Joint Doctoral Program in Cell and Molecular Biology
San Diego State University offers a Cell and Molecular Biology doctoral program in collaboration with the UC San Diego Division of Biological Sciences. This joint program involves research training under the supervision of participating SDSU Faculty, whose members are drawn from the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, and Psychology. The faculty research interests address a wide range of biological questions and reflect the interdisciplinary nature of modern biology.
Student Body
The Joint Ph.D. program in Biology has approximately 31 students enrolled. The unusually high faculty-to-Ph.D. student ratio fosters close contact and quality training for incoming students. Approximately 50 graduate students are also enrolled in the Molecular Biology M.S. program under the direction of the Molecular Biology Institute faculty. In addition, more than one hundred graduate students are enrolled in other degree programs in biology and chemistry, including a M.S. program in Biomedical Regulatory Affairs.
The University
More than 33,000 students and 1,900 faculty members make SDSU one of the largest of 23 institutions within the CSU system, the most extensive public university system in the U.S. SDSU is unique within the CSU system in offering a number of Joint-Ph.D. programs. SDSU is rated among the top 200 U.S. higher education institutions by its “Research University – High Research Activity” classification by the Carnegie Foundation. According to the faculty scholarly productivity index of Academic Analytics, SDSU was ranked the number one small research university in the nation. SDSU continually expands its faculty and research endeavors in Cell and Molecular Biology. Current efforts include the interdisciplinary programs developed by the SDSU Heart Institute, the Center for Microbial Sciences, and the Molecular Biology Institute. The Ph.D. is offered jointly with UC San Diego, a prominent research university in the University of California system. Of 256 Biology programs, UC San Diego ranked number 2 and SDSU number 37 in funding.
The Community
San Diego is home to one of the foremost biomedical research communities in the U.S., with close interactions among UC San Diego, the Salk Institute, the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, The Scripps Research Institute, the Sandford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, and SDSU. These interactions extend to numerous other biomedical research institutes and biotechnology companies in San Diego County.
SDSU is located 12 miles east of downtown San Diego and the Pacific Ocean. UC San Diego is located in La Jolla near the coast. San Diego enjoys a reputation for easy living and a highly desirable climate. Attractions include music and dance clubs, outdoor theme parks, the world-famous San Diego Zoo, theater, opera, popular and classical music concerts, and a rich art scene. Spectator sports enthusiasts can enjoy both college and professional sports teams. The nearby ocean, mountains, and deserts allow various year-round outdoor activities.