Example Program of Study with IIMP focus in Translational Biomedical Science Ph.D. Program.
Core Curriculum. We have devised a very flexible and student-centric core curriculum, much of which will be
completed during the first two years of the 5-year IIMP training focus within the TBS Ph.D. Program. Importantly, with
approval from the IIMP Training Focus Program Co-Directors (Drs. Simpson-Haidaris and Green) and Comentors, students may choose from many available courses in public health and laboratory sciences to substitute for
core courses to tailor didactic training to fit their career goals. The core curriculum will provide the students with 35-36
credit hours of didactic training in the first two years as shown in the sample schedule of classes in Table 1.
Table 1. Sample Schedule of Classes for First Tw o Years of IIMP PhD training focus in TBS Ph.D. program.
Fall Year-01 (2015)
Spring Year-01 (2016)
IND 501 (1 credit)
Ethics and Integrity in Research
IND 417 (1 credit)
W orkshop in Scientific Communications
PM 415 (3 credits)
Principles of Epidemiology
IND 410 (4 credits)
Molecular Biology and Genetics
st
• 1 7 weeks, meet Prospective Mentors at
research presentation mini-seminars (weekly)
• Last 8 weeks, Lab/Popn Rotation 1
Choose 1 of 4 Lab Science courses
(4 or 5 credits each)
• IND 408 - Advanced Biochem & Recitation
(5 credits)
• IND 409 - Cell Biology (4 credits)
• IND 419 - Introduction to Quantitative
Biology (3 credits) (NEW)
• MBI 473/573 - Immunology Seminar
(5 credits)
MBI 412 - Population & Laboratory Approaches
to Infection & Immunity (1 credit) (NEW )
Summer-in-Residence
• Students Attend Mentor-Pairing meetings with
mentors.
• Dissertation research
st
• 1 8 weeks Lab/Popn Rotation 2
• 8 week Lab/Popn Rotation 4 (optional)
• Last 8 weeks Lab/Popn Rotation 3
Choose 1 of 4 Public Health courses
(3 credits each)
• PM 450 - Community-Based Organizations as
Partners in Public Health
• PM 425 - Health Promotion & Preventive Med
• PM 412 - Survey Research
• PM 458 - Qualitative Health Care Research
• Strategy to enhance co-mentoring
sessions: Students and mentors meet
biweekly during summer to develop
semester- long population mentor research
part of project followed by semester-long
laboratory science mentor part of dissertation
project.
• MBI 411 - Epidem iolo g y of Infectious
Diseases (2 credits) (NEW)
MBI 412 - Population & Laboratory Appr oac hes
to Infection & Immunity (1 credit )
IND 595 - PhD Research (6-7 to total 16 credits)
IND 595 - PhD Research (7 to total 16 credits)
PM 476 - CTSI Seminar Series (0 credit)
PM 476 - CTSI Seminar Series (0 credit)
Fall Year-02 (2016)
Summer Yr-01 (2016)
Spring Year-02 (2017)
BST 463/BST 467 (3 credits)
IND 438 (3 credits)
Intro to Biostatistics/Applied Stats Biomedical Sci Practical Skills in Grant W riting
Semester-long immersive research internship in population science with chosen mentor
Semester-long immersive research internship in laboratory science with chosen mentor
Choose 1 of 3 Population Health courses (3
or 4 credits)
• PM 445 - Introduction to Health Services
Research (4 credits)
• PM 420 - American Health Policy and Politics
(3 credits)
• PM 419 - Recruitment & Retention of Human
Subjects in Clinical Research (3 credits)
Choose 1 of 3 Lab Science courses (each 4
credits)
• MBI 414/514 - Microbial Pathogenesis &
Seminar
• MBI 421/521 - Microbial Genetics & Seminar
• MBI 456 - General Virology
MBI 412 - Population & Laboratory Approaches
to Infection & Immunity (1 credit)
MBI 412 - Population & Laboratory Approaches
to Infection & Immunity (1 credit)
• Ment o r-t h e-M e n to rs workshops will be led
by Co-Directors (Drs. Bennett and Dewhurst)
with assistance from IIMP Program Training
Directors (Drs. Simpson-Haidaris and Green).
• Selection of Lab & Population Co-Mentors
• Create Individual Development Plan (IDP)
Summer Yr-02 (2017)
• Write Qualifying Exam proposal in style of
NIH R01 grant
st
rd
• Pass Qualifying Exam by Oct 1 of 3 year
(See New-Co u r ses -T rain in g -In te rn s hip )
Summer-in-Residence
Dissertation research
Summer Yr-03 (2018)
With approval from TBS-IIMP focus Program Co-Directors and Co-Mentors, courses in public
health or lab sciences may be substituted to tailor didactic training for each student
PM 476 - CTSI Seminar Series (0 credit)
PM 476 - CTSI Seminar Series (0 credit)
IND 595 - PhD Research (7-8 to total 16 credits)
IND 595 PhD - Research (8 to total 16 credits)
Immersive Cross-disciplinary Internship or
Externship (NEW ) (e.g., CDC, Monroe County
Department of Public Health, Pharma) aligned
with research project (8 week s)
(See New-C o u rs es -T rain in g -In t e rn sh ip )
Advanced Courses and Electives. Because the focus of the TBS-IIMP program is on laboratory science coupled
with population science in infection and immunity, we have designed an IIMP pathway-specific core curriculum to allow
a selection of the strongest courses available to provide fundamental and deep knowledge in both disciplines so that IIMP
students emerge from the training program prepared for a productive academic career at the interface between laboratory
and population science. The core curriculum (Table 1) includes required courses in ethics, academic survival skills
(scientific communications and grant writing), and three new advanced courses (Table 1-NEW) These courses will
provide all students with a foundational, shared knowledge base – as well as a common set of learning experiences that
will promote programmatic and social cohesion among the trainees. Many additional advanced courses are available as
electives - allowing students to tailor their own Program of Study, and to gain in-depth knowledge and technical skills in
both disciplines.