Biological Design, PhD - Arizona State U

The Biological Design PhD program at Arizona State University trains students to become innovative researchers and leaders in the field of biological design. The program emphasizes a personalized approach, allowing students to tailor their studies to their specific interests and career aspirations. Graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills to pursue careers in various sectors, including healthcare, biotechnology, and academia. The program typically takes 4-5 years to complete and offers opportunities for international students and STEM-OPT extension.

Program Outline

It equips students with a solid foundation in biomedicine and biotechnology while preparing them for interdisciplinary research collaborations. The program emphasizes use-inspired research projects that directly address significant societal challenges. It offers a highly personalized curriculum with significant interaction within the local research community. The program's key features include:

Personalized Plan of Study: Enables students to explore various disciplinary and interdisciplinary areas of interest.
Use-Focused Dissertation Research: Encourages projects that contribute to solving large-scale challenges and offer rich transdisciplinary experiences.
Proseminar Format: Facilitates broad research interactions and discussions on problems and challenges in biological design research.
Laboratory Rotations: Three 10-week rotations during the first year in any ASU laboratory with a focus on biological research.

Objective:

The program aims to train students to become innovative researchers and leaders in the field of biological design, capable of addressing complex challenges at the intersection of biology, engineering, and technology.

Description:

The program emphasizes a personalized approach, allowing students to tailor their studies to their specific interests and career aspirations. This includes flexibility in choosing research projects, coursework, and collaborating with faculty from diverse disciplines. The program fosters a collaborative research environment with ample opportunities for interaction and exchange of ideas.

Outline:

Program Content:

The Biological Design PhD program curriculum delves into various aspects of biology, biotechnology, and design thinking. It covers topics such as:

Biomaterials and tissue engineering
Synthetic biology and metabolic engineering
Nanotechnology and biomolecular engineering
Bioimaging and biosensing
Computational design and modeling
Ethical and societal implications of biological design

Structure:

The program consists of coursework, laboratory rotations, research projects, and a dissertation.

Modules:

Required Core (3 credit hours): Fundamentals of Biological Design II
Other Requirements (2 credit hours): Biological Design Seminar and Proseminar
Electives and Research (67 credit hours): Students can choose electives based on their research interests and career goals.
Culminating Experience (12 credit hours): Dissertation research and defense

Module Descriptions:

Fundamentals of Biological Design II: This course explores the principles and applications of biological design in various areas, including biomaterials, tissue engineering, synthetic biology, and biomolecular engineering.
Biological Design Seminar: This seminar series features presentations by leading researchers in the field of biological design.
Biological Design Proseminar: This forum encourages discussions on current research problems and challenges in biological design.
Electives: Students can choose from a wide range of elective courses to deepen their understanding of specific areas of interest.
Dissertation Research: This is the culminating experience of the PhD program, where students conduct original research under the guidance of a faculty advisor.

Assessment:

The Biological Design PhD program utilizes a comprehensive assessment approach to evaluate student progress and learning outcomes. This includes:

Coursework: Performance in coursework is assessed through exams, assignments, projects, and presentations.
Laboratory Rotations: Students are evaluated based on their research contributions, technical skills, and ability to work independently and collaboratively.
Dissertation Research: The dissertation is evaluated by a committee of faculty experts based on its originality, scientific rigor, contribution to the field, and quality of presentation.

Teaching:

The Biological Design PhD program boasts a distinguished faculty composed of renowned researchers and educators. These faculty members employ diverse teaching methods to create an engaging and stimulating learning environment. Teaching methods include:

Interactive lectures
Small group discussions
Case studies
Guest lectures by industry experts
Hands-on laboratory experiences

Careers:

Graduates of the Biological Design PhD program are equipped with the knowledge and skills to pursue careers in various sectors, including:

Healthcare: Biopharmaceutical research and development, medical device development, personalized medicine
Biotechnology: Industrial biotechnology, environmental biotechnology, agricultural biotechnology
Pharmaceutical discovery: Drug discovery, drug development, clinical research
Biomanufacturing: Bioprocess engineering, biomanufacturing optimization, biomaterials development
Security: Biodefense, biosurveillance, bioterrorism response
Environmental technologies: Bioremediation, sustainable energy production, water treatment
Food agribusinesses: Food science, agricultural biotechnology, food processing

Other:

Program Length: The Biological Design PhD program typically takes 4-5 years to complete.
Application Deadline: The program has two application deadlines per year, one in the fall and one in the spring.
STEM-OPT Extension: This program is eligible for an Optional Practical Training extension for international students, allowing them to gain valuable work experience in the U.S.