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Molecular Medicine


Molecular Medicine Concentration

The Molecular Medicine concentration in the Medical Sciences PhD Program is focused on interdisciplinary approaches to the study of the molecular basis of disease, providing you with a fundamental understanding of biochemical and genetic principles basic to pathophysiological processes. In this program, you will examine molecular mechanisms that underlie the cellular aberrations in clinical disorders and incorporate fundamental principles learned in coursework to medical research.

The mission of the Department of Molecular Medicine is four-fold:

  1. To discover, apply and disseminate knowledge of the basis of health and disease.
  2. To translate this knowledge into innovative tools for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease.
  3. To train and mentor future scientists and health care professionals.
  4. Provide a collegial and scholarly environment where students, faculty, and staff thrive.

Courses

The curriculum for the PhD in Medical Sciences can be found in the Graduate Catalog. A sample of courses offered within the Molecular Medicine concentration is listed below. 

  • Molecular Basis of Disease
  • Structural Biology
  • Fundamentals of Structural Bioinformatics
  • Basic Medical Neuroscience
  • Neuroanatomy
  • Cancer Biology I
Graduate Catalog

Faculty & Research

Current research interests include:

  • Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Cellular Immunology
  • Protein Intrinsic Disorder
  • Signal Transduction/Cancer Tumor Virology

Learn more about our faculty, students, and their research interests below. 

Current Faculty & Students

Affiliated Institutes & Facilities

Concentration Spotlights

Awards

  • Niat Gebru - Chih Foundation Research & Publication Award 2023
  • Brandi Miller - American Aging Association Early Scholar Honorable Mention Award 2023
  • Joanne Tejero - Genshaft Family Doctoral Fellowship 2023

Recent Publications

  • Jacobs, L.M.C.; Consol, P.; Chen, Y. Drug Discovery in the Field of β-Lactams: An AcademicPerspective. Antibiotics 2024, 13, 59. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics13010059

  • Lokhandwala J, Matlack JK, Smalley TB, Miner RE 3rd, Tran TH, Binning JM. Structural basis for FN3K-mediated protein deglycation. Structure. 2024 Oct 3;32(10):1711-1724.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.str.2024.07.018. Epub 2024 Aug 21. PMID: 39173621; PMCID: PMC11455621.

  • Jardim-Perassi BV, Irrera P, Oluwatola OE, Abrahams D, Estrella VC, Ordway B, Byrne SR, Ojeda AA, Whelan CJ, Kim J, Beatty MS, Damgaci-Erturk S, Longo DL, Gaspar KJ, Siegers GM, Centeno BA, Lau JYC, Pilon-Thomas SA, Ibrahim-Hashim A, Gillies RJ. L-DOS47 Elevates Pancreatic Cancer Tumor pH and Enhances Response to Immunotherapy. Biomedicines. 2024 Feb 19;12(2):461. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines12020461. PMID: 38398062; PMCID: PMC10886509.

More Information

For information about the Medical Sciences PhD Program, contact 813-974-2836 or biomedphd@usf.edu.

Apply Now

Please note, students do not apply directly to a concentration. Interested students should submit an application for the PhD in Medical Sciences. Concentrations are typically selected during the first year of study.