The Center for Research on Biological Clocks

The Biological Clocks Training Program

The Biological Clocks Training Program (BCTP) is designed to provide predoctoral students with:

a general knowledge of circadian rhythms at the behavioral, physiological and anatomical levels;
a comprehensive knowledge of how the circadian clock functions at the molecular and biochemical levels in different organisms;
opportunities to develop their oral and written presentation skills; and
exposure to eminent circadian clock researchers who share their goals and interests.

Research Training: BCTP students are admitted to the Department of Biology graduate program. Incoming doctoral students perform rotations through at least two laboratories prior to selecting a lab home for dissertation research. The number and duration of rotations, and sources of support, are tailored to individual students. Interactions among the CRBC labs encourage multidisciplinary approaches in research design.

Coursework: All BCTP doctoral students enroll in a course on Biological Clocks, which is coordinated between the TAMU and UH campuses, with most members of the CRBC participating. Biological Clocks (TAMU BIOL601, UH BIO/BICH6213) was taught in spring 2004 using videoconference-equipped rooms on each campus. Drs. Bell-Pedersen (TAMU) and Cahill (UH) organized and taught most of the course, with additional lectures by Drs. Cassone, Earnest, and Golden (TAMU) and Dryer, Eskin, Hardin, and Rea (UH).

All trainees (and other members of CRBC laboratories) participate year-round in the Circadian Clocks Journal Club, attended by faculty, postdocs, and students from the participating labs. Presentations may be either journal article reviews or research talks.

The remainder of coursework is customized for each student in consultation with his or her graduate advisory committee to be compatible with the Department of Biology requirements for the chosen Ph.D. emphasis.

Interaction with the Biological Clocks Community: Trainees host a Frontiers in Biology speaker from the circadian rhythms research field at least once every two years. The Frontiers program brings in distinguished scholars for several days, during which they present a series of lectures and interact extensively with students and faculty. In addition, trainees participate in an annual regional biological rhythms research meeting (SECTS for Clocks), and have the opportunity to attend international circadian rhythms meetings such as the Gordon Research Conference on Chronobiology and the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms (SRBR) conference at Amelia Island Florida.

Interested in predoctoral or postdoctoral training within the CRBC? Contact us and tell us of your interests, background, and what level of training you seek.