Biology (3 quarters), Molecular Genetics (1 quarter), Physiology (variable), Fundamentals of Environmental Toxicology (3 quarters), and Biostatistics (1 quarter) To meet the Physiology requirement, you may take either the Medical College Physiology course (1 1/2 quarters, t4 credit hours? or the Vertebrate Physiology course offered in the Department of Biology on the West Campus (2 quarters, 6 credit hours). Two seminar series are also included in the core curriculum. The University requires that you take a minimum of 135 graduate credit hours for the Ph.D. degree, at least 65 of which must be in didactic coursework. The core curriculum, with the required seminars, will account for 41~9 hours of didactic course credit in the first year. The core curriculum must be completed by the end of the second year of the program, but you are encouraged to complete it by the end of the first year.

Electives are selected to round out your program. You should select electives with the assistance of your advisor. You may want to elect specialized courses in your area of research interest or to expand your understanding into other areas. In some instances, your dissertation research advisor may require you to take a particular course. You may select elective courses from among all graduate-level courses offered by the University, however, we do provide a list of electives recommended as likely to be of interest and utility to students in the Environmental Toxicology program. In addition to further didactic coursework, you will meet the total University requirement for 135 credit hours by means of Special Topics, such as predissertation research and dissertation research itself.

Certain courses can be waived with the permission of the Program [director if you feel that you already have a good background in them. You must present your case to the course director, and the Program Director will act on higher recommendation. In the case of non departmental courses, such as the Medical College Physiology course, the Program Director may base a judgment on discussions with faculty in the department who have experience in that area. It is important that you understand, however, that the 65 credit hour requirement is not reduced, and that the credit hours corresponding to the courses waived must be made up elsewhere.

3. All individuals who do not have English as their first language should take the English proficiency examination administered by the University as soon as possible after the beginning of their studies, but not later than at the end of their first academic year. In case of failure, the student may repeat the examination several times, if necessary, but, in any case, may not apply for the qualifying Examination until he/she has passed the examination.
   

4. In order to take the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination, you should have completed all the required courses, maintaining a grade point average of 3.0 or better In departmental courses, and an average of 2.5 (C +) or above in ail courses. You are expected to complete the Qualifying Examination by the end of your second year. When you are ready to take the examination, you must submit a request to the Degrees Committee, which includes a list of suggested Qualifying Examination Committee members and assurance that they are willing to serve if appointed. This request must be initialed by yourself and your advisor and be submitted through hither. In addition to the request, you must include copies of the three preliminary proposals for the Examination so that the Degrees Committee can judge the Qualifying Examination Committee members are suitable. You must also include a letter from the Program Director ceding that all requirements have been met, and any other information the Degrees Committees is lacking, such as documentation that shows you have completed the Foreign Language Examination. The Examination Committee must consist of a minimum of three faculty, one of whom must be from the outside the department. Beginning on the date that the Degrees Committee appoints your Examination committee, you have 60 days to complete the Qualifying Examination.

The Qualifying Examination itself consists of both written and oral parts, the first part of the written section consisting of three short research proposals, each on a distinct topic, and each not more than 3 pages in length. Each of these proposals should begin with a concise statement of the hypotheses, continue with a brief description of previous findings which make the hypotheses plausible, and include a brief description of the experiments you would carry out to prove the hypotheses. Detailed description experimental procedures is unnecessary. If all of the proposals are acceptable, one is chosen by the committee for expansion into a more detailed version. This is organized along the same lines as the short proposals, but is 10-15 pages long. If the latter is acceptable, it forms the basis of an oral presentation 30~35 minutes in length which is followed by an oral examination by the committee. The oral examination is broadly based and is not limited to material in the expanded proposal. Further details of this process are given in the Guidelines on the Qualifying Examination. Although the procedure above is the one usually followed, the Qualifying Examination Committee may also give some other form of written examination, such as an examination put together by the Committee members. This procedure is rarely followed, however.

