Grishin Lab Ph.D. opportunities

Welcome!

All our Ph.D. students are admitted to graduate programs centrally, and applications are reviewed by admission committees. To be a successful candidate, you need to demonstrate solid background in biology and/or computer science/math/physics, dedication to research, and excitement about scientific problems.

The Grishin lab is associated with the Division of Basic Science (DBS), Biomedical Engineering Program (BME) and Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). In DBS, most of our students are from the Molecular Biophysics Program (MB).

• DBS is about scientific discovery. Want to explore the unknown? Uncover new laws of nature? DBS offers about a dozen graduate programs focusing on various aspects of biomedical research. Nick Grishin is the chair of the "Emphasis in Computational and Systems Bioloigy" (C&SB), an inter-program opportunity for students interested in theoretical, computational and quantitative projects.
• BME program is for students interested in engineering problems more than in basic science research. For the Grishin lab this would be software engineering. If you what to design a beautiful and efficient piece of computer code, this program could be for you.
• MSTP students focus on medical training and earn two degrees upon completion: M.D. and Ph.D. If you are considering a career as a physician/scientist, this is your venue.

Application rules vary a bit between programs, so please consult web-sites of individual programs (DBS, BME, MSTP). Although it is important to select the right graduate program, the crucial decision would be about the science you do for your thesis, and the laboratory you choose as your research environment.

For DBS, applications are due yearly by December 15^th, but if this priority deadline is missed, it is still possible to apply before March 1^st. There is no application fee. Generally, each applicant needs to submit college or university transcripts, GRE (and TOEFL for non-native English speakers) scores, a short essay and 3 recommendation letters. Additional specifics are found here. If you have questions about the application process, please get in touch with us.

We train Ph.D. students with various backgrounds, such as biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and computer science. In the collaborative environment of UT Southwestern, non-biology students study the foundations of biomedical sciences, and biology students are given the opportunity to learn the basics of programming and quantitative sciences. All our students receive a stipend. During the first year, graduate students do research project rotations in 3 or 4 labs. By the end of the first year, a lab is chosen to do Ph.D. project in.

In the Grishin Lab, graduate students work on various projects, from the development of algorithms for the analysis of protein sequences and structures, to the application of existing tools to biological problems and gain insights into protein evolution and function. A typical Ph.D. project involves some degree of symbiosis between computer science and biology, and takes from 4 to 5 years to complete. Browse through this site, in particular, check out Research and Publications to learn about our interests and projects. Moreover, if you have a specific project in mind, it is interesting, novel and deals with theoretical aspects of protein science or molecular evolution, you will have a chance to do it!

A link below directs you to the on-line application process. If you have required materials ready, try it out.