Basic Biomedical Sciences

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Degrees:

Master of Science (Plan A only)
Doctor of Philosophy
MD/PhD (Physician Scientist Program)

Areas of Specialization:

Cellular and Molecular Biology
Microbiology and Immunology
Neuroscience
Systems Physiology and Structural Biology

Dean: Professor Ronald Lindahl, Ph.D.
Associate Dean: Associate Professor Steven Waller, Ph.D.

Program Description

The Basic Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program of The University of South Dakota provides interdisciplinary graduate education in a variety of basic biomedical science areas. The Program stresses laboratory investigation and original research under the direction of a faculty member. The Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences (Division) also emphasizes flexibility and individual choice in the development of the student’s overall program of study. At the present time, Division faculty are conducting research in the broad areas of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Microbiology/Immunology, Neuroscience and Systems Physiology and Structural Biology. More specific information on faculty and student research interests can be found at www.usd.edu/medical-school/biomedical-sciences/

The program offers the Ph.D. and M.S. degrees, although emphasis is placed on the Ph.D. program of study. In the first year of the Ph.D. program, students take a set of core courses directed at providing information and skills necessary for success in the basic biomedical sciences. This is supplemented with introductory graduate courses in the student’s area of research interest. In the first year, students will participate in rotations through the laboratories of three or more faculty members in an effort to gain firsthand knowledge of the diversity of research areas within the Division and knowledge of and experience with the scientific process.

In the second year, students typically complete the majority of courses specific to their area of interest and finalize the selection of a faculty mentor to oversee their laboratory research. Courses are available in the areas of anatomy and structural biology (ANAT), biochemistry and molecular biology (BIOC), microbiology and immunology (MICR), neurosciences (NSCI), physiology and pharmacology (PHGY, PHAR, PHPH) and the combined program (CPHD). Students in the Ph.D. program also take a qualifying examination, prepare a written research proposal and participate in seminars and journal clubs offered by the Division.

The School of Medicine recently received approval to offer an MD/PhD to prepare students for careers as Physician Scientists. Physician Scientists play a unique role in contemporary medical research, having received extensive training in both medicine and fundamental research. Students admitted to the program will perform original research in one of the laboratories of USDSM and participate in the academic programs required for the MD and PhD programs, including several courses specific for students in this program.

Graduate Faculty

Stephen Armstrong, Associate Professor, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania-Philadelphia. Specialization: Cardiovascular Biology/Biochemistry.

Teri James Bellis, Associate Professor, Ph.D., CCC-A, FAAA, Northwestern University. Specialization: Central Auditory Processing Disorders.

Indranil Biswas, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., University Paris VII. Specialization: Gram-positive Bacterial Pathogenesis.

John Brannian, Associate Professor (Obstetrics and Gynecology and Basic Biomedical Sciences), Ph.D., University of Kansas School of Medicine. Specialization:
Reproductive Physiology, particularly ovarian cellular physiology; Infertility.

Paul Bunger, Associate Professor and Dean of Medical Student Affairs. Ph.D., University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Brian Burrell, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., Ohio State University-Columbus. Specialization: Cellular Mechanisms of Learning and Memory.

William A. Cafruny, Professor, Ph.D., Medical College of Ohio. Specialization: Viral Immunology and Pathogenesis, Immune Regulation.

Gudiseva Chandrasekher, Associate Professor, Ph.D., University of Mysore, India. Specialization: Ophthalmology / Biochemistry.

Subhash Chauhan, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., Central Drug Research Institute, India. Specialization: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Targets for Gynecological Malignancies.

Michael Chaussee, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., University of Oklahoma. Specialization: Bacterial Pathogenesis.

Timothy G. Clark, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., Montana State University. Specialization: Cardiovascular Development.

Kristi Egland, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., University of Iowa. Specialization: Breast Cancer Immunotherapy.

Alexandre Erkine, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., Leningrad State University. Specialization: Transcriptional Regulation.

Kathleen Eyster, Professor, Ph.D., University of Arizona. Specialization: Endocrinology and Intercellular Communication.

Gina Forster, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., Macquarie University, Australia. Specialization: Adaptive / Maladaptive Motivational Stress States.

A. Martin Gerdes, Professor and Director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute, Ph.D., University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Specialization: Heart Failure, Ventricular Remodeling Associated with Heart Failure.

