Updated June 2026
The Department of Structural Biology at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (Jacobs School) aims to promote and apply structural biology approaches to solve fundamental problems in biology and medicine, to provide a unique environment that fosters collaborative access to cutting-edge structural biology-based technologies and intellectual resources that can be integrated into investigator-initiated or multi-disciplinary team-oriented research programs to strengthen and broaden their scientific scope, and educate and mentor the next generation of researchers and physician-scientists via unique and targeted coursework.
Our faculty share common approaches to investigate structure-function relationships of biological macromolecules with significant medical relevance. Insight derived from macromolecular structure drives the generation of hypotheses that test:
In addition to their own individual research programs, our faculty are engaged in numerous collaborations with researchers in other departments within the Jacobs School, as well as those from other Schools campus-wide. These collaborations enhance and extend the scope of both basic and clinical research programs across the entire university
The University of Buffalo (UB) and The Department of Structural Biology is committed to promoting an open and welcoming environment where the value of diversity among its members is recognized as imperative for continued academic excellence. We aim to create an inclusive community of students, faculty, and staff that embraces, but is not limited to, diversity in race, ethnicity, nationality or place of origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, language, abilities/disabilities, socioeconomic status, and veteran status. We will continue to make every effort in maintaining a supportive environment in which differences are encouraged and respected.
It is within the Department’s mission to counter biases surrounding gender, race, and other defining characteristics, and to take a firm stance against discrimination and inequity. It is expected that students are respectful to each other, their mentors, and other faculty and staff at all times to allow an inclusive learning environment for all.
UB and The Department of Structural Biology are committed to providing an environment free of all forms of discrimination and sexual harassment, including sexual assault, domestic and dating violence and stalking. If you have experienced gender-based violence (intimate partner violence, attempted or completed sexual assault, harassment, coercion, stalking, etc.), UB has resources to help. Students can discuss such issues with their PI, the DGS, the Department Chair, or UB’s Title IX coordinator, whichever they find most comfortable. Support includes academic accommodations, health and counseling services, housing accommodations, helping with legal protective orders, and assistance with reporting the incident to police or other UB officials if you so choose. Please contact UB’s Title IX Coordinator at 716-645-2266 for more information. For confidential assistance, you may also contact a Crisis Services Campus Advocate at 716-796-4399.
As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning or reduce your ability to participate in daily activities. These might include strained relationships, anxiety, high levels of stress, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, health concerns, or unwanted sexual experiences. Counseling, Health Services, and Health Promotion are here to help with these or other concerns. You learn can more about these programs and services by contacting:
Counseling Services (North Campus)
120 Richmond Quad
Phone: 716-645-2720
Health Promotion (North Campus)
114 Student Union
Phone: 716- 645-2837
Counseling Services (South Campus)
202 Michael Hall
Phone: 716-829-5800
Health Services (South Campus)
Michael Hall
Phone: 716- 829-3316
The faculty members of the Department of Structural Biology are committed to assist students in the academic and research aspects of graduate education. The faculty decides on program policies, curriculum, and the continuation of students in the program. The responsibility for oversight and guidance of the graduate program is vested in the Department Chair, the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), and, where that person has been identified, the student's thesis advisor.
The Chair of the Department of Structural Biology is responsible for oversight of all departmental matters, including issues related to financial, academic, and research integrity. The Chair shall meet regularly with faculty and faculty committees, who will report on graduate student progress.
The DGS shall be a member of the Department faculty who is appointed by the Chair. The DGS will be available to meet with all students in the Department upon request to discuss any issues related to academic or research progress. The DGS will guide students in their course registration to ensure that they are taking the required sequence of courses, including recommending any substitution of courses in the required sequence. The DGS will inform students of actions by the Department faculty or by the Department Chairperson and will informally mediate disputes when requested to assist in this manner by a student.
In association with the Chair and the full Department faculty, the DGS will be responsible to develop a graduate curriculum that provides a state-of-the-art education in Structural Biology and fosters a fair assessment strategy, to encourage Departmental faculty to develop individualized student advisement to evaluate student progress and help them realize their career goals. The DGS will also monitor progress of graduate students in coursework and research progress via regular graduate committee reports to be completed by the student and thesis advisor. Finally, the DGS will fulfill requirements of the Graduate School in relation to the Structural Biology Graduate Program.
The thesis advisor is a member of the Department of Structural Biology and the Graduate Faculty. It is the responsibility of the student to identify an advisor, which is formalized by the transmittal of a letter, signed by both the student and the advisor, to the Department Chair. The Chair must approve the choice of advisor and communicate this information to the faculty. Once a student selects a thesis advisor, that faculty member assumes primary responsibility for the student's program of study and progress in meeting degree requirements.
The advisor must be a member of the Departmental faculty with an active research program and must be appointed to the UB Graduate Faculty.
After the thesis advisor has been selected, he/she will take the major role in advising the student in the preparation of a program of elective coursework. This program should develop in-depth knowledge of the student's research area and give the student the necessary breadth for alternate careers. Thus, a student's program may be individualized by the selection of certain electives or substitutions to the required sequence of courses. The DGS must approve any substitutions. The thesis advisor will guide the student in the selection of a feasible thesis research project, with emphasis on the development of the student's capability for independent and self-critical research. The advisor will also have the responsibility to ensure that the student is making normal progress in meeting the requirements of the graduate program. The thesis advisor is also responsible for assembling and presenting the student's record to the DGS for semester reviews.
