During the spring semester of the first year, predoctoral researchers complete three consecutive two-month rotations in labs of their choice. Each rotation immerses predoctoral researchers in the research program of a single laboratory where they address a specific research question under the direction of an advisor and senior laboratory staff. Predoctoral researchers are expected to fully commit to the rotation lab and to successfully complete a short-term research project requiring substantial experimental effort.

While the primary focus during laboratory rotations is on research work, predoctoral researchers are also expected to attend lab meetings, seminars, and journal clubs.

Rotations last six months, from January to June of the first year. By the end of this period, predoctoral researchers will have spent less than one year in the program and are ready to enter their thesis laboratory.

After completing three laboratory rotations, predoctoral researchers select a thesis laboratory and can begin their thesis project with consent of the Principal Investigator.

Predoctoral researchers begin thesis research immediately following the completion of the laboratory rotations by the end of their first year. With guidance from their mentor and Supervisory Committee, they are expected to develop and execute a research project or projects. Following successful completion of the Qualifying Assessment, predoctoral researchers devote the remainder of their time in the program to laboratory research. They are also expected to participate in lab meetings, seminars, and journal clubs.

Successful completion of our Ph.D. program requires the completion of a body of research that addresses a significant biological problem and is likely to result in at least one publication in a peer-reviewed journal. A supervisory committee comprised of Stowers faculty ultimately assesses whether this criteria is met during the thesis defense. To defend the thesis, a predoctoral researcher presents an open seminar and subsequently is examined by the supervisory committee. A Ph.D. degree in Biology is awarded upon satisfactory defense of the thesis and fulfillment of all requirements.

This component of the program is key to the advancement of the research and is a guide to focus the predoctoral researcher towards completion of their thesis project.

The Qualifying Assessment consists of a written thesis proposal and an oral presentation and occurs within the first two years of thesis research. The Supervisory Committee provides the predoctoral researcher with comprehensive and constructive feedback to strengthen their research strategy and thesis proposal.

1. Research Leadership

Predoctoral researchers will manage a scientific project by identifying significant biological problems, formulating hypotheses, considering a variety of experimental approaches, interpreting data from experiments using knowledge gleaned from literature, and discussing their ideas and results with other scientists.

2. Critical Thinking

Predoctoral researchers will demonstrate a strong capacity for critical thinking by reading, analyzing, and critiquing scientific articles and by critically assessing scientific talks. Using this knowledge, predoctoral researchers will identify gaps in knowledge and develop questions and experiments to address those gaps.

3. Scientific Knowledge

Predoctoral researchers will acquire strong scientific knowledge in their area of research and will use evidence from primary literature and laboratory expertise to demonstrate their knowledge of concepts, methods and models, including how they were derived and used. Predoctoral researchers will exhibit a broad basis of knowledge about other areas of research.

4. Experimental Skills

Predoctoral researchers will independently research appropriate scientific methods suitable for a biological question, devise applicable experiments with controls, execute the experiments in an organized and precise fashion, interpret the experimental results, perform appropriate statistical tests, and trouble-shoot experiments as necessary.

5. Scientific Communication

Predoctoral researchers will communicate their research through writing and presenting. They will write hypothesis-driven research proposals and descriptions of scientific discoveries, such as a scientific manuscript and/or a thesis of their own original research contributions, and develop and refine their own writing through editing. Predoctoral researchers will create and present scientific talks that include an introduction, results and conclusions, effective graphics and slide content, and will respond to scientific questions.

6. Professional & Ethical Behavior

Predoctoral researchers will conduct themselves professionally and ethically as scientists. They will record and manage data with scientific integrity, comply with safety standards in the laboratory, communicate about situations when they observe unethical or unsafe behaviors by others, and be a collegial and reliable lab member and colleague.

The program culminates with the expectation that each predoctoral researcher is able to identify interesting biological problems, devise interdisciplinary approaches to those problems, and execute investigations using the best tools available.

The minimum requirements for successful completion of the Ph.D. program are the passing of all modules, successful completion of a minimum of 126 credit units (although a predoctoral researcher completing five years of study and research will have a total of 196 hours), a passing grade on the Qualifying Assessment, a written thesis on original research, and the defense of the written thesis. No credit is given for hours earned at another institution. No course may be taken for credit more than once.