Regenerative & Cancer Cell Biology Program Curriculum
Our curriculum cultivates participation, innovation, and creative thinking in the classroom and the laboratory. Students will obtain professional skills necessary to succeed in the many career paths open to individuals with a MS or PhD in biomedical sciences.
The PhD program’s didactic courses are completed in two years with required research and thesis work extending the program to five to six years. Students are required to complete a total of 26 didactic credits to earn a degree. Full-time students must be registered for a minimum of 10 credits per semester. Students are expected to complete a minimum of 5 elective credits to meet the programmatic didactic requirement. Electives consistent with the program are listed below.
The MS program’s didactic courses are completed in two years with required research work extending the program to three to four years. Students are required to complete a total of 17 credits per semester and full-time students must be registered for a minimum of 10 credits per semester.
Both degrees use similar course structure in Year 1 and Year 2. Students in both programs begin each of these year's courses in August and finish in July. The fall semester starts in August and ends in December and the spring semester starts in January and ends in July.
First-Year Curriculum
In the first semester of all basic science programs, all students take the six courses listed below as AMC 516A-F. These courses teach the basic concepts relevant to all aspects of cell and molecular biology. Pre-recorded lectures, textbook readings, and online presentations followed by an in-class review session will cover the basic principles of each topic.
Subsequent face-to-face sessions will include directed reading of review articles and primary literature followed by an instructor-led discussion of the material, introduction to experimental approaches used in biomedical research, and/or hands-on demonstrations of online tools available to scientists.
This curriculum will prepare the student for more specialized courses beginning in the spring semester of the first year and extending into advanced courses in subsequent years.
Late in the first semester, AMC 517 Metabolic Biochemistry will provide an integrated exposure to major chemical reactions taking place within each cell of a living organism. The course provides fundamental insights into normal physiologic processes and how dysregulation of these processes will lead to pathophysiologic conditions. Students also participate in colloquiums specific to their department.
During the spring semester of the first year, students take specialized courses within their selected departments in two eight-week modules from mid-January to late March and from late March to late May.
PhD Program
| Course | Course ID | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Research Rotations | RCCB 504 (A,B,C) | 1 |
| Protein Structure and Function | AMC 516A | 1 |
| Molecular Genetics | AMC 516B | 1 |
| Structure and Function of Biological Membranes | AMC 516C | 1 |
| Signaling and Pharmacology | AMC 516D | 1 |
| Cell Proliferation, Differentiation and Death | AMC 516E | 1 |
| Cell Cytoskelecton, Adhesion and Motility | AMC 516F | 1 |
| Metabolic Biochemistry | AMC 517 | 2 |
| Discussions in Scientific Integrity | AMC 612 | 1 |
| Research Colloquium | RCCB 503 | 1 |
| Course | Course ID | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Journal Club | RCCB 502A | 1 |
| Research Colloquium | RCCB 503 | 1 |
| Signal Transduction | RCCB 603 | 3 |
| Tissue Remodeling and Cell Motility | RCCB 604 | 3 |
| Course | Course ID | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Thesis Research | RCCB 501 | To be arranged |
| Journal Club | RCCB 502B | 1 |
| Research Colloquium | RCCB 503 | 1 |
| Cancer Cell Biology | RCCB 607 | 3 |
| Introduction to Grant Writing | AMC 603 | 1 |
| Elective | RCCB course options | 2 or 3 |
| Course | Course ID | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Thesis Research | RCCB 501 | To be arranged |
| Journal Club | RCCB 502B | 1 |
| Research Colloquium | RCCB 503 | 1 |
| Molecular Mechanisms of Cell Growth and Differentiation | RCCB 601 | 2 |
| Elective | RCCB course options | 2 or 3 |
| PhD Qualifying Exam | Must be completed by end of spring semester in year 2. |
| Course | Course ID | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Thesis Research | RCCB 501 | To be arranged |
| Journal Club | RCCB 502B | 1 |
| Research Colloquium | RCCB 503 | 1 |
| Elective | See RCCB course options | 2 or 3 |
| PhD Candidacy Exam | Must be completed by the end of spring semester in year 3. |
| Course | Course ID | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Thesis Research | RCCB 501 | To be arranged. |