5. Once you have passed the Qualifying Examination, you, together with your advisor, should submit to the Degrees Committee the names of the faculty you consider appropriate for membership on your Dissertation Committee, which must consist of at least three members. The dissertation advisor, or alternatively two other members of the committee, must be members of the Graduate Faculty of the University, and one committee member must be from outside the department. The Dissertation Committee should be appointed as soon as possible after completion of the Qualifying Examination. At this time you should also submit a proposed dissertation topic with sufficient detail to enable the Degrees Committee to judge the appropriateness of the membership of the committee. If you begin your dissertation research before taking the Qualifying Examination, your committee may be chosen before you have completed other requirements. In this case the dissertation committee is informal and you are still a provisional doctoral candidate until ail requirements for full candidacy have been met.
   

6. Within six months of appointment of the Dissertation Committee you must submit a Statement of Intent to the Degrees Committee. The Statement must be approved by your Dissertation Committee and cosigned by its chairman. Once the Statement of Intent is approved by the Degrees Committee, you are admitted as a full candidate for the doctoral degree. From then on you are required to submit a yearn progress report to the Degrees Committee. After this point, it is important that you realize that your fate is in the hands of the Dissertation Committee, and you had better make the best possible use of their guidance. This is a very important function of the Committee in addition to its function as a board of examiners. When, in the opinion of the Dissertation Committee, the research component of the dissertation is complete, a defense of dissertation is arranged. Although it is not required that the written dissertation be in its final form at the time of the deference, you should have an acceptable version in the hands of each member of the Dissertation Committee at least two weeks beforehand.

The defense will be open to the academic community and to the general public. It is usual that you first present a view of the research completed for the dissertation. Following this presentation, which is traditionally 40-50 minutes long, questions are first put forward by the members of the Dissertation Committee. After the committee has completed its first round of questions, other persons present are offered the opportunity to put forward questions or comments. Following this, the committee is provided the opportunity to ask further questions, after which it withdraws to decide whether the dissertation and its defense are acceptable. After the committee comes to a decision, you will be informed immediately, and the appropriate form will be signed by the committee members. The form is subsequently sent to the Graduate School Office via the Graduate Studies Office, and must be in the Graduate School Of rice at least 10 days before commencement. The exact deadlines involved can be obtained from the Graduate School Office.

7. You must have submitted at least one manuscript based on your dissertation research to a peer-reviewed journal before you may graduate. You are also reminded that you cannot graduate as long as an I or N grade remains on your record. You may also not receive a degree if you have any outstanding F grades, unless you have retaken the course with a grade of C or better. If the course is not required by your program, the F grade may be offset by substituting another course acceptable to the Program Director and the University Dean. It's a University rule that you must complete all requirements for the degree within four years of completion of the Qualifying Examination. You must have been a full candidate at least seven months before the degree is granted. If the four-year period is exceeded, a one-year extension can be requested from the Graduate Studies Office. This extension is usually readily granted, but further extensions are only granted under exceptional circumstances, and require the strong support of you Research Advisor. If you are denied an extension at any point, you may petition for reinstatement, but will only be re-admitted after taking and passing a new Qualifying Examination. You must register for at least one credit of an established course during the autumn quarter of each year during which you are a candidate for the degree.
   

8. After your committee has approved the final version of your dissertation, you are required to give to the Graduate Studies Office two final copies ready for binding, as well as 350-word abstract of the dissertation; a signed publication agreement with the University Microfilms for publishing the abstract in Dissertation Abstracts and for preparing a master microfilm negative of the entire dissertation; and cashier's receipts for the diploma fee, binding fee, and publication fee. Instructions for preparing dissertations (format, paper, etc.) may be obtained from the Graduate Studies Office. The dissertation abstract and the application for defense of dissertation should be in the Graduate Studies Office at least 25 days before commencement. Two final copies of the dissertation, and the form indicating approval by the dissertation committee, should be in the Graduate Studies Offices at least 10 days before Commencement. Exact deadlines may be obtained from the Graduate School.