The thesis advisor for doctoral students is responsible for the disposition of the student's stipend and tuition.
The Thesis Committee is composed of at least three faculty members of the Graduate School for the Master’s degree and at least four faculty members of the Graduate School for the Ph.D. degree, including the thesis advisor. Ph.D. Thesis Committees will include at least one faculty member whose primary appointment is outside of the Department of Structural Biology.
The thesis advisor and the student select the members of the Committee.
The Thesis Committee will be responsible to advise the student through the course of their studies. The Ph.D. Thesis Committee, with the exception of the primary thesis advisor, will further be responsible for evaluating the student in the preliminary exam. The acceptability of the thesis proposal is documented by signatures of the members of the Thesis Committee on the Application to Candidacy (ATC) form. The thesis advisor and the student are to meet with the Committee on a regular basis, approximately every 6 months. Upon completion of the thesis research and submission of the final draft of the thesis document, the student defends the thesis before the Thesis Committee and the Department.
All students should be aware of and follow the regulations not only of this Department but also of The Graduate School and the Jacobs School policy on Graduate Education, and promptly respond to all administrative requests from the Department. Students and faculty are expected to attend all Departmental seminars and seminars co-sponsored by this Department. All graduate students will meet with the DGS prior to registering for courses each semester, to ensure proper advisement and avoid unwanted tuition costs. There is no registration for the summer session. Exemption from courses in the required sequence by the student should be addressed to the DGS and may be granted when justified.
It is the responsibility of each student to contact the Graduate School and Student Response Center (1 Capen) prior to deadlines for degree conferral to be sure that all the requirements and paperwork for the degree have been completed. It is the responsibility of the student to follow the policies and procedures of the Department as well as the Graduate School and ensure the completion of all requirements throughout the program in a timely manner.
It is Departmental policy to provide stipend support and tuition scholarship for doctoral students during their tenure in this program. The terms of this support are determined by the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Students who receive full stipends and tuition scholarship awards are not allowed to hold jobs outside of the University.
Certain fees required by the University will be the responsibility of students. Students in the M.S. program in Structural Biology are responsible for their own tuition and fees.
The Ph.D. program in the Department of Structural Biology is a research-based program that offers an opportunity to study the structure of important biological macromolecules and the interplay of structure with biological function. Ph.D. students will explore multiple techniques in structural biology and biochemistry that foster the identification of important biomolecules and the understanding of how the atomic structure enables activity. Ph.D. students will perform independent research, under guidance from a Thesis Advisor and Committee, that is expected to lead to one or more publications in peer-reviewed journals for which the student is the primary author.
Most Ph.D. students will enter the graduate program through the Ph.D. Program in Biological Sciences (PPBS), an interdisciplinary program that oversees the initial year of graduate school for most Ph.D. students in the Jacobs School. Upon completion of rotations, students will discuss with the potential thesis advisor the potential PhD projects in the lab. Less frequently, Ph.D. students may apply directly into the Department outside of the PPBS program. There are no funds from the Department or the Jacobs School to support students who enter the Department through this route and students should therefore directly petition a potential Thesis Advisor, who will be fully responsible for their stipend and tuition for the duration of their graduate studies, subject to policies presented herein.
Program Learning Objectives
The M.S. program in the Department of Structural Biology offers an opportunity to study the structure of important biological macromolecules and the interplay of structure with biological function. M.S. students will explore multiple techniques in structural biology and biochemistry to understand important biomolecules. Student will be expected to complete a project or a thesis that may be either laboratory- or literature-based. Master’s students will apply directly to the Department Master’s program and will be responsible for their tuition.
The M.S. project or thesis will be supervised by a graduate Thesis Advisor within the department. A student may identify an advisor prior to arrival and with approval of the advisor and Chair may begin research in that lab during the first semester. Alternatively, a student may register for 3 Research credits (STB700) and may rotate during the first semester with up to three members of the department to gain experience in the different research areas and to match with a lab. To satisfy expectations for 3 credits of STB700, students are expected to work 10-15 hour per week. The schedule will be set by the lab and may change from rotation to rotation.
Upon mutual agreement to work together, a student and mentor will commit in writing to the DGS. A M.S. student who fails to identify a thesis advisor by the end of the first semester may be placed on academic probation. It is therefore suggested that a M.S. student identify and speak with potential advisor(s) prior to beginning the program.
Program Learning Objectives
Master’s Project vs Master’s Thesis
M.S. students must complete a final written document that demonstrates their mastery of a topic in Structural Biology. Work towards this will be achieved through enrollment in STB700 and individual work with a faculty mentor. An M.S. thesis is expected to consist of a more substantial amount of research and rigor and may represent a component of independent research that could lead to a scientific publication. For example, this M.S. thesis may encompass a series of experiments that contribute to a larger project and publication within the lab. An M.S. thesis is published with U.B. and deposited with ProQuest, a repository of academic theses. An M.S. project should reflect independent thought or analysis by the student but may be more literature focused and may not include independent research.
