PH.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology

The Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at UMMC is comprised of 14 regular faculty members and two instructors, three members with joint appointments in the Cancer Center and Research Institute, two who are primarily education-focused, and six adjunct faculty members from the Departments of Physiology, Preventive Medicine, and Neurology and the School of Nursing. The faculty use various model systems for their work, such as cell and molecular models, zebrafish, and rodent models. Their studies are supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and private foundations such as the American Heart Association.

The overall objective of the Ph.D. program in cell and molecular biology is for each student to achieve competency in both the coursework and research components of the program and develop critical thinking and communication skills. With this knowledge base and skill set, graduating students will be equipped to pursue a variety of different career options.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center, located in Jackson, is the state's only academic health science center. UMMC includes seven health science schools: medicine, nursing, dentistry, health-related professions, graduate studies, population health, and pharmacy. (The School of Pharmacy is headquartered on the University of Mississippi campus in Oxford.) Enrollment in all programs is more than 3,000 students.

The Medical Center's three-part mission is to improve the lives of Mississippians by educating tomorrow's health care professionals, by conducting health sciences research, and by providing cutting-edge patient care. A major goal of the Medical Center is the elimination of differences in the health status of Mississippians based on race, geography, income, or social status.