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Dissertation Research

1. Your dissertation research should be a component of the research ongoing in the laboratory of your dissertation advisor, but be distinct. Although your advisor will always be available for guidance and discussion, your research should show signs of increasing independence as you progress. You must also demonstrate to your Dissertation Committee that your work is not being carried out by technical assistants or other personnel to any significant extent.
   

2. It is your responsibility, and that of your advisor, to see that a dissertation committee is formed and that your research plan is formalized within six months after you have passed the Qualifying Exam. After the original research topic is approved by your Dissertation Committee, any major change in your topic is not permitted until approval of the new topic is given by the Committee. Approaches and emphases understandably change as your research progresses, however.
   
3. You are reminded that your Dissertation Committee is the final judge of the quality and quantity of your research. You are expected to publish as much of your dissertation research findings as possible in peer-reviewed journals, and submission of one completed manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal is required for graduation. You are normally entitled to be first author on any published paper of your research findings.
   
4. It is a University regulation that original research data remain in the laboratory of origin for at least 5 years. The dissertation research results may be used as the basis for continuing investigations by the laboratory in which the research was done, or by yourself. This can be determined by mutual agreement. You are entitled to retain a copy of the original data and analysis, but when you leave, the original data should remain in the laboratory of origin.
   
5. In contusion, you should be aware that your graduate experience is under no control other than your own. This is true with respect to quality of course work and dissertation research, but also in some cases with respect to stipend and research funding. External funds for graduate research are available, and you may want to work together with your advisor to obtain funds which will ensure that you can work in the area of your choice without financial restriction. You are strongly encouraged to take charge of all aspects of your graduation education.
   

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Environmental Toxicology Ph.D. Curriculum
FIRST YEAR

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Core Course Description for Environmental Toxicology

26-950-871. Molecular Biology of the Cell: Nucleic Acids: This course is an introduction to the structure of DNA and its roses as genetic material. 4 gr. cr., Autumn Quarter.

26-950-872. Molecular Biology of the Cell: Proteins and Enzymes: This course is an introduction to protein structure, enzymology, and metabolic concepts. 4 gr. cr., Autumn Quarter.

26-904-837. Toxicology Seminar: Required for graduate students in the Toxicology Ph.D. program. Each student is required to present a research seminar based on literature or his/her own research. 1 gr. cr., Autumn Quarter.

26-904-701. Environmental Health Seminar: Lectures and discussions covering a broad range of problems in environmental health led by guest lecturers considered leaders in their field. 1 gr. cr., Autumn Quarter.

26-904-851. Fundamental of Environmental Toxicology: Introduction to the principle of pharmacokinetics, signal transduction, biotransformation and risk assessment. Mechanisms of organ-specific toxicity, teratogenesis, mutagenesis and carcinogenesis. Preq: Permission of Instructor. 4 gr. cr., Winter Quarter.

25-950-862. Molecular Biology of the Cell Il: This course covers membrane biology and basic cell biology. Emphasis include membrane structure and generation of resting and action potentials. cell compartmentalization and organelles. Protein trafficking and secretion, cytoskeleton, extracellular matrix, nuclear architecture and chromosome structure. The course integrates morphological biochemical and biophysical approaches. 5 gr. cr., Winter Quarter.

26-904- 838. Toxicology Seminar: Continuation of 26-904-837. 1 gr. cr., Winter Quarter.

26-904-702. Environmental Health Seminar: Continuation of 26-904-701. 1 gr. cr., Winter Quarter.

26-904-852. Fundamentals of Environmental Toxicology: Continuation of 26-904-851. 4 gr. cr., Spring Quarter.

26-950-863. Molecular Biology of the Cell lll: This course emphasizes regulation of cell cycle and cell proliferation. The course introduces the student to cell growth factors and their receptors, discussing relationship to oncogenies. There is further emphasis on cellular responses to peptide and steroid hormones and involvement of second messengers such as regulation by cyclic nucleotide, calcium and protein kinase. 3 gr. cr., Winter Quarter.

