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Masters in Biology/ Oral Biology

Program Description
The faculty of the College of Dentistry, through the Department of Biology at the Graduate School of Arts and Science is pleased to announce the introduction of a revitalized, state-of-science Masters program in Biology/ Oral BIology with two distinct tracks. The tracks are 1) the Research-Intensive track and 2) the Didactic-Intensive track. The focus of the Research-Intensive track is to complete a mentored research project while the Didactic-Intensive track allows a greater diversity of classroom learning and less emphasis on hands-on research training. This program is open to students with a minimum of a baccalaureate or equivalent degree, alone or combined with advanced clinical training. Candidates are chosen based on their academic records and recommendations and an assessment of the candidate’s scholarly potential. All candidates must meet the requirements of the Department of Biology of the Graduate School of Arts and Science and the College of Dentistry. (For those with medical or dental degrees, other standardized tests such as the MCAT or DAT, can be used in lieu of the GRE). For those interested in bioinformatics, computer programming experience is strongly encouraged. Applicants whose native language is not English must submit the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores. Scores of less than 230 are generally not competitive. A supervisor, who is a member of the graduate faculty, is assigned to each student to closely monitor the student’s progress.

For the Research-Intensive track, the student chooses a mentor and after both mentor and MS student decide upon a research project, the student will be allowed to pursue the Research-Intensive track. Students are awarded the M.S. degree on (1) completion of 36 credits with an average of B or better. For the Research-Intensive Track, 8 points must be based on a mentored research project leading to a thesis and/or peer-reviewed publication. For the Didactic-Intensive Track, a scholarly and in-depth description of an area of oral biology must be completed that is approved by the student’s advisor.

Courses are taught at both the New York University’s College of Dentistry and its Graduate School of Arts and Science (Department of Biology).

Required Courses from the Department of Biology

Bio Core 1: Molecules and Cells G23.1001 4 points. A survey of the major topics of up-to-date molecular and cellular biology, starting with molecular structure and function of proteins and polynucleic acids and ending with cell division and apoptosis.

Bio Core 2: Genes, Systems, and Evolution G23.1002 4 points. A survey of the major topics of modern biology, including genetics, systematics, genomics, systems biology, developmental genetics, plant biology, immunology, neurobiology, population genetics, evolution, and geobiology.

Select Courses offered by the College of Dentistry

Host Response to Infection and Trauma G23.1002 Craig. 4 points. Survey course of mechanisms involved with host response to damage from trauma and infectious disease. Role of innate vs. acquired immunity, self-non-self recognition, wound healing, and programmed cell death.

Oral Microbiology G23.2252 Caufield, Boylan, Saxena, Li. 4 points. This course discusses the fundamental aspects of the host-parasite relationship and its deviation from health to disease. Special topics include the role of the indigenous biota in health and disease using peptic ulcers, periodontal diseases, and dental caries as paradigms. Other infectious diseases, including HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and influenza, are covered, and a special lecture deals with agents of bioterrorism and the dentist’s role in catastrophe preparedness.

Current Laboratory Techniques in Oral Biology G23.2062 Kinnally, Sacks. 3 points. Prerequisites: basic biochemistry and cell biology. Familiarizes students with basic techniques used in oral biology. Emphasizes aspects related to tissue culture, protein, and nucleic acid purification and analysis.

Laboratory Practicum I and II. G23.2007 and 2008. Oral biology faculty. 4 points each semester, 8 points total. Prerequisites: selection and agreement with a research-active mentor and permission of the program director to enter the Research-Intensive track. Note: a laboratory fee of $6,000 per semester accompanies this course. This is a one-on-one research with a mentor with a defined research project. Students are expected to spend a minimum of 20 hours per week in the laboratory, apart from his/her other assignments.

Seminars in Oral Biology G23.3161 Oral biology faculty. Sacks. 1 point. The Oral Biology seminar series reflecting current trends in oral biology in areas of bone biology, immunology, mechanisms of carcinogenesis, saliva and salivation, oral microbiology, programmed cell-death, tissue engineering, and tooth formation. This seminar series also includes research seminars given by graduate students. The course is intended to develop a critical sense toward evaluation of scientific literature and increase the student’s awareness about the necessity of following it.