In practice, the M.S. thesis and M.S. project are both valuable contributions that reflect a culminating academic experience for the student and result in the same M.S. degree. The student should discuss these options with their mentor and decide on the goals throughout the first year of their M.S. program.
The M.D./Ph.D. program in the Department of Structural Biology is a research-based program that offers an opportunity for Medical Students to study the structure of important biological macromolecules and the interplay of structure with biological function. M.D./Ph.D. students will explore multiple techniques in structural biology and biochemistry that foster the identification of important biomolecules and the understanding of how the atomic structure enables activity. Students will perform independent research, under guidance from a thesis advisor and committee, that is expected to lead to one or more publications in peer-reviewed journals for which the student is the primary author. Students in the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) will, in addition to the guidelines described herein, will be further guided by policies of the MSTP at the Jacobs School. Students in the MSTP spend two years in initial Medical School classes and are expected to complete their Ph.D. portion of their training in three or four years, upon which they will return to the clinical training.
Student support will conform to the policies of the MSTP, with the mentor responsible for student stipend. Tuition payment is covered by the MSTP program. Certain fees required by the University will be the responsibility of students.
The following policies of the Department of Structural Biology relate to all academic matters, including course work and academic progress, preliminary examination and advancement to candidacy, and thesis preparation and defense.
Successful progression through the graduate program is dependent upon the adherence to Departmental guidelines and to open communication among all participants, including the student, the thesis advisor, the thesis committee, and the DGS. These policies are in place to ensure fairness and accountability among all parties and to provide an open opportunity for evaluation.
https://www.buffalo.edu/grad/succeed/current-students/policy-library.html (June 2025)
Students are expected to maintain good academic standing, as defined by the Graduate School. Specifically, a student should maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA throughout their time in the Department. Students should receive a grade of a B or higher in all mandatory courses. Students who receive a C or better, may be required to repeat a course a second time to improve the grade. Students with a cumulative GPA less than 3.0 will be placed on Academic Probation.
Students with a GPA of less than 2.5, or students who are placed on probation for two or more semesters, may be dismissed from the program. Termination from the graduate program requires formal action by the Department faculty.
Academic Integrity is taken very seriously by the Department of Structural Biology and the UB Graduate School. The UB Graduate School Policy Library contains a detailed discussion of Academic Integrity, types of academic dishonesty, responsibilities of students and instructors, and possible sanctions of policy violations.
As Artificial Intelligence technology, uses, and abuses are rapidly changing, students and instructors should stay current in acceptable uses. Through all activities, students should discuss their planned use of any generative AI software tools in writing for classes and all written work, including papers, manuscripts, and their written preliminary exam and thesis.
The UB office of Academic Integrity maintains information that may help students and instructors navigate the use of AI.
https://www.buffalo.edu/academic-integrity/instructors/protect/ai-guidance.html (Aug 2025)
In consultation with their Thesis Advisor, students in the Department are required to complete an Individual Development Plan (IDP). (Many templates are available that can be utilized – an example is provided at: https://myidp.sciencecareers.org/).
This application will walk the student through the process of IDP construction. Completion of the plan and a face-to-face meeting with the Thesis Advisor to discuss the plan should occur after the student passes the preliminary qualifying exam and prior to their first committee meeting. In subsequent years, IDPs must be updated at the time of completion of the annual review at the end of the spring semester. The review form includes a check-box to indicate IDP update and discussion. A copy of the IDP must be submitted to the DGS.
In a single calendar year students will meet twice with their Thesis Committee, generally in late spring and fall semesters. The meeting should describe in great detail via an oral presentation research progress, problems encountered, and strategies used to overcome any technical or experimental roadblocks. The student should also prepare a written single page document that describes the above and any substantial activities such as papers or poster presentations. A form called “Committee Meeting Report” will be supplied to you to expedite completion of the written document. In these meetings, students should be prepared to discuss a timetable for their graduate studies and if there are any concerns that may prevent successful completion.
Following the meeting, the student should complete their “Committee Meeting Report”, which will then be signed by the student, Thesis Advisor, and all committee members. The report should be converted to a PDF and circulated to the student, all committee members, the Chair, the DGS, and the Assistant to Chair for placement in the student’s Departmental file. The “Committee Meeting Report” form is present in Appendix H.
Students and Thesis Advisors are encouraged to discuss potential research projects, expectations, and graduate policies, including the material presented in this Graduate Handbook.
A standard curriculum is in place for most Ph.D. students in the Department of Structural Biology that directs the student to register for a total of 72 credit hours for graduation. Generally, students will enter the program through the PPBS, having taken core courses along with several electives in year 1. Additional core courses are to be taken by all students in the program. The student may, upon discussion with his/her Thesis Advisor and the DGS, petition to substitute other University courses in place of the standard courses. It is expected that these will be specialized courses that may be of particular use to a student that is dependent on his or her course of study or future interests. The standard course curriculum is presented in Appendix B.
Students who enter the Department through the MSTP will have completed their initial two years of clinical training. Students will take courses during the Ph.D. training with the anticipation of spending three or four years in the Department. Students should plan to defend their thesis in early summer to enable return to clinical training in July for the following academic year. M.D./Ph.D. curriculum is listed in Appendix C.
