M.S. and Ph.D.
The programs are flexible and cater for the needs and interests of individual students. Education is predominant through participation in research, taking advantage of opportunities for strategic collaboration between the basic and clinical sciences. The research of the faculty covers a wide range of structure and functional biology including: design, chemical synthesis, theoretical and spectroscopic characterization of analogs of regulatory peptides; the role of peptides in the regulation of gastrointestinal and cardiovascular functions, regulation of bone cell differentiation and function and promotion of cancer; signal transduction in carcinogenesis; the molecular biology of collagen synthesis; the regulation of gene expression; the engineering of allosteric RNA catalysts for regulation of mRNA splicing; the cellular and genetic basis for differentiation of the brain and cardiovascular system; comparative neuroanatomy; respiratory mechanics and control; and environmental physiology. The Department encourages collaborative research interaction with faculty in the Departments of Pharmacology, Medicine and Surgery; the Osteoporosis Research Center, The Boys Town National Research Hospital and the Veteran's Administration Hospital.
The M.S. attests to competence in the theory and practice of advanced technology.
The Ph.D. signifies independence in a scholar who can design and execute an investigation to address a scientific hypothesis and communicate findings to peers and in the literature.
Emphasis is given to placing students in the laboratory of the major advisor in the first semester.