Begin OSU masthead and toolbar


Graduate Study in PMBB

The PMBB Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization involves the Departments of Plant Cellular and Molecular Biology, Plant Pathology and Horticulture and Crop Science as well as the Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB) graduate program. The PMBB Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization provides focused training in fundamental molecular biology and in the techniques and principles of plant and microbial genetic engineering. Graduate students enrolled in this program will have enhanced opportunities to interact with faculty from different departments.

Description of the Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization is divided into seven sections:

Overview | How To Apply | Admission Requirements | PMBB Fellowships | Administration | Student Standing | Curriculum

PMBB-GS Program Overview

Recruiting capable students to work on the application of molecular technology to current agronomic problems helps all our graduate students and our entire faculty with useful expertise and resources. Many of our current students in traditional areas of agriculture have obtained valuable help from the molecular oriented graduate students, postdocs and faculty. Reciprocally, quite a few of our molecular students have received valuable help in their research from students and faculty in more traditional areas. The interactions are mutually beneficial.

Students who are interested in the PMBB Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization should first apply directly to one of the participating academic units, specifically Horticulture and Crop Science, Plant Pathology, Plant Cellular and Molecular Biology, or the Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology Program. At that time, they should specify their interest in the PMBB Graduate Specialization in their cover letter. Potential students that might be interested in the Specialization may also be identified by one of the departmental Graduate Studies Committees (GSC). Once students are admitted by the Graduate Studies Committees (GSC) of their degree granting program, they will then be considered for admission to the PMBB Interdisciplinary Graduate Specialization. Upon graduation, students in the Specialization will receive a degree from their major department that will indicate they have completed the PMBB Specialization.

There are many advantages of the PMBB specialization for students who are interested in either plant molecular biology or molecular plant-microbe interactions. First, additional funding opportunities may be available for students in the Specialization. Second, students that are admitted without first identifying a major advisor will have the opportunity to do a research rotation in several labs during their first year. Third, the participating departments do not require students in the Specialization to take as many courses in their major, so that they can more easily meet the Specialization requirements for a strong background of basic courses in plant and/or microbial molecular biology and biochemistry.

How to Apply to the PMBB-GS Program

Application procedure. Students should apply to one or more of the participating academic units (i.e., Horticulture and Crop Science, Plant Pathology, Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology or the Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Program). At the time of application, students can indicate their interest in the PMBB specialization in their cover letter. For specific information about each academic unit, please use the links below. Alternatively, students already enrolled at OSU may contact the chair of the PMBB GSC to apply:

New Fellowships Available. Outstanding students are encouraged to apply for an Excellence in Plant Molecular Biology/Biotechnology Graduate Fellowship.

Contact information. Any interested candidate may contact any PMBB faculty member to explore the potential for graduate studies. Questions may also be directed to the PMBB GSC Chair: Dr. David Mackey, Horticulture and Crop Sciences, 306c Kottman Hall, Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210 (Phone 614-292-5879, Fax 614-292-7162, Email mackey.86@osu.edu).

Admission Requirements

Selection by PMBB-GS Program. Admission of a student to the PMBB Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization first requires admission by a participating degree-granting academic unit and then acceptance by the PMBB GSC.

Minimal Criteria for Admission. Successful applicants will be expected to have: (1) A 3.0 GPA, (2) a combined GRE percentile score above 60% (verbal, quantitative and analytical sections), and (3) a TOEFL score of 240 (equivalent to 587 in previous scale) for international applicants whose native language is not English; and (4) sufficient courses in: mathematics/statistics, chemistry, physics, biology (e.g. biochemistry, molecular genetics, microbiology, etc.) and plant sciences and/or other indicators of ability to start graduate courses without needing many introductory courses.

Transfer into PMBB-GS Program. Current students in any participating academic units may choose to apply to the PMBB GSC for acceptance as above, as long as a) the minimal criteria for admission are met, and b) the courses taken fit within the PMBB curriculum. Students who wish to transfer into PMBB Graduate Specialization should submit the following items to the PMBB GSC Chair: Dr. David Mackey, Horticulture and Crop Sciences, 306c Kottman Hall, Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210 (Phone 614-292-5879, Fax 614-292-7162, Email mackey.86@osu.edu):

  1. A cover letter explaining reasons for the intended transfer
  2. A copy of OSU transcript
  3. A letter of recommendation from advisor

Administration of the Program

Departmental and PMBB-GS Requirements. Students in each department will meet PMBB Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization course requirements (see link to curriculum), in addition to those of their degree-granting department/program. Most participating departments have different requirements for students in the Specialization. and students may also request a waiver of specific requirements by petitioning their advisory committee and presenting the approved petition to the PMBB GSC for consideration and final approval.