Ph.D. students who enter the department directly, with or without a M.S. degree, will still need to complete 72 credits and a similar core of courses. Students with a M.S. degree from UB can use up to 36 credits of applicable courses to the total of 72 credits. Students may transfer up to 36 credits from another University as defined in the UB Graduate School Policy Library. Appendix D contains a possible curriculum for students who directly enter the Ph.D. program and do not take the PPBS curriculum.
Students in the M.S. program are required to complete 30 credit hours for graduation. The M.S. curriculum is listed in Appendix E.
Ph.D. Students must prepare and defend a research proposal to be admitted to PhD candidacy. This should occur in the spring semester of the student’s second year of graduate school. As described in the timeline below, students must choose their thesis committee and submit an initial draft of their research aims by December 1 of their second year of graduate school. For students who enter the Department through the MSTP, this Preliminary examination will occur at the end of their first year of Ph.D. training and the timeline will be the same. In either case, progress will occur in association with enrollment in STB634, Dissertation Proposal Preparation. This 1 credit course sets the timeline for initial presentation of the research plan to the Committee, preparation of the written research proposal and defense.
In consultation with the Thesis Advisor, the student will choose a Thesis Committee who will be tasked with evaluation of the student. For the purposes of the Preliminary Examination, the Committee will: 1) approve of the student’s initial proposal outline constituting a Specific Aims page; 2) read and provide feedback on the proposal; and 3) examine the student for their understanding of the research topic, potential pitfalls and alternate approaches, and for other background information necessary for the successful completion of his or her research project. For the closed Preliminary Examination, the Thesis Advisor will not be present. A member of the Committee will be appointed to record notes on the answers and discussion and to write the final evaluation that will be presented to the student and Thesis Advisor. If neither the department chair nor DGS is a member of a student’s committee, one of them will attend meetings through the Preliminary Exam process in an advisory capacity.
The written portion of the proposal should present aims, background supporting information, as well as any preliminary data generated by the student or the lab. Additionally, a clear approach should be presented that explains how the student will achieve the specific aims through hypothesis driven research. While it is expected that the student will have discussed the research project with the Thesis Advisor, the proposal is to be the student’s independent work. Evidence of plagiarism (including from other documents of the Thesis Advisor or the lab) may constitute grounds for failure without opportunity for re-examination. Students must create all figures within the document and must not directly use figures from the literature. The document should be referenced with literature citations (that are not part of the page limit) and written formally with attention to detail and grammar as would be used in an external grant submission (See Appendix F).
Enrollment in STB634 will guide the student through the Preliminary Examination written portion and oral defense. The timeline is set in such a way as to complete the final Preliminary Examination defense by the end of the spring semester. An approximate timeline is shown below.
| Timeline | Activity | Approximate Date |
|---|---|---|
November of Fall Semester | Choose Thesis Committee members. | November 15 |
End of Fall Semester | Student will setup a meeting with Committee. Student will submit a Specific Aims page and a written outline of proposal prior to meeting. The proposal will be presented orally (30 min) to the Committee, to allow feedback. | December 1 |
End of Fall Semester | Based on feedback from Committee, student will edit and re-submit Specific Aims page to Committee (if necessary) | December 15 |
Spring Course Registration | Upon approval of the Specific Aims page outline by the Committee, Student will register for STB634 (1 cr) and begin working on the research proposal. | Semester Deadline |
Start of Spring Semester | Student will submit to the Committee a complete draft of the research proposal as described above. | February 15 |
Two weeks | Committee will return comments to the students on the initial proposal draft. | February 28 |
Two weeks | Student will return revised proposal to Committee. | March 15 |
Two weeks | If Committee is uniformly satisfied with the revisions, the student will set up a date for the Preliminary Examination. | April |
End of semester | Preliminary Examination: the student should prepare a ~45 min presentation for the Committee. The Committee will examine the student during and after the presentation on matters related to the proposal and for successful completion of a Ph.D. in Structural Biology. | April-May |
End of semester | Upon satisfactory completion of the Preliminary Examination, the student will file the Application to Candidacy (ATC) | April-May |
Following the defense of the Preliminary Examination, the Committee will come to an agreement on the outcome. Most commonly, this will be achieved through mutual consent; however, a formal vote can occur with a majority opinion being needed for the final decision. Three potential outcomes may result from the Preliminary Examination.
Pass. The student has a thorough grasp of all aspects of his or her research project, has demonstrated independent thought and consideration of potential pitfalls and alternate approaches, and has mastered the important aspects of structural biology, from both a technical and theoretical perspective. A passing grade will require that the student understands areas of protein structure and function, and how his or her research project will advance the field.
Conditional Pass. The student has a thorough grasp of nearly all aspects of his or her research project. However, the Committee has identified one or more areas of deficiencies that have the potential to impact the successful completion of the research project. This could result from failure to consider ways to get around a technical hurdle or to put one or more aspects of the research proposal into proper context. A student who receives a conditional pass may be required to submit in writing to the Committee all or part of a revised proposal, or an additional document that demonstrates that the student has considered the question raised by the Committee. The student may be asked to orally defend the revised document individually or with the Committee. Generally, the student will have 2 weeks to provide a satisfactory response to convert the conditional pass to a full pass.
