genes
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The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer CenterThe University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston
Genes & Development Graduate Program
Program OverviewThe Genes & Development Program (G&D) at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer
Center is a research-oriented Ph.D. program for students seeking advanced training in biomedical research on the fundamental molecular mechanisms that control cell growth and differentiation, and underlie disease.
Research in our program labs covers a broad spectrum of modern biomedical interests including Cancer Biology, Developmental Biology, Gene Regulation, Structural Biology, Cell Growth & Signaling and Proteomics & Genomics. Diverse experimental systems, including mice, frogs, worms, fruit flies, sea urchins, yeast and human cells are used by G&D faculty and graduate students to conduct their research.
From cutting-edge labs with state-of-the-art facilities, to coursework, seminars and program activities, the G&D Program provides an intellectually stimulating atmosphere that fosters faculty-student interactions, the development of independent scientific thought and analysis, and the pursuit of scientific discovery.
Based in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and the Department of Genetics at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, our program offers students the unique opportunity to study and conduct research at one of the premier cancer centers in the United States, located within the largest medical center in the world – the Texas Medical Center.
All G&D students receive full financial support throughout their training, which includes tuition and fees, as well as a generous stipend to support living expenses and health insurance. The 2008-2009 stipend level is $26,000. Annual competitive awards are also available for outstanding research projects and posters, and to support student travel to scientific meetings.
Program ActivitiesStudents are provided with many opportunities to develop their experimental reasoning and
communications abilities, further their core scientific knowledge and establish important scientific contacts for their future. Program activities include:
• Weeklyresearchseminarsandjournalclubswherestudentspresenttheirresearchprojectordiscussrecent advances described in the current literature.
• TheweeklyBlafferLectureseries,withinternationallyprominentscientistswhoareinvitedtospeakabout their latest research and meet with G&D students over lunch.
• Annualspringweekendretreatwherefacultyandstudentsdiscusstheirresearchandenjoytimetogether ataTexasresortontheGulfCoastorinthePineyWoodsregion.
• G&DDirectors’Roundtables,G&DCareerDialogSeries, faculty/student dinners, and other events that bring faculty and students together for a mix of scien-tific, career and social exchange.
Degree RequirementsRequirements for the Ph.D. degree include a broad
knowledge of gene regulation, biochemistry, molecular biology and developmental biology. These are acquired through coursework, three 10-week laboratory rotations during the first year, participation in research seminars and journal clubs, and a dissertation research project.
The rotations expose students to a variety of experimental approaches and assist them in the selection of their research advisor. Most coursework is completed during the first two years of study. The specific course requirements depend on which of three G&D tracks the student chooses: Cancer Biology, Developmental Biology or Structural Biology. After satisfactorily completing a written and oral candidacy exam, students advance to candidacy and then concentrate on completing their dissertation research. Students generally complete the requirements for the Ph.D. in five to six years.
Student, postdoc and faculty volleyball game at the G&D retreat at Camp Allen.
Graduate student presenting research at annual G&D retreat poster session.
G&DDirectors’Roundtablewherestudentsanddirectors meet over lunch twice a year to discuss program affairs, suggestions and concerns.