Barbara E. Goodman, Professor, Ph.D., University of Minnesota. Specialization: Science and Health Education.

William Harris, Professor, Co-Director of the MD/PhD Program, Senior Scientist, and Director of the Nutrition and Metabolic Disease Research Institute, Ph.D., University of Minnesota. Specialization: Nutrition and Metabolic Disease.

Meena Jaggi, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., Central Drug Research Institute, India. Specialization: Cell Adhesion / PKD Signaling in Prostate Cancer.

Joyce Keifer, Professor, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison. Specialization: Neuroscience, Adaptive Motor Control, Learning and Memory.

Kaia Kloster, Assistant Professor and Director of Vascular Research, Ph.D., University of South Dakota. Specialization: Cardiovascular Physiology.

Curtis K. Kost, Jr., Associate Professor, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University. Specialization: Cardiovascular and Renal Physiology and Pharmacology.

Thomas Langworthy, Professor, Ph.D., University of Kansas. Specialization: Microbiology Education.

Faqian Li, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., University of South Dakota. Specialization: Signal Transduction / Cardiac Remodeling.

Yi-Fan Li, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., Beijing Medical University-China. Specialization: Neurohumoral Control of Cardiovascular Functions.

Qiangrong Liang, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., University of North Dakota. Specialization: Cardiovascular Signal Transduction.

Ronald Lindahl, Professor and Dean of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Ph.D., Wayne State University.

David Maddox, Professor (Internal Medicine and Basic Biomedical Sciences), Ph.D., University of Iowa. Specialization: Renal physiology.

Adhar C. Manna, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., Jawaharlal Nehru University, India, Specialization: Gene Regulation in Staphylococcus.

Pasquale Manzerra, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., University of Toronto-Ontario, Canada. Specialization: NMDA Receptor-mediated Intracellular Signaling.

Douglas S. Martin, Professor, Ph.D., University of Saskatchewan, Canada. Specialization: Control of Blood Pressure, Hypertensive and Environmental Interactions.

Robin Miskimins, Professor, Ph.D., University of Arizona. Specialization: Myelin Gene Expression.

W. Keith Miskimins, Professor, Ph.D., University of Arizona. Specialization: Molecular Biology, Control of Cell Proliferation in Normal and Cancer Cells.

Robert Morecraft, Professor, Ph.D., University of Iowa. Specialization: Limbic System and Motor Recovery Following Brain Damage.

Karen Munger, Associate Professor, Ph.D., University of California at San Diego.

Daniel Neufeld, Professor, Ph.D., Tulane University. Specialization: Tissue Regeneration.

Robert Noiva, Associate Professor, Ph.D., Creighton University. Specialization: Protein Folding and Assembly in the Endoplasmic Reticulum, Disulfide Bond Formation.

Timothy O’Connell, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Specialization: Cardiovascular Biology.

William Percy, Associate Professor, Ph.D., University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Specialization: Gastrointestinal Physiology, Gut Motility, Absorption/Secretion, Inflammatory Disease of the Gut.

Patrick Ronan, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., University of South Dakota. Specialization: Neuroendocrinology of Stress.

Evelyn H. Schlenker, Professor, Ph.D., SUNY at Buffalo. Specialization: Control of Breathing.

Carlos Telleria, Assistant Professor, Ph.D. University of San Luis, Argentina. Specialization: Reproductive endocrinology.

John Thomas, Professor, Ph.D., University of Illinois. Specialization: Biochemistry Education.

Barry Timms, Professor, Ph.D., Welsh National School of Medicine. Specialization: Reproductive Biology, Effects of Endocrine Disruptors on Prostate Development and Growth.

Steve Waller, Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Ph.D., University of Maryland.

Xuejun Wang, Professor and Co-Director of the MD/PhD Program, M.D. Ph.D., University of South Dakota School of Medicine. Specialization: Molecular mechanisms of heart disease.

Leigh Washburn, Professor, Ph.D., Ohio State University. Specialization: Medical Microbiology, Molecular Pathogenesis of Mycoplasma Infections.

Michael Watt, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., Macquarie University, Australia. Specialization: Neuroendocrinology of Adaptive and Maladaptive Social Behavior.

Keith Weaver, Professor, Ph.D., University of Texas. Specialization: Molecular Microbiology, Microbial Genetics, Plasmid Replication, Inheritance and Horizontal Transfer.