Fail. A student who fails to demonstrate a clear understanding of their research project, the significance or current state of their field, and the relationship of the two, may fail to pass the Preliminary Examination. Students will also be expected to understand the foundation of experimental techniques that are most relevant to their proposed work. If the student fails to demonstrate this knowledge to the satisfaction of the committee, the Committee will prepare a written document that clearly states the deficiencies of the current proposal and present that to both the student and the Thesis Advisor, copying the DGS. The student will then be offered a re-examination in one or in several areas. A re-examination will be scheduled about one month from the date of the initial defense. The same Committee will serve to evaluate the student in the re-examination.
Failure to complete the preliminary exam by the end of the spring semester of the student’s second year will place the student on academic probation. A Failing grade in the student preliminary exam will result in the placement of the student on academic probation. Unsatisfactory performance on the re-examination constitutes grounds for dismissal from the program.
Upon satisfactory completion of the Preliminary Examination, the student will file the Application to Candidacy (ATC) form with the Department and the Graduate School.
Successful completion of a Ph.D. in the Department of Structural Biology requires the completion of a thesis that will be defended in front of the Committee. The thesis will be completed, formatted, and filed with the Graduate School, as described:
https://grad.buffalo.edu/succeed/graduate/requirements.html (June 2025)
As described above, graduate students meet twice annually with their Committee. As part of the research discussion, students should inform their Committee of their timeline, including both starting dates as well as target ending dates. The Committee is encouraged to discuss early and openly whether a timeline seems reasonable and what steps need to be considered to ensure a successful thesis.
Approximately 6 months prior to planned thesis defense, the student should petition the Committee for “permission to write”. This does not, of course, mean that no more experiments can be performed, nor that any writing cannot be initiated prior to consent of the Committee. Rather, this is a discussion that clearly defines the remaining time for the student to meet the requirements of the Thesis Advisor, the Committee, the Department, and the University. This discussion should include a rough thesis outline, including consideration of prior or planned publications. Agreement to the timeline to completion is the responsibility of the full Committee, including the Thesis Advisor. In the event that unanimous agreement cannot be reached, the Thesis Advisor should consult with the DGS, who will convene an ad hoc Committee to advise the student and Thesis Advisor to resolve the problem. Once an agreement has been reached, the approval of permission to write should be documented on the Committee meeting report.
The precise structure of the thesis should be mutually agreed to by the student and Thesis Advisor. Additional Departmental and University guidelines are presented in Appendix H. Generally, the thesis should stand as a complete document that describes the breadth of the student’s graduate research. While the inclusion of published manuscripts as chapters is to be expected and routine, the student should consider overlap, for example in introductory material of each chapter, and should make some effort to integrate independent papers into a complete thesis document. Regardless, the final chapter should include discussion to put the thesis work in context with the broader field and should provide future directions for the work.
The thesis defense will consist of two components–a closed defense with the Committee and an open presentation to the Department and the Jacobs School. The student will schedule the closed defense with the Committee and will submit an electronic PDF of the thesis to Committee members at least two weeks before the closed defense. If requested by a Committee Member, the student shall also provide a hard copy.
Upon successful defense of the thesis to the Committee, the student can schedule a Departmental seminar to be held, generally, within two weeks. The open defense will be open to the Department, the Jacobs School, and the public. During the intervening two weeks, the student may also make any minor edits or corrections to the thesis before submission to the Graduate School.
It is the responsibility of each student to contact the Graduate School (645-2939) and the Student Response Center (645-2450) prior to the deadline dates to be certain that all of the requirements and paperwork for his/her degree have been completed.
A. Application to Candidacy Form – (Statement of Program)
This is a multi-page document that includes a summary of courses to be applied toward a degree. The filing of this program with the Graduate School indicates that the student is entering the final stages of degree completion. This form must be completed and forwarded to the Graduate School as soon as possible following successful completion of the Preliminary Examination (year 2 of graduate school, fourth semester, upon completion of the Preliminary Examination and STB634). The DGS will upload this document to a shared folder maintained by the Office of Biomedical Education.
B. M-FORM – (Multi-purpose Form)
The M-Form is used for several purposes. In relation to the thesis or dissertation, the form is submitted to the Graduate School to certify that defense of the thesis was satisfactorily completed and that ALL requirements for the degree have been satisfied. This form must be signed by the Thesis Advisor, members of the Committee, and by the Chair or the DGS of the Department.
The Department Chair or the DGS will sign the ‘M’ Form only after all corrections to the thesis and requests by the Committee have been met. The student should bring a copy of the final thesis to the Chair and/or the DGS together with the form for signature. Students should then submit the form and the thesis before the deadline to the Graduate School.
C. Electronic Dissertation, Survey and Graduate School Billing Form
Master’s students who complete a thesis, and all PhD students, must electronically submit their final thesis or dissertation to the Graduate School via the UB/ProQuest UMI submission website. This is a requirement for degree conferral.
Students and Thesis Advisors have the option for delayed release of sensitive research included in a thesis that may be currently unpublished. An embargo (delayed release) can be made online. Students requesting a delayed release of their thesis/dissertation must upload the completed and signed form in the Administrative Documents section in ProQuest.