| Journal Club | RCCB 502B | 1 |
| Research Colloquium | RCCB 503 | 1 |
| Elective | 2 or 3 |
MS Program
| Course | Course ID | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Research Rotations | RCCB 504 (A,B,C) | 1 |
| Protein Structure and Function | AMC 516A | 1 |
| Molecular Genetics | AMC 516B | 1 |
| Membrane Biology | AMC 516C | 1 |
| Cell Signaling & Pharmacology | AMC 516D | 1 |
| Cell Proliferation, Differentiation & Death | AMC 516E | 1 |
| Cell Cytoskelecton, Adhesion & Motility | AMC 516F | 1 |
| Metabolic Biochemistry | AMC 517 | 2 |
| Discussions in Scientific Integrity | AMC 612 | 1 |
| Research Colloquium | RCCB 503 | 1 |
| Course | Course ID | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Thesis Research | RCCB 501 | To be arranged |
| Journal Club | RCCB 502A | 1 |
| Research Colloquium | RCCB 503 | 1 |
| Signal Transduction | RCCB 603 | 3 |
| Tissue Remodeling and Cell Motility | RCCB 604 | 3 |
| Course | Course ID | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Thesis Research | RCCB 501 | To be arranged. |
| Journal Club | RCCB 502B | 1 |
| Research Colloquium | RCCB 503 | 1 |
| Course | Course ID | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Thesis Research | RCCB 501 | To be arranged. |
| Journal Club | RCCB 502B | 1 |
| Research Colloquium | RCCB 503 | 1 |
Regenerative and Cancer Cell Biology Program Courses
Course ID: RCCB 501
Credits are earned during thesis research in the laboratory. The number of credits is determined by the mentor.
Course ID: RCCB 502B
Students and postdoctoral fellows present papers on current research in cell biology and cancer research for review and discussion.
Course ID: RCCB 503
Course Director: Dr. Ralf-Peter Czekay
Provides students the opportunity to present updates of their thesis research to RCCB faculty and student colleagues. Students will prepare for and present formal seminars during the academic year. They will also attend 2-4 seminars given by invited speakers on biomedical topics related to the research programs maintained in the department.
Course ID: RCCB 601
Course Director: Dr. Paul Higgins
An advanced course designed to detail molecular mechanisms which underlie major topic areas in cell biology. Focus will be placed on cell growth control and differentiation, stem cells in health and disease, the signaling pathways and genomic reprogramming that culminate in the activation (and repression) of genes that determine cellular phenotype, oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, and the impact of the tissue microenvironment in cancer progression, fibrosis and normal injury repair. The course will be subdivided into individual modules that will consist of a student-led didactic followed by a discussion and evaluation of selected papers from the current literature. Modules are constructed so that each student will present, in a critical manner, three papers selected to compliment and amplify key concepts developed in the didactic portion of the course. Grades will be determined on class participation, literature presentations, and evaluation of a grant that highlights the modular topics covered in the course and presents evidence of critical thinking.
Course ID: RCCB 603
Course Director: Dr. Dong-Joo Cheon
An upper-level, literature-driven course that begins with 5 didactic sessions covering the major components of cell signaling cascades. The remainder of the course is divided into 13 x 2 session modules focusing on specific signaling paradigms including signaling through lipid rafts, integrins, growth factors, hormones and catenins, and for apoptosis, inflammation, and gene regulation, among others. The modules consist of one didactic lecture and one session discussing the current literature. The course assumes a basic knowledge of biochemistry, molecular and cell biology. Discussions are student-led. Students are required to write one in-depth review article on a signaling system of their choice. There will be three non-comprehensive exams. In addition to the exams (60 percent), grades will be based on leading and participating in the discussions (10 percent), and the review paper (30 percent).
Course ID: RCCB 604
Course Directors: Drs. Paula McKeown-Longo, Dong-Joo Cheon, Jeremy Logue
This course is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the molecular mechanisms which regulate cell adhesion, migration, and extracellular matrix remodeling. Sessions will consist of a one-hour lecture followed by a one-hour discussion of a related article from the primary literature. Students will also be required to present and lead the discussion of selected papers which support and extend key concepts presented in the lecture topics.