Da-Qing Yang, Assistant Professor, Ph.D. Kansas State University. Specialization: Cell biology and biochemistry of growth factors and protein translation.

Gerald Yutrzenka, Associate Professor, Director of Minority Student Affairs, Ph.D., University of North Dakota.

Admission Requirements

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MASTER’S DEGREE AND THE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE ARE THE SAME.

• The GRE General test is required. The preferred score for the applicant is the 50th percentile or above in all areas of the General GRE test.
• Applicants with a baccalaureate degree in a biological, chemistry, or health science may be qualified for admission into the graduate program. Baccalaureate degree must be from an institution with full regional accreditation for that degree. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.7 or graduate GPA of 3.0 or better, on a 4.0 scale.
• Additional requirements exist for international students.
• Applicants interested in the Physician Scientist (MD/PhD) program apply to the USD School of Medicine through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). All application materials must be submitted to AMCAS by September 30. This is earlier than the stated deadline of November 15 for application the MD training program at USDSM. The course prerequisites, technical standards and MCAT requirement of the MD program are minimal prerequisites and requirements of the Physician Scientist program. Although no minimal grade point average or MCAT score is required, it is expected that competitive applicants will have a strong academic record. Beyond the core academic requirements, the most important factor for admission will be the potential of the applicant to become an independent researcher, as demonstrated by excellence in research experience prior to the application process. The secondary application includes special instructions for applying to the Physician Scientist program. The secondary application will be sent to the applicant electronically upon receipt at USDSM of an AMCAS-verified application to the Physician Scientist program. The deadline for receipt of the completed secondary application is November 15. The supplemental application must include additional information required for admission to the MD training program, two letters of reference by individuals qualified to evaluate the applicant’s research potential, a statement of research interest, career goals and special qualifications for the program written by the student, and a detailed report of the student’s previous research experience. Consideration to the Physician Scientist program is independent of admission to the MD program or the PhD program offered at the University of South Dakota. Students interested in being considered for admission to either or both of the separate degree programs must clearly indicate this on their applications and supplemental materials. Acceptance to the Physician Scientist program confers acceptance only for the student positions assigned to the Physician Scientist program. For more information, contact MDPhD@usd.edu.

- Subject to faculty approval, those who do not meet all of the criteria above may be admitted on a provisional basis.

Application Deadline for Master’s and PhD Programs

• Applications are accepted year-round for fall admission.
• Most decisions for the fall semester are made by mid-April.

Application Deadline for Physician Scientist Program (MD/PhD)

• See deadlines in narrative above.

Physician Scientist (MD/PhD)

The USDSM Physician Scientist program is a modified 2–3–2 program of study that combines course work and research activities over seven years. For more information about the Physician Scientist degree requirements, contact MDPhD@usd.edu.

Research Expertise Available

Expertise for research and training are found within the Division for the following areas: bacterial host-parasite interactions, cardiovascular development, cardiovascular disease, central control of blood pressure, control of respiration, endocrinology mechanisms of DNA repair, gastrointestinal physiology and pharmacology, gene expression, genetic control of myelin development, microbial genetics, microbial physiology, mitochondrial function, neural mechanism of motor control, neural mechanisms of learning and memory, prostate growth and development, protein folding and processing, regulation of cellular growth, regulation of higher order behaviors, signal transduction, viral immunology, and wound healing and tissue regeneration.

Research Facilities Available

Facilities are available to support ongoing research in each of the areas listed above. Division facilities available to students include computer-based 3-D reconstruction techniques, confocal microscopy, DNA microarray system, electrophysiological recording systems, electrophoresis systems, fluorescence-activated cell sorter, high-performance liquid chromatography, high-speed and ultracentrifuge, Level 3 biosafety rooms, molecular biology facility (include DNA sequencing set-ups and computer-linked scanning densitometry and imaging system), quadupole ToF mass spectrophotomer, ProteomeWorks spot cutter system, Amersham Typhoon Imager, LiCor Odyssey Infrared Imaging System, Applied Biosystems Real-Time PCR, physiological recording systems, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, spectrophotometers (UV, visible and infrared) and whole animal plethysmographs

For Additional Information

Sanford School of Medicine of The University of South Dakota
Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences
414 East Clark Street
Vermillion, SD 57069
Phone: (605) 677-5254
Fax: (605) 677-6381
E-mail: biomed@usd.edu or MDPhD@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/medical-school/biomedical-sciences/

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