An electronic copy of the thesis/dissertation is required; copyrighting is optional. The doctoral candidate must sign a Graduate School Billing Form acknowledging that charges for cataloging will be paid prior to degree conferral. Diplomas will be mailed out directly from the Student Response Center. The Survey of Earned Doctorates Form is used to collect information from all candidates in the U.S.; the National Research Council publishes summaries of these data annually.
To qualify for degree conferral, students must fulfill the continuous registration requirement. They should submit an M-Form, an electronic copy of the dissertation or thesis, and the Survey of Earned Doctorates Form.
Graduation Policy – Students are expected to meet all requirements by University deadlines, but they may petition the Department to participate in commencement exercises of the Jacobs School if they plan to defend their Ph.D. dissertation or Master’s thesis by July 31st of that year. Before the student’s name is forwarded to the Jacobs School for his/her participation in the commencement exercises, the Thesis Advisor has to provide a written assurance to the DGS that the student would defend by July 31st. Please note that if the requirements for graduation are not met by the Graduate School deadline for June Conferral (which applies to all 2nd year Master’s students), his/her name will not be included in the commencement booklet and they will receive their degree with a September conferral date.
Professor Robert H. Blessing (BS King’s College 1962, PhD Ohio University) was a leader in the field of X-ray crystallography and Structural Biology. He worked on algorithms for X-ray diffraction data scaling, reduction, and error analysis, developing tools that have been used world-wide and integrated into many software processing packages. Dr. Blessing served as Chair of the Department of Structural Biology from 2009 to 2014 and as DGS from 2002 to 2020, and was instrumental in the establishment of the curriculum at the founding of the Department in 2002. He additionally taught X-ray crystallography for the first twenty years of the Department’s existence. He worked tirelessly to establish the Department and also served on numerous student committees.
The Structural Biology Award for Excellence in Dissertation Research will be awarded at the May Commencement Ceremony for the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo. The Award will be given to a graduate student who has demonstrated research excellence and above expected merits in developing their scholarship and/or service. A one-page document describing the graduate student nominee’s accomplishments will be submitted by the thesis advisor to the Department Chair, with final selection made by a faculty vote.
The Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences also awards “The Dean’s Award” for outstanding dissertation research. Nominations are limited to one candidate per JSMBS basic science department/program. A nominating dossier must be submitted electronically to the Office of Biomedical Education containing:
The Graduate School grievance procedures as outlined in the Graduate School Website apply to this program.
https://grad.buffalo.edu/succeed/current-students/policy-library.academics.html (June 2020)
It is hoped that most disputes can be resolved on an informal basis. The student may seek the assistance of the Departmental Chair or DGS or other staff members as mediators in dealing with a dispute.
If the student feels the grievance is serious and has not been justly resolved on an informal basis, a request to the Department Chair may be made to appoint a Committee, to hear the grievance and rule on its merit. The Committee shall rule on the case within l0 academic days of receiving the grievance or stipulate in writing the reasons why this is not feasible.
If an appeal of the Departmental ruling is desired, the student should file a written statement of the grievance with the Senior Associate Dean for Research, according to the procedures established by the Jacobs School and the Graduate School.
Ph.D. Students who fail to receive a 3.0 GPA in a semester may be placed on academic probation. Additionally, students who fail to perform research at levels adequate to demonstrate suitable progress toward their degree may be placed on academic probation. Students will receive a letter from the DGS informing them of this and identifying steps to remediate any courses or resolve the academic probation status.
https://www.buffalo.edu/grad/succeed/current-students/policy-library.academics.html
Students who have passed their qualifying exam and decide to leave the Ph.D. program before completing the requirements for their degree can petition for a Master’s degree. In such cases, the student must first meet with the DGS and the Department Chair where they will discuss this process. In general, three requirements must be met for a student to be granted a Master’s degree. First, they must have satisfactorily completed course work required for a Master’s degree; in most cases this would have been accomplished if the student completed their qualifying exam. Second, a scholarly project or thesis must be prepared and submitted to the DGS. Third, the DGS will prepare a memorandum of understanding (MOU) detailing activities that must be completed by the student. The MOU will be prepared after consulting with the student, Thesis Advisor, and other relevant parties. Typically, the MOU will include details such as reagent and notebook organization, laboratory cleanout, and figure preparation.
Once the student, Thesis Advisor, and DGS sign the MOU, the student will be allowed to become a candidate for a Master’s degree and an ATC form will be filed with the Graduate School.
https://universityatbuffalo-wgtck.formstack.com/forms/changedegreetype (January 2023)
After the student fulfills the requirements of the MOU, an M form will be submitted to the Graduate School. In consultation with the DGS, the student will be required to adhere to University guidelines and deadlines to meet degree conferral dates. If degree conferral cannot be achieved during the current academic term, the student must register for one credit hour for an additional semester to meet the next deadline (fall and spring semesters only).
M.S. Students who fail to receive a 3.0 GPA in a semester may be placed on academic probation. Students will receive a letter from the DGS informing them of this and identifying steps to remediate any courses or resolve the academic probation status. Students in the M.S. program who fail to identify a research advisor to guide the research thesis or project by the end of their first fall semester will be placed on academic probation. Having interacted with several departmental faculty, they will be expected to work to identify a viable research project or thesis in the spring semester. They will be unable to register for STB700 and should take an alternate 3 credit course. Identification of a research advisor by the end of the spring semester will be a requirement to have the academic probation lifted. Failure to identify an advisor will lead to dismissal from the program.
