Graduate Study in MCDB

Work is offered for the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees with a major in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology.  Faculty are drawn from fifteen university departments along with researchers from the National Animal Disease Center.   Participating departments include: Agronomy; Animal Science; Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology; Biomedical Sciences; Chemistry; Chemical & Biological Engineering; Ecology, Evolution, & Organismal Biology; Entomology; Food Science & Human Nutrition; Genetics, Development & Cell Biology; Horticulture; Physics & Astronomy; Plant Pathology; Veterinary Microbiology & Preventive Medicine; and Veterinary Pathology.  Facilities and qualified faculty are available in these departments for conducting fundamental research in the various aspects of molecular, cellular, and developmental biology.  Ongoing research projects include molecular and cellular studies of viral, prokaryotic, plant, and animal systems. 

Prospective students are admitted by the MCDB program following receipt of a complete application and after review by the MCDB Admissions Committee.  Students are admitted either to participate in research rotations with several faculty before deciding on a major professor and laboratory, or by direct admission into a specific lab and department.  Ph.D. students typically enter via rotation and M.S. students typically enter via a direct admit.   Those students admitted through a rotation admit are required to complete a minimum of three research lab rotations with faculty of interest and take MCDB 697, Graduate Research Rotation, during their first two semesters.  At the end of their second semester, students on rotation must select a major professor from the faculty participating in the program.  Current ISU graduate students may be admitted as a co-major or minor with MCDB.