Biostatistics.G23.2030. Norman and staff. Prerequisites: college algebra and/or calculus. Lecture and laboratory. 3 points. An advanced course designed to teach graduate-level biology students techniques of statistical analysis and experimental design that will be of use in their research and in the interpretation of biology literature. Principles of statistical inference, the design of experiments, and analysis of data are taught using examples drawn from the literature. The use of common parametric and nonparametric distributions for the description of data and the testing of hypotheses are covered.

Accreditation Status The M.S. Degree Program in Biology/Oral Biology is fully accredited. Length of the Program is typically 24 months, although the time required is contingent on completion of all requirements.

Scholarship and Financial support At present, there are no scholarships available and all applicants are fully responsible for all costs associated with this program.

Admission and Application process Interested candidates should submit a full set of application documents or apply online to the Graduate School of Arts and Science http://gsas.nyu.edu/object/grad.admissions.onlineapp. Directors from the Department of Biology and the College of Dentistry will screen applications.

Candidates are encouraged to apply several months prior to the starting date of the program, as listed in the bulletin of the Graduate School of Arts and Science http://gsas.nyu.edu/page/grad.admissions. The M.S. Program in Biology/Oral Biology usually accepts candidates for admission for the fall term, but spring term admissions are also decided on an individual basis.

Applicants who are graduates of international dental schools are required to submit evidence of all previous education and training. This should include (1) a copy of the applicant’s diploma from a dental school listed and approved by the World Health Organization (copy of original and certified English translation); (2) a copy of the applicant’s school transcript (copy of original and certified English translation); and (3) a letter of recommendation from the dean or other senior faculty member. Results from a standardized graduate examination (DAT, MCAT, GRE or an international equivalent) will be used to evaluate candidates.

Director:
Director from Department of Biology: Christine Rushlow, Ph.D

Faculty at the College of Dentistry

William R. Abrams, Research Professor ( HIV protein interactions); Mani Alikhani, Assistant Professor (bone biology); Robert J. Boylan, Associate Professor (periodontal pathogens); Timothy G. Bromage, Professor (biological anthropology); Page W. Caufield, Professor (molecular biology/epidemiology/genetics of microbial infections); Ronald G. Craig, Associate Professor (periodontal wound healing and systemic effects of periodontal disease); Laurent M. Dejean, Assistant Professor, (cellular and mitochondrial physiology); Angela R. Kamer, Assistant Professor (periodontal disease link with systemic diseases); John S. Evans, Professor (biomineralization); Joseph B. Guttenplan, Professor (chemical carcinogenesis); Kathleen W. Kinnally, Professor (mitochondrial electrophysiology, programmed cell death); Racquel Z. LeGeros, Professor (mechanisms of mineralization);Zoya Kurago, Assistant Professor (oral cancer and innate immune system, HIV); David Levy, Assistant Professor ( HIV molecular biology and immunology); Yihong Li, Associate Professor (molecular epidemiology); Daniel Malamud, Professor (HIV and salivary diagnostics); Amr M. Moursi, Associate Professor (craniofacial growth); Joan A. Phelan, Professor (pathology); Dianne Rekow, Professor (ceramics and tissue bioengineering); John L. Ricci, Associate Professor (bone and soft tissue remodeling); Peter G. Sacks, Professor (cancer biology); Deepak Saxena, Assistant Professor (molecular biology/microbiology); Andrew I. Spielman, Professor (peripheral mechanisms of taste and smoking prevention);Gary Ten Eyck, Assistant Professor (craniofacial development); Cristina Teixeira, Associate Professor (growth plate chondrocyte differentiation, maturation, and apoptosis); Louis Terracio, Professor (muscle tissue engineering); Seiichi Yamano, Assistant Professor (tissue engineering and gene therapy) Faculty and their research areas can be found at www.nyu.edu/dental/research/faculty/index.html

A more detailed description and additional information can be obtained on request from:

Dr. Peter G. Sacks
Director, Masters of Oral Biology program
New York University College of Dentistry
345 East 24th Street; Room 1016
New York, NY 10011