Course ID: RCCB 607
Course Director: Dr. Kevin Pumiglia
Provides students with the critical concepts inherent to cellular transformation, tumor progression, and anti-neoplastic therapies. It will be done through didactic lectures that largely follow the Weinberg textbook (Robert A. Weinberg (3rd edition 2023), The Biology of Cancer, W.W. Norton, NY). These didactic asynchronous learning modules will be accompanied by paired group analysis of classic papers. In addition, there will be a series of sessions that focus more in depth on specialized aspects and tools of modern-day cancer biology such as TGCA atlas, power of RNA-seq and exome sequencing, GSEA analysis, experimental models and challenges or preclinical research. These will be conducted through directed self-learning worksheets and guided group follow-up discussion.
Albany Medical College Basic Sciences Courses
Course ID: AMC 516A
Course Directors: Dr. David Jourd’heuil and Dr. Ken Norman
Part of the Molecular Cell Biology Theme made up of two-week courses that are offered in non-sequential order. Designed to teach beginning graduate students the basic concepts relevant to protein structure and function. Pre-recorded lectures, textbook readings, and online presentation followed by an in-class review session will cover the basic principles of protein structure and function. Subsequent face-to-face sessions will include directed reading of review articles and primary literature followed by an instructor-led discussion of the material. Students will also be provided with hands-on demonstrations of online tools available to scientists interested in protein-centered questions.
Formative assessment will be via student-faculty discussions and interactions during the face-to-face sessions.
Summative assessment will be via a multiple-choice exam on basic concepts, faculty evaluation of student participation in face-to-face sessions, and a final take-home exam that will include topics covered in the face-to-face sessions.
Course ID: AMC 516B
Course Directors: Drs. Lamar and Schwarz
Part of the Molecular Cell Biology Theme made up of two-week courses that are offered in non-sequential order. Designed to teach beginning graduate students the basic concepts relevant to the structure, function, and regulation of DNA and RNA. Pre-recorded lectures, textbook readings, and online presentations followed by an in-class review session will cover the basic principles. This will be followed by four small group discussions (SDGs) with instructor-led discussion/activity and hands-on demonstration of online research and data analysis tools that will utilize and reinforce the background material. Students are assigned learning tools (pre-recorded lectures, directed reading of review articles and/or primary literature that they should complete prior to each face-to-face SDGs.
Course ID: AMC 516C
Course directors: Drs. Drake and Lennartz
Part of the Molecular Cell Biology Theme made up of two-week courses that are offered in non-sequential order. Designed to teach beginning graduate students the basic concepts relevant to the structure and function of biological membranes. Pre-recorded lectures and textbook readings followed by an in-class review session will cover basic principles of membrane biology. Subsequent directed reading of brief review articles and primary literature followed by instructor-led discussion of the material will introduce the student to advanced concepts in membrane biology as well as the process of reading primary literature peer-reviewed publications.
Formative assessment will be via homework questions and student-faculty discussions/interactions during the small group discussion (SGD) sessions.
Summative assessment will be via a multiple-choice exam on basic concepts, faculty evaluation of student participation in SGD sessions and a final take-home exam on the SGD material.
Course ID: AMC 516D
Course directors: Dr. Ginnan
Part of the Molecular Cell Biology Theme made up of two-week courses that are offered in non-sequential order. Designed to teach beginning graduate students the basic concepts relevant to cellular signaling and the principles of drug-receptor interactions used to target these processes. Pre-recorded lectures and selected readings followed by an in-class review session will cover the basic principles of intracellular signaling pathways and pharmacology. Subsequent directed reading of brief review articles and primary literature followed by an instructor-led discussion of the material will introduce the student to advanced concepts and experimental approaches in cellular signaling as well as the process of reading primary literature peer-reviewed publications. Formative assessment will be via homework questions and student-faculty discussions/interactions during the small group discussion (SGD) sessions. Summative assessment will be via a multiple-choice exam on basic concepts, faculty evaluation of student participation in SGD.