Genes & Development Program
Intestinal cells used to study the function of the p53 inhibitor, Mdm2; turquoise staining shows cells expressing the proliferative marker Ki-67. (courtesy of Dr. Gigi Lozano’s lab)
Crystal structure of the multidrug resis-tance plasmid pSK41 segrosome complex, which mediates DNA segregation. (courtesy of Dr. Maria Schumacher’s lab)
Michelle Barton, Ph.D.chromatin; p53; embryonic stem cells; liver
Richard R. Behringer, Ph.D.mammalian embryogenesis; reproductive biology and disease; stem cell biology; evolution and development
Andreas Bergmann, Ph.D.genetic control of programmed cell death; apoptosis; cell survival; growth control; signal transduction
Richard G. Brennan, Ph.D.multidrug resistance; gene regulation; protein-ligand interaction; X-ray crystallography
Sandy Chang, M.D., Ph.D.telomere dysfunction; genomic instability and cancer; molecular biology of aging; molecular cytogenetics analysis of carcinomas; mouse models of aging and cancer
Xiaomin Chen, Ph.D.X-ray crystallography; macromolecular interactions; signal transduction; transcriptional regulation; apoptosis
Benoit de Crombrugghe, M.D.cell fate determination; cell differentiation; chondrocytes; osteoblasts
Sharon Y.R. Dent, Ph.D.epigenetics; histone modifying enzymes; genome integrity; mouse development
Elsa R. Flores, Ph.D.mouse models; tumor suppressor genes; metastasis; apoptosis
Yasuhide Furuta, Ph.D.organogenesis; secreted signaling molecules; mouse molecular genetics
Michael Galko, Ph.D.Drosophila genetics; molecular genetics of tissue repair; cell migration and inflammation; cell signaling and signal transduction; pain sensitization
Howard B. Gutstein, M.D.proteomic approaches to addiction and opioid tolerance; interaction of pain and analgesic signal transduction mechanisms
Georg Halder, Ph.D.growth control; regeneration; tumor suppressor genes; Drosophila genetics
Vicki Huff, Ph.D.human genetics; cancer genetics; familial cancer predisposition; kidney development
Hamed Jafar-Nejad, M.D.developmental glycobiology; Notch signaling; intracellular trafficking; asymmetric divisions
Randy L. Johnson, Ph.D.mouse genetics; pattern formation; development; gene targeting
Ann M. Killary, Ph.D.tumor suppressor genes; renal cell carcinoma; cancer genetics
William H. Klein, Ph.D.embryo development; transcription factors in develop-ment; control of gene expression; cell fate specification and differentiation; gene regulatory networks
Ralf Krahe, Ph.D.human and molecular genetics; neurogenetics; cancer genetics; genomics
Jian Kuang, Ph.D.cell-cycle control; signal transduction; Alix functions and regulation
John E. Ladbury, Ph.D.biophysical analysis; tyrosine kinase signalling; protein complexes; protein-ligand interactions; drug development; structural-thermodynamic correlations
Mong-Hong Lee, Ph.D.cell cycle; ubiquitination; 14-3-3 and cancer; gene knock out; p53 signaling
Randy Legerski, Ph.D.cellular responses to DNA damage; DNA repair; cell cycle checkpoint signaling
Guillermina (Gigi) Lozano, Ph.D.tumor suppressors; mouse models; apoptosis
Sadhan Majumder, Ph.D.adult and embryonic stem cells; neural/glial tumors; transcriptional regulation; chromatin; mouse models
James F. Martin, M.D., Ph.D.progenitor/stem cell biology; mouse genetics; birth defects
Angabin Matin, Ph.D.germ cell tumors; biology of germ cells; genetic dissection of disease susceptibility; mouse models
William Mattox, Ph.D.alternate RNA splicing; sex determination; animal models for disease
Gregory S. May, Ph.D.fungal genetics; protein kinase; fungal pathogenesis
Pierre D. McCrea, Ph.D.catenin biology; development; intracellular and nuclear signaling
Lalitha Nagarajan, Ph.D.malignancies; stem cell; mouse models
Jill M. Schumacher, Ph.D.chromosome dynamics; mitosis; Aurora kinases; Tousled kinases; C. elegans
Maria A. Schumacher, Ph.D.X-ray crystallography; transcription initiation; transcription regulation; partition; DNA segregation; cell division
Xiaobing Shi, Ph.D.genomic instability and cancer; epigenetics; histone modifications; protein lysine methylation
Shinako Takada, Ph.D.transcription regulation; TATA-less promoters; NRF-1; PARP-1; hepatitis B virus
Bin Wang, Ph.D.DNA damage response; genomic instability and cancer; BRCA1 signaling; ubiquitin signaling
www.mdanderson.org/departments/genesdev
Liveimageofhumanembroyonicstemcells with green and red fluorescent protein reporters taken with a deconvolution microscope. (courtesy of Dr. Richard Behringer’s lab)
Graduate students and postdocs discussing the levels of a p53 protein.