Student Rotations and Choice of Advisors. All new students will be strongly encouraged to rotate through two or three laboratories during their first few quarters. All rotation labs must be affiliated with PMBB. If a student intends to join the lab of a faculty member located in a department different from the department that admitted the student, then the student must apply to and be accepted by the new department and PMBB GSC.

Eligible advisors. Students can be accepted into the PMBB Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization from any department as long as their advisor is a member of PMBB and as long as that department approves the PMBB Graduate Specialization curriculum and procedures. A PMBB member whose salaried appointment is in a graduate program that does not participate in the PMBB Graduate Specialization can still advise students if he/she has a no-salaried appointment in a participating graduate program. In all cases, students must register for research credits (999) in the graduate program of a department that participates in the PMBB Graduate Specialization.

Student Standing and Committees

GPA. Students will be required to follow the curriculum requirements for the PMBB Interdisciplinary Graduate Specialization, and to maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 in PMBB Graduate Specialization courses (required and electives) in accordance with Graduate School requirements.

Student Advisory Committee (SAC).New students must choose an advisor by no later than the end of their third quarter, or as early as possible, and form an Advisory Committee. The number of committee members required should follow departmental guidelines. At least two of the members of this Committee also must be members of PMBB. The membership of the Advisory Committee will be approved by the PMBB GSC as well as by the Departmental GSC.

Meetings with SAC. A student is encouraged to maintain contact with his/her SAC (for example by e-mail) throughout the year to keep the SAC updated on the coursework and research progress. In addition, a student must formally meet with his/her SAC in accordance with the rules of the student’s home department or program.

ACE and Thesis Committee. At least two members of the Admission to Candidacy Examination (ACE) Committee and of the Thesis Defense Committee must be members of PMBB. Otherwise, these committees should be formed according to departmental and Graduate School guidelines.

Curriculum for PMBB Specialization

Credit requirements. According to the Graduate School rules that govern Interdisciplinary Specializations, "at least 14 credit hours must be from outside the home graduate program but may include cross-listed courses." A maximum of 23 credits may count towards the specialization. Beyond that maximum, any credits that the student takes from courses listed below will only count towards the student’s home graduate program. Students could complete the required courses as noted below and obtain a total of 16 to 18 credits.

ALL of the following courses are required (10 credits):

  1. Mol Gen 701 Molecular Genetics (3 cr)
  2. Biochem 702 Regulation of Gene Expression (3 cr)
  3. Plant Biol 622 Plant Molecular Biology (4 cr)

TWO of the following are required (6-8 credits):

  1. PCMB 623 (may be cross-listed) Plant Genetics and Genomics (4 cr)
  2. PCMB 625 Plant Metabolic Engineering (3 cr)
  3. Plant Path 703 Agricultural Genomics, Principles and Applications (3 cr)
  4. Biochem 613 - Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (4 cr)

Additional recommended courses. Additional recommended courses are listed below and should be selected in conjunction with the advisor and the Student’s Advisory Committee.

  1. PCMB 630 Plant Physiology 1 (3 cr)
  2. PCMB 631 Plant Physiology 2 (3 cr)
  3. PCMB 643 Plant Anatomy (5 cr)
  4. PCMB 648 Plant Cell Biology (4 cr)
  5. PCMB 735 Plant Biochemistry 1 (3 cr)
  6. PCMB 736 Plant Biochemistry 2 (3 cr)
  7. PCMB 796 Plant Signal Transduction (3 cr)
  8. PCMB 722 Plant Transgenic Systems
  9. Hort Crop Sci 597 Issues in Biotechnology (4 cr)
  10. Hort Crop Sci 621 Crop Physiology and Production 1 (4 cr)
  11. Hort Crop Sci 622 Crop Physiology and Production 2 (4 cr)
  12. Hort Crop Sci 625 Crop Breeding (4 cr)
  13. Hort Crop Sci 825 Advanced Plant Breeding (3 cr)
  14. Hort Crop Sci 887 Techniques of Experimental Design (5 cr)
  15. Biochem 770 Protein Engineering (3 cr)
  16. Biochemistry 706 - Advanced Biological Chemistry Lab (5cr)
  17. Plant Path 841, Molecular Mechanisms of Pathogenicity (4 credits)
  18. Plant Path 843, The Ecology of Plant-Associated Microbes (5 credits)
  19. Plant Path 842 Biochemistry of Plant Responses to Infection (3 cr)
  20. Microbiol 680 Advanced Microbial Genetics (3 cr)
  21. Microbiol 720 Microbial Diversity (4 cr)
  22. Microbiol 760 Advanced Bacterial Physiology (3 cr)

Note - Courses can be taken as "permission from instructor" if OSU prerequisites have been met elsewhere.