Course ID: AMC 516E
Course directors: Drs. Fredman and Tang
Part of the Molecular Cell Biology Theme made up of two-week courses that are offered in non-sequential order. Designed to teach beginning graduate students the basic concepts relevant to cell proliferation and death. Pre-recorded lectures and textbook readings followed by an in-class review session will cover basic principles. Subsequent directed reading of brief review articles and primary literature followed by an instructor-led discussion of the material will introduce the student to advanced concepts in cell proliferation, differentiation, and death, as well as the process of reading primary literature peer-reviewed publications.
Formative assessment will be via homework questions and student-faculty discussions and interactions during the small group discussion (SGD) sessions.
Summative assessment will be via a multiple-choice exam on basic concepts, faculty evaluation of student participation in SGD sessions and a final take-home exam on the SGD material.
Course ID: AMC 516F
Course directors: Drs. Logue and Adam
Part of the Molecular Cell Biology Theme made up of two-week courses that are offered in non-sequential order. Designed to teach beginning graduate students the basic concepts relevant to cell locomotion. Pre-recorded lectures and textbook readings followed by an in-class review session will cover the basic principles of cell signaling, adhesion receptors, and cellular cytoskeleton components and how these are coordinated to regulate cellular motility. Subsequent SGD discussions of the material will introduce the student to advanced concepts in cell signaling, adhesion, and migration, in two complementary formats 1) Discussion of a classic paper that shifted paradigms in cell biology, with focus on understanding the state of the field at the time, technical approaches, and conclusions that can and cannot be drawn from the results. Students will be provided Homework questions to facilitate the discussions. In addition, a second SGD session will expand on this topical area by providing additional didactic material in the form of review articles and then asking students to present a group PowerPoint demonstrating the relevance to the topic to the four graduate themes at Albany Medical College. Note: students will be randomly assigned to groups with the hope that most are presenting on topics somewhat outside their chosen discipline. These sessions will begin training in the process of reading primary literature, peer-reviewed publications and organizing and presenting complex material.
Formative assessment will be via homework questions and student-faculty discussions and interactions during the SGD sessions.
Summative assessment will be via a multiple-choice exam on basic concepts, faculty evaluation of student participation in SGD sessions and presentations and a final take-home exam on the SGD material.
Course ID: AMC 517
Course Director: Dr. Ralf-Peter Czekay
A major challenge to biomedical scientists is gaining a better understanding of the structures, functions, and interactions of molecular systems used in nature. Previously acquired knowledge about basic protein and membrane structure as well as function and control of enzymatic processes, will be applied to understand the regulation of complex metabolic processes. This will provide fundamental insights into normal physiological processes and how dysregulation of these processes will lead to pathophysiological conditions, e.g., Metabolic Syndrome. AMC 517 will provide an integrated exposure to major chemical reactions that take place within each cell of a living organism and that provide energy for vital processes and for synthesizing new organic material. This course will focus primarily on bioenergetics and the major biochemical pathways related to three central metabolic themes applicable to all advanced courses within the various training programs: glucose metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and fatty acid/lipid metabolism. Students will integrate information obtained by studying the mechanism of pathways into the concept of pathway communication. Utilizing the socio-medical condition of Metabolic Syndrome, students will gain a deeper understanding of the function and limitations of compartmentalization of molecules, and the significance of pathway regulation far beyond a subcellular compartment, or the cell itself. Small-group-based problem solving will allow stronger integration and reinforcement of the material taught in each section, leading to greater long-term retention of the material discussed in this course.
Course ID: AMC 612
Utilizes a case study based discussion format to provide a vehicle for students to learn and reflect upon the responsible conduct of research. Topics to be covered include an overview of ethical theory, conducting research, reporting research, peer review, handling research materials and information, mentoring and laboratory supervision, misconduct in research, conflict of interest, human subjects and clinical research, animals in research and genetic research. This course will also familiarize students with both internal and national policies regulating research conduct. (This program fulfills the NIH requisite for predoctoral students and postdoctoral fellows on National Research Service Award Training Grants.)