Faculty Research Interests
G&D program laboratories at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Confocal image of a third-instar Drosophila eye imaginal disc. (courtesy of Dr. Georg Halder’s lab)
Genes & Development Graduate Program
Gregory S. May, Ph.D., DirectorPhone: 713-745-1945E-mail: [email protected]
Elisabeth Lindheim, Program ManagerPhone: 713-834-6352E-mail: [email protected]
The Genes & Development Graduate ProgramThe University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center1515 Holcombe Blvd., Unit 1010Houston, TX 77030www.mdanderson.org/departments/genesdev 10-2008
Yas Furuta, Ph.D., Co-DirectorPhone: 713-834-6262E-mail: [email protected]
Life in HoustonHouston is the fourth
largest city in the U.S., home to a dynamic and ethnically diverse population.
Here you will find a wide variety of cultural and recreational opportunities, including world-class symphony, opera, ballet and theater companies, numerous professional sports teams, bustling downtown and midtown districts, outstanding restaurants and an extensive museum district with 18 museums located within a small area near M. D. Anderson.
Houston’stropical,southernclimate permits outdoor activities year-round, including biking, ten-nis, softball, soccer, golf, walking and jogging. Galveston Island and beaches on the Gulf of Mexico are lessthananhour’sdriveaway,andthe Texas Hill Country, Austin and San Antonio are just three hours away.
Unlike many other medical centers, the Texas Medical Center is in an excellent location that is safe and convenient. It is adja-cent to the Museum District, the Houston Zoo, Rice Village, Rice University, and the Miller Outdoor Theater’sfreemusical,danceandtheatrical performances.
Houston’sdiverseeconomyprovides attractive job opportuni-ties for family members. Energy services, computing, space science, biotechnology and healthcare all contribute significantly to the local economy. In addition, the cost of living in Houston remains below that of many other cities, allowing students to find affordable housing within walking and biking distance of M. D. Anderson.
About M. D. Anderson and UT-GSBSThe University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center offers outstanding
opportunities for biomedical research and education. Created in 1941, M. D. Anderson is today recognized internationally as a worldwide leader in cancer research, treatment, prevention and education.
LocatedintheTexas Medical Center, M. D. Anderson is adjacent to numerous academic institutions, including Baylor College of Medicine, Rice University and The University of Texas Health Science Center. In this setting, our students and faculty take advantage of the most sophisticated biomedical research facilities available and inter-institutional collaborations.
UT-GSBS draws its faculty members from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, and The TexasA&MUniversityInstituteofBiosciencesandTechnology.LearnmoreaboutUT-GSBS at http://gsbs.uth.tmc.edu.
The G&D Program, the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, and the Department of Genetics are located in the Mitchell Basic Sciences Research Building at M. D. Anderson. Completed in 2005, the building also houses GSBS administrative offices and classrooms.
How to ApplyStudents interested in the Genes and Development Program must first apply and
be admitted to The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston (UT-GSBS). The G&D Program does not accept graduate school applications directly, nor does it admit students to graduate school. Near the end of the first year of study, students who have joined the lab of a G&D faculty member can join the program with the approval of the G&D Program Director.
UT-GSBS admissions information and online applications are available on their Websiteathttp://gsbs.uth.tmc.edu. The admissions deadline for the fall term for U.S. applicants is December 15 (for competitive stipend); the final deadline is May 1. The international application deadline is December 15.
Texas Medical Center, with downtown Houston in the backgroundTexas Medical Center, with downtown Houston in the background