Cellular & Molecular Biology PhD Program

One course in each of three areas is required: cell biology, biological chemistry, and genetics. CMB students can take any of a variety of graduate-level courses at the University to fulfill each of these subject requirements. The specific courses elected to fulfill these requirements are based on student's prior background and research interests.

Check out these sample courses from previous years, as well as a few course plans based on different research interest areas.

• Sample Courses
• Sample Academic Plans Based on Interest Areas

PIBS students take additional courses in the first year, such as the NIH-required ethics training in Responsible Conduct of Research; and Rigor, Reproducibility and Transparency. (MSTP students also take these courses in their G1 year).

Please check the PIBS Curriculum Guide for the most updated information on PIBS courses required in the first year.

• Pharm 502 is required in the 2nd year (grant writing, which helps prepare students for their preliminary exams)
• Two elective courses
• One quantitative course (core or elective)
• CMB Courses - CMB 850 (seminar required weekly), and CMB 630 (mini-speaker series, required 4 semesters)

Many of these are are taken in the 2nd year, but not always.

CMB students take CMB 850 each Fall and Winter. Every Monday, students present a seminar on current literature or their thesis work. The student seminar is a great tool for building communication skills and a breadth of scientific knowledge while incorporating social interaction.

CMBIOL 630/HUMGEN 631, or the "Short Course," is a mini seminar series that is coordinated by students each Fall and Winter semester, either by the CMB students in the Fall or Genetics students in the Winter (the course is cross-listed to both programs). Each semester has a theme in which guest speakers who are experts in their field and in the topic selected, are invited to Michigan for a seminar and discussion. This course is required 4 times before graduation, so students can select topics that are specifically interesting to them.

The sessions are open to the university community and attract large audiences. Titles of recent Short Courses include:

• Through the Looking Glass: Imaging-Based Innovation in Biomedical Science
• AI in Action: Applications in Cellular and Molecular Biology
• Adapting to a Changing World: Sustainability in a Biological Context
• Guarding the Genome: Recognition and Repair of DNA Damage
• The Nuts and Bolts of Protein Folding
• Stem Cell Biology

For Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) students, CMB recognizes the contribution of some medical school coursework to their graduate education and individualizes their curricula accordingly. 

For this reason, MSTP students generally take 3 courses: genetics, Pharm 502, and a quantitative elective. They can also take a quantitative genetics course, but would still need to take a third course in this case.

Like PIBS students, MSTP students are also required to take PIBS 503 (Fall) and PIBS 504 (Winter). In addition to the pre-candidate courses listed above, this should be taken the first year they join CMB (G1 year).

Students complete at least 3 research rotations in their first year (up to 5), after being admitted to the Program in Biomedical Sciences (PIBS). MSTP students take at least 2. Check the PIBS Curriculum page for more information.

After their rotation year, students can choose CMB as their program of choice, as well as a faculty mentor and a research topic. To find CMB faculty mentors, visit the PIBS Faculty Database, which allows you to search PIBS faculty by their research interests or other keywords.

The CMB preliminary examination involves students writing an original research proposal (written component) and defending it before a committee of CMB faculty members (oral component). The written and oral components of the preliminary examination must each be passed before a student achieves candidacy for the Ph.D. degree.

The preliminary exam (prelim) tests the student's ability to reason analytically and to develop ideas and experimental approaches. The exam is typically completed in the student's second/G1 year.

CMB requires students to complete one term of teaching as a GSI (Graduate Student Instructor). Students can also choose to pursue an optional Graduate Teaching Certificate, which is organized through the Center for Research on Learning & Teaching (CRLT). All GSI positions should be approved through CMB before the student accepts the position, since CMB needs to coordinate the GSI appointment with the student's current funding. Per the Graduate Employee Organization (GEO) rules, teaching should be a paid position, not volunteer.

To see a list of previous GSI positions students have held, review this List of Former/Current GSI Opportunities. Some may be outdated, so it is important to check the Careers website and the course catalog for updated courses and contact information.

As of May 2025, CMB has fully implemented the CMB Professional Development Program. CMB recognizes that our students have a wide breadth of research and career interests, and so it has created a program in which students can submit a proposal as an alternative to teaching, to complete other activities that will achieve similar competencies, but more closely match that individual student's future career aspirations. Review the guidelines and instructions for submitting a professional development proposal.

Students should start forming a dissertation committee within a month of passing their prelim exams and achieving candidacy. Dissertation committees provide research and career guidance to students, and keep students on track to write their dissertation and schedule their oral defense.

The lab mentor chairs the committee, which includes at least 3 additional members, each of whom must be affiliated with a Ph.D. program. At least two members of the committee in addition to the chair must be members of the CMB program faculty. Students are required to meet with their committee every 6 months. Students are expected to propose an oral defense date by their 5th year (G4 MSTP), assuming all CMB and committee requirements have been met.

• Lab rotations
• PIBS and CMB Core Coursework
• Ethics Training - Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) - Fall semester (PIBS 503) & Rigor, Reproducibility & Transparent (RRT): Winter semester (PIBS 504)
• At least 1 weekly program seminar (CMBIOL 850 if interested in CMB, or seminar from another program): Fall and/or Winter semester
• Selection of dissertation advisor and PhD program by end of academic year

For the most recent PIBS curriculum and rotation information, visit the PIBS website.

• CMB Core and Elective coursework: Finish by Fall semester
• Student seminar (CMB 850): Attend throughout graduate training - present seminar this year
• Short course (CMB 630): May begin taking short courses (4 semesters required before defense)
• Start attending CMB dissertation defenses: 4 per academic year required
• Preliminary exam: Winter of 2nd/G1 year
• Advancement to candidacy: End of 2nd/G1 year, once oral/written prelim exam are passed
• Formation of dissertation committee: Immediately after passing prelim exam and advancing to candidacy
• Start looking for a teaching position (Year 3/G2 or 4/G3)

• Dissertation committee meetings: Meet with committee by 6 months after candidacy, and every 6 months thereafter
• Student seminar (CMB 850): Attend throughout graduate training
• Short courses (CMB 630): At least 4 required before defending
• Teaching (one term): Typically during 3rd/G2 or 4th/G3 year
• Attend dissertation defenses: Attend 4 per academic year
• Write and defend dissertation, and complete Ph.D. requirements with target end date in 5th year (G4 MSTP)