Biological Chemistry, PhD | Johns Hopkins University Academic Catalogue

Program Overview

The Graduate Program in Biological Chemistry (GPBC) is no longer accepting new students, effective Summer 2025.

The Graduate Program in Biological Chemistry (GPBC) is designed to train the next generation of independent research scientists, while simultaneously supporting the professional development and career choices of its students. The core of the PhD-granting program is learning through research, augmented by an advanced curriculum, supportive mentorship, professional development, and career training. GPBC's focus on discovery-based education is consistent with the founding of Johns Hopkins as the country's first research university and its current position as one of the world's preeminent research universities. The Department of Biological Chemistry is dedicated not only to the advancement of science, but also to the health, well-being, and dignity of its diverse members and the diverse community within which it resides. We recruit, retain and inspire the next generation of diverse trainees, faculty and staff members at the School of Medicine and in our health system.

Program Requirements

The Graduate Program in Biological Chemistry trains students through a diverse curriculum that emphasizes discovery-driven education. While the focus is on laboratory research, students also benefit from outstanding courses, immersive scientific activities, strong mentorship, professional development, and a commitment to publishing.

Research is the primary activity of GPBC students. Research starts immediately upon matriculation with a series of research rotations, and thereafter continues in their thesis studies.

Courses: Required and elective courses ensure that GPBC students acquire a solid foundation in biomedical research.

Immersive Scientific Activities: Students receive additional training by attending and participating in seminars, journal clubs, symposia, colloquia, and retreats within the Department of Biological Chemistry as well as those offered by other Departments, Centers, Institutes and Schools across the University.

Mentorship: GPBC provides multidimensional mentorship from the moment students arrive on campus through and beyond their graduation, with direct support from the student's research advisor(s), co-mentor, Thesis Committee, and GPBC Director.

Professional Development: The GPBC supports the long-term career success of its graduates by providing:

Outstanding, mechanistically-oriented research training
OPTIONS career training curriculum
Full access to all services of the School's Doctoral Life Design Studio (DLDS)

Publishing: Students complete their research requirement by publishing their dissertation, peer-reviewed articles, reviews, etc.

Courses:

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
First Year Required Courses
ME.100.716	Analysis of Macromolecules	2
ME.330.709	Organic Mechanisms in Biology	2
ME.260.709	Molecular Biology and Genomics	1.5
ME.110.733	Principles of Genetics	2
ME.110.728	Cell Structure and Dynamics	1.5
ME.360.728	Pathways and Regulation	2
ME.340.702	Rigor, Reproducibility & Experimental Design in Biological Chemistry ²	2
ME.800.811	Introduction to Responsible Conduct of Research	1
ME.340.805	Research in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology ¹	1 - 18
First Year Elective Courses
Students will need to take two electives in the 4th quarter. They will select from a list that is updated each year.
Required courses beyond the first year:
ME.340.702	Rigor, Reproducibility & Experimental Design in Biological Chemistry ²	2
ME.340.805	Research in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology ¹	1 - 18
Four additional elective courses are required in the advanced years of study. For the elective courses, students can select from a list of pre-approved courses or request approval for a course not on the list. Additionally, students must fulfill an ethics requirement by participating in a department Responsible Conduct of Research training session each year.

¹: Needs to be completed each term.
²: Needs to be completed for two semesters.

GPBC Activities, By Year

Year 1

Student orientation day (day 1)
Biological Chemistry Bootcamp (week 1)
Participate in research rotations (3-4 rotations of 2 months-long duration each)
Participate in immersive scientific activities (seminars, journal clubs, colloquia, interest groups, etc.), both required and elective
Select thesis advisor/home laboratory & initiate thesis research

Year 2

Thesis research
Participate in immersive scientific activities
Write a thesis proposal
Take and pass the Doctoral Board Orals exam
Participate in OPTIONS career development curriculum
Form a thesis committee and identify a co-mentor
With the thesis advisor, complete an individual development plan (IDP)
Participate in Thesis Committee meeting & GPBC Director meeting

Years 3, 4, & 5

Thesis research
Publish papers
Participate in immersive scientific activities
Take and pass any remaining elective classes
Annually: IDP, Thesis Committee meeting, and GPBC Director meeting
Work with mentors to develop/implement a career plan

Year 5+

Thesis research, with an emphasis on prompt graduation
Publish the dissertation and peer-reviewed articles
Participate in immersive scientific activities
Hold Thesis Committee meetings & GPBC Director meetings every 6 months
Implement the student's career plan

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the Graduate Program in Biological Chemistry, students will have mastered the following competencies:

Demonstrate advanced knowledge and expertise in biological chemistry.
Think critically, creatively, and independently, and engage in reflective practice to improve their work.
Collaborate respectfully and productively as part of multidisciplinary teams.
Identify and formulate critical questions and innovative approaches to advance their scientific field.
Demonstrate thorough understanding of responsible conduct of research and nuances of scientific ethics, including instruction in conflict of interest, intellectual property rights, plagiarism and fraud, authorship, responsible image processing and transparency in writing, mentor relations, human subjects research, and animal use in research.
Explain and present complex scientific concepts clearly and effectively in written and oral forms.
Accurately analyze and apply scientific knowledge to answer questions within their research discipline.
Appraise and evaluate their own skills and professional interests.
Exhibit professional resilience, career awareness, and the ability to manage career development. Explore career possibilities, acquire critical career skills and job search tools, and obtain experiential training that enhances competitiveness in the job market.
Contribute to the scientific community and society at large.