The PhD Program in Pathology – Cell Biology of Disease trains students to understand the cell biological basis for human disease and leverage those discoveries for better diagnosis and treatment options. Our program is housed in the department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine with support from Dr. Bruce Smoller, our chairman, Dr. Helene McMurray, clinical scientist and program director, and Donna Shannon, program coordinator. Our trainees work with scientists from across the spectrum of clinical and basic science research areas, studying every body system in contexts ranging from pediatric disease to diseases of aging.
Program Highlights
The program is multidisciplinary in nature, drawing on faculty expertise in all aspects of disease biology including:
- Defining molecular mechanisms underlying human disease
- Developing model systems, from genetic models to human tissue studies
- Big data and ‘omic’ sciences (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, lipidomics, metabolomics, and microbiomics)
- Designing therapeutic interventions using regenerative biology, forward pharmacology, and rational drug design
Students work with any faculty throughout the University of Rochester Medical Center whose research focuses on cell biological mechanisms of pathogenesis.
Our graduates go on to diverse and rewarding careers in academic, medical, industrial, non-profit and governmental settings.
