{"id":111,"date":"2021-10-04T13:57:20","date_gmt":"2021-10-04T17:57:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/krieger.jhu.edu\/template-academic-small\/?page_id=111"},"modified":"2021-10-04T13:57:20","modified_gmt":"2021-10-04T17:57:20","slug":"program-requirements","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/krieger.jhu.edu\/template-academic-small\/jenkins-biophysics-program\/program-requirements\/","title":{"rendered":"Program Requirements"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
All students are required to follow certain curriculum requirements, but our program also involved teaching assistantships, thesis research, and seminars. Hopkins University. Students must pass also pass a Graduate Board Oral exam to continue their dissertation research in this program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Students are required to take four core courses during the first year. These courses provide a foundation in molecular biophysics, with emphasis on thermodynamics, molecular structure, and biophysical techniques. Students also need to take at least one elective course, which they will choose in consultation with the course director, based on their proposed thesis research. The four required courses are the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is an intensive \u201cbootcamp\u201d-style course that meets daily for the first few weeks of the fall semester. The course introduces students to the UNIX environment, Python programming, and Mathematica. No prior programming experience is necessary. This course is coordinated with other biophysics classes, helping to reinforce concepts and give students practical experience in using computation for data analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
AS.250.689 \u2013 Physical Chemistry of Biological Macromolecules<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This course intensively delves into the principles of thermodynamics and kinetics of biological molecules. Students will study the theory underlying classical, chemical, and statistical thermodynamics, kinetics, theory of ligand binding, and conformational equilibria. Students are challenged with weekly problem sets, as well as mid-term and final exams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n AS.250.690 \u2013 Methods in Biophysics<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Students are introduced to seven core methods in biophysics, with lectures on theory accompanied by hands-on experience. Topics include X-ray crystallography, NMR, fluorescence and solution biophysics, single-molecule techniques, ultracentrifugation, molecular dynamics, and statistical analysis. This course is taught in a modular format and does not follow the normal semester-pattern of classes, with each section taught over several consecutive days. In addition to providing a broad overview of current techniques, the practical and theoretical knowledge should help students more quickly dive into research for thesis projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n AS.250.685 \u2013 Proteins and Nucleic Acids<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This class uses papers from the scientific literature to introduce students to core concepts of macromolecular structure and energetics. Students are expected to participate in class discussions on each topic, based on assigned readings. Weekly problem sets and two take-home exams reinforce course material. Problems additionally require python scripting, which adds experience in structural analysis via programming. By the end of the course, students should have a strong foundation in the structure and function of proteins and nucleic acids, as well as confidence reading and interpreting the primary literature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Teaching is an important mission of the Department of Biophysics. Students in the Jenkins Biophysics Program are required to serve as teaching assistants (TAs) for four semesters, which lasts the first two years. Teaching is an important part of the mission of the Department of Biophysics and of every graduate student\u2019s training. Students are required to serve as teaching assistants (TAs) for the first two years. As part of their own education and professional training, PhD students provide essential help in running laboratory and computer-based undergraduate courses.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTeaching Assistantships<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Thesis Research<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n