If a Thesis Advisor leaves UB for an appointment at another institution and the student has less than one year to finish their Ph.D. research, the Graduate School will allow the departing faculty member to retain their role as Thesis Advisor, providing the Department approves of the request. The Graduate School does not recommend allowing this if the student is more than a year away from degree completion; however, the Department will consider a request providing the student and Thesis Advisor agree to meet all standard requirements. Additionally, support for research activities and space should be specified in a MOU to be signed by the student, the departing Thesis Advisor, any faculty members who will provide oversight to the student, and the Department Chair. Special consideration will be given to support of the student’s research effort in absentia and may preclude such an arrangement even if supported by all interested parties.
If a faculty member retires from UB with no intention of assuming a faculty appointment at another institution, that faculty member is eligible to continue to serve as the Thesis Advisor or as a Committee Member for a current student providing approval by the DGS and Department Chair.
Department policy is that Ph.D. and M.D./Ph.D. students will have available to them 2 weeks of leave per year to use for vacation. Those students who need a longer vacation period because of extended travel times may pool two years’ allowance into a single trip; otherwise, the annual leave time shall be non-accumulating. Regarding vacation leave, the period chosen should result from discussion between the student and mentor and should be consistent with the educational and research commitments associated with the student’s academic and research objectives and responsibilities.
M.S. students should discuss goals and expectations with their thesis advisor to arrive at a mutually agreed upon approach to winter and summer breaks.
Students who are not U.S. citizens and who travel home to foreign countries should be aware that visa renewals may take extensive time to process or may be rejected. Thus, it is not generally recommended that students travel outside the country unless necessary.
Students shall also be allowed reasonable medical absences for sickness or treatment. Time spent fulfilling Departmental or Medical School assignments or responsibilities are not considered vacation or leave time (e.g., assisting in courses, student mentoring and recruitment, organizing Research Day).
Two principles shall be followed by the student and mentor in discussing leave time: 1) the student and mentor have made a mutual commitment to training and research objectives and 2) achieving these mutually reinforcing objectives requires flexibility in effort and time-of-effort. Although the mentor cannot forcibly deny a leave request, she or he can certainly view such a request as inconsistent with the student’s commitment to these training and/or research objectives. If disagreements arise which student and mentor are unable to resolve, the Department Chair and Director of Graduate Studies should be informed by either the student or mentor or both and an effort will be made to mediate the dispute.
In accordance with policies of Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, students requesting maternity or paternity leave will be granted 6 weeks of continuous absence (8 weeks for the birth parent) during which registration will be continued. A more prolonged leave may be negotiated by mutual consent of student and advisor. A student taking such leave shall not take additional vacation during that year.
(Alternate pathways exist for student who enter from pathways other than the PPBS)
Additional credits to 30 total.
The Ph.D. degree requires a minimum of 72 credit hours earned from a combination of coursework, along with four to five years of laboratory research in a Thesis Advisor’s research laboratory.
1st Semester:
2nd Semester:
1st Semester:
2nd Semester:
*If not taken in the second semester of the first year.
Successful completion of STB634 will enable the student to advance to candidacy at the end of the Departmental second semester.
Fall and Spring Semesters:
Students entering the Department through the MSTP will have taken the standard medical curriculum during years 1 and 2 of their academic training. The coursework below covers their years in the Ph.D. program.
1st Semester:
2nd Semester:
Successful completion of STB 634 will enable the student to advance to candidacy at the end of the Departmental second semester.
1st Semester:
2nd Semester:
The Ph.D. degree requires a minimum of 72 credit hours earned from a combination of coursework, along with four to five years of laboratory research in a Thesis Advisor’s research laboratory. The following describes a potential curriculum for a direct admit to the program.
1st Semester:
or
2nd Semester:
or
1st Semester:
2nd Semester:
or
*If not taken in the second semester of the first year.
Successful completion of STB634 will enable the student to advance to candidacy at the end of the Departmental second semester.
Fall and Spring Semesters:
The M.S. degree requires 30 credit hours earned from a combination of coursework, along with a literature or laboratory research thesis to be performed under the guidance of a faculty member.
1st Semester (12 cr):
2nd Semester (12 cr):
1st Semester (3 cr):
2nd Semester (3 cr):
During year 2, the student will maintain full-time status and will be fully engaged in their MS research project.
Different granting agencies will have alternate formats for proposals and students are encouraged to follow guidelines precisely. Failure to do so can, in some instances, result in the administrative rejection of an otherwise high-quality proposal.
The Preliminary Examination will consist of a research proposal prepared following the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (Parent F31) applications. The NIH policies are found at their website. The Program Announcement routinely expires and is renewed. Students must identify the current guidelines and discuss with their advisor and committee.
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-25-422.html (July 2025)
The overall goal of the NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) program is to help ensure that a diverse pool of highly trained scientists is available in appropriate scientific disciplines to address the Nation's biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. NRSA fellowships support the training of pre-and postdoctoral scientists, dual-degree investigators, and senior researchers. More information about NRSA programs may be found at the NIH Research Training and Career Development website.
