About Us

The PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences (PPBS) welcomes students from broad STEM backgrounds that are looking for training in biomedical research. 

Our broad, innovative biomedical sciences curriculum helps students build a strong foundation and scientific competence in all of the biomedical disciplines in which we offer training. After the PPBS year, students specialize in one of 16 general scientific content areas that are served by our 11 doctoral programs.

Laboratory rotations in the first year allow students experiential learning opportunities in any of our content areas. 

Students engage in research in many different disciplines and identify research areas and training environments that are the right fit for them. After the first year, students and potential mentors are matched to begin the specialized training leading to the doctoral degree.

Our holistic admissions process uses no fixed metric cutoffs or scores. We look at the whole student and are striving for a training environment in which students can bring their whole selves and feel both supported and challenged. 

Our broad, interdisciplinary training and professional development programs prepare students for the countless doors that a biomedical doctorate opens. 

Our graduates have gone on to traditional academic paths both in research-intensive and primarily undergraduate institutions, usually after continuing in an academic postdoctoral training experience. Other students have gone on to industry and biotech in Western New York, which provides a plethora of biotech startups, as well as large established companies, such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, which has a large presence here on Grand Island.

Others have taken positions across the country in biotech or in government research with the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Several of our graduates have pursued careers in science writing, policy and communications that involve building relationships with community stakeholders and contributing to science literacy in the public sector. 

The Buffalo Niagara region is a major metropolitan area with a diverse blend of communities, each with its own distinct character. We are known for our welcoming nature and our spirited loyalty. Get past the snowy stereotype and you’ll be captivated. You may never leave.