26-904-839. Toxicology Seminar: Continuation of 26-904-838. 1 gr. cr., Spring Quarter.

26-904-703. Environmental Health Seminar: Continuation of 26-90~702. 1 gr. cr. Spring Quarter.

26-904-709. Quality Assurance and Quality Control in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: The principles and strategies for a QA/QC program to provide credible data and to evaluate the accuracy, bias, and precision of environmental, toxicological, and biological monitoring data forming the basis for critical decision on vital health and environmental matters. 3 gr. cr., Summer Quarter.

26-904-785. Introductory Physiology: Basic biological principles with lectures on structure and function of mammals. 3 gr. cr., Autumn Quarter.

26-904-987. Risk Assessment: Lectures deal with hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment and risk characterizations. Current literature and Federal Guidelines are the basis of lectures. Preq: Familiarity with basic principles of toxicology. 4gr. cr., Spring Quarter.

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Suggested Elective Courses in Environmental Toxicology

The Ph.D. graduate program in toxicology builds on a core curriculum which provides the student with a fundamental understanding of the physiological and biochemical principles governing the uptake and disposition of foreign compounds, the maintenance of homeostasis, and mechanisms of toxic action. Basic laboratory and statistical techniques for the acquisition and evaluation of date are also an integral part of the curriculum.

Elective courses are available in each year. The offer the student the opportunity to emphasize an area such as molecular toxicology, genetic toxicology (mutagenesis, carcinogenesis, teratogenesis), or industrial toxicology within the broad framework provided by the core curriculum. Alternatively, elective courses may be selected to enrich a general toxicology program. In addition to these listed, elective courses may be chosen from among the wide range offered by the University, including those taught in other graduate departments. They include courses in radio-biology, development biology, microbiology, genetics, epidemiology, psychology, and neurophysiology.

The following elective courses are suggested to be especially suitable for graduate study in toxicology.

Regression Analysis. Linear regression, least squares, elementary matrix operation, multiple regression, correlation analysis, and introductory analysis of variance and covariance. Winter: 4 credits.

Environmental Mutagenesis and Carcinogenesis. Lectures on the principles for testing environmental agents with mutagenic and carcinogenic activity, and the effects and mechanisms of these agents in biology systems. Fall: 3 credits.

Mechanisms in Chemical Carcinogenesis. Types and classes of environmental chemical carcinogens, mechanisms of action. trends in research, in vivo methods for carcinogen assessment and use of analytical methods. Winter: 3 credits.

Risk Assessment. Introduction to principles and policies of risk assessment, and use of toxicity information in risk characterization. Spring: 4 credits, including lab.

Neurotoxicology. The nervous system as a target organ with respect to environmental exposures, as accessed by electrophysiological, biochemical and behavioral techniques. Spring: 3 credits.

Kinetics for the Health Sciences. Application of kinetic principles to problems in biological research; doseeffect and dose-response relationships; physiologic models. Spring: 3 credits.

Introduction to Environmental Health. A general study of biological and medical principles and disciplines as they apply to the recognition and resolution of problems of environmental health. Fall: 3 credits.

Environmental Physiology. Study of the physiological reactions of man and other mammals to change in the environment. Winter: 2 credits.

Analytical Toxicology. Principles, theories, and applications of analytical and biochemical instrumentation, and techniques employed in solving toxicological problems. Subjects include protocol development, quality assurance/quality control, stable and radioisotopes, separation science, chromatography, spectroscopy, and identification procedures. Winter: Alternate years: 4 credits.

Principles of Cell Culture as Applied to Cell Biology. Mammalian cells in vitro as a model for the study of toxic agents in the environment, genetics and cytogenetics, differentiation and growth, aging and malignancy, techniques of cell culture. Spring: Alternate years: 3 credits.

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