The purpose of the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (Parent F31) is to enable promising predoctoral students to obtain individualized, mentored research training from outstanding faculty sponsors while conducting dissertation research. Candidates for this F31 program are expected to propose a dissertation research project and training plan in scientific health-related fields relevant to the mission of the participating Institutes and Centers. This training plan should reflect the candidate’s dissertation research project, and facilitate and clearly enhance the individual’s potential to develop into a productive, independent research scientist. The training plan should document the need for, and the anticipated value of, the proposed mentored research and training in relationship to the individual’s research career goals. The training plan should also facilitate the fellow’s transition to the next stage of his/her research career.
It is expected that the mentored research training experience will provide:
The NIH Website further provides guidance on the strategies for preparing a quality proposal (July 2025). Additionally, page limits for certain sections are provided
https://grants.nih.gov/grants-process/write-application/how-to-apply-application-guide
The following components of your prelim proposal must be provided to your committee. Additional details are provided at the above links. These four items should be combined into a single PDF document (or MS Word or equivalent) and provided to your committee and PI.
The Project Summary is limited to 30 lines of text.
This should be a brief abstract that summarizes the significance and broad goals of your proposal.
Specific Aims are limited to one page.
After a brief introductory paragraph or two, state concisely the goals of the proposed research and summarize the expected outcome(s), including the impact that the results of the proposed research will exert on the research field(s) involved. List succinctly the specific objectives of the research proposed, e.g., to test a stated hypothesis, create a novel design, solve a specific problem, challenge an existing paradigm, address a critical barrier to progress in the field, or develop new technology.
This item is limited to six pages.
Organize the Research Strategy in the specified order using the instructions provided below. Start each section with the appropriate section heading — Significance, Innovation, Approach. Cite published experimental details in the Research Strategy section and provide the full reference in the Bibliography and References Cited section.
You may address Significance and Approach for each Specific Aim individually or may address Significance and Approach for all Specific Aims collectively.
The significance section should serve as the introduction to your proposal. This section should highlight background information to allow an intelligent, though not expert, reader to understand the rationale for your proposed experiments. This section should explain the status of the field, the outstanding questions that will be addressed, and important barriers that will be overcome to advance the field. This section should also explain how concepts, methods, technologies, or understanding of fundamental aspects of important biological problems will be changed if the proposed aims are achieved.
An innovation section is not required for fellowships and does not have to be a part of your proposal. However, this section is found in other types of NIH grants, such as R01 grants and is a scorable review criteria. Students may wish to highlight innovative aspects of their research project.
This section has all the detail of how you’ll do the experiments and the preliminary data to back it up.
Different writers will craft their Approach section differently; however, a successful grant should include several basic components. The proposal can be divided into individual aims or overall preliminary data could be presented before the separate aims. The approach section should include preliminary data from the student’s work or from others in the laboratory that support the project. Data should be clearly referenced. For each aim, the approach section should contain an overall strategy, methodology, analyses that will be used to achieve the specific aims. Students should not get bogged down in details (for example, which buffers will be used) unless it is critical to successful completion of the aims. However, a non-expert reader should have a clear understanding of how and why the proposed experiments will be performed. The student should discuss potential problems and alternate strategies that will allow the successful completion of the thesis work.
The approach section should end with a summary paragraph that reiterates the significance of the project as it relates to human health. A timeline with important benchmarks can be included if it demonstrates forethought and feasibility.
There is no page limit for references
Each reference must include the names of all authors (in the same sequence in which they appear in the publication), the article and journal title, book title, volume number, page numbers, and year of publication. Include only bibliographic citations. Applicants should be especially careful to follow scholarly practices in providing citations for source materials relied upon when preparing any section of the application.
While there is no absolute number of references, fewer than 40 references would probably indicate that the literature is not appropriate cited to establish the foundation of the proposed research. More than 100 references would probably indicate that the student has gone overboard.
This item is limited to one page.
Describe the respective contributions of you and your PI in generating the original idea and crafting the proposal. The primary responsibility for writing is on the student.
Refer to the Graduate School website for a complete listing of Graduate School guidelines.
General guidelines include:
Guidelines governing the use of AI will be clearly defined in course syllabi. (Here, coursework refers to didactic STB courses. Policies governing AI use in “STB700, Research” are considered in the Section 3 on Research.)
Course policies may prohibit all AI use in assignments:
AI-based tools may not be used on any graded assignments unless by express permission from the instructor. The use of AI as a study aid is permissible provided it does not violate copyright.
Alternately, course syllabi may allow the use of AI-based tools in some assignments.
Responsible use of AI-based tools in completing coursework, assignments or assessments must be done in accordance with the following:
As these are sample course policies, the syllabus provided by the instructor will define their policy as best suits their course.
https://www.buffalo.edu/grad/intranet/curriculum/ai-use-dissertations-theses-capstones.html
Any use of AI for any writing related to a research project, including data analysis and report or manuscript preparation should be discussed and approved by the mentor.
Appropriate use of AI includes:
Departmental Expectations. The expectations of the faculty are that as students progress in the Department, their levels of understanding of their projects and research independence will grow accordingly. The content and format of graduate student committee meetings will thus reflect this growth as follows: