The course requirement specific to the Cell and Developmental Biology program is a one-credit CDB seminar or MBS mini course in the second year of the curriculum. 

Students may fulfill remaining credits with courses from the Cell and Developmental Biology program or the broader Molecular Biosciences umbrella.  Students may use their lab rotation credits to fulfill their formal course credit requirement. A list of pre-approved courses and seminars will be provided at the beginning of each academic year (AY).  Any other courses or seminars that are of interest should be approved by the Graduate Program Director. 

Research in Biology is required each semester (16:148:701/702). (24 credits minimum/40 credits suggested)

Core Course Requirements

Title Course Code Credits Semester/Year

Seminar in Cell and Developmental Biology

16:148:598 1 Fall 2025, Fall 2024

Statistics in Biomedical Sciences

16:115:557 3 Fall 2025, Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Fall 2020

Progress Reports of Graduate Students in Molecular Biosciences

16:695:600 0 Spring 2026, Fall 2025, Spring 2025, Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023

Ethical Scientific Conduct Refresher

16:115:558 1 Spring 2026, Spring 2025, Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Spring 2021

Cell and Developmental Biology (148)

Title Course Code Credits Semester/Year

Developmental Biology

16:148:504 3 Spring 2026, Spring 2025, Spring 2024

MBS Mini Courses (695)

First-year MBS Ph.D. students select a total of 6 courses mini courses for the Spring semester (2 courses per block). Block 1 course codes are 621-625; Block 2 course codes are 626-630; Block 3 course codes are 631-636. MBS Ph.D. students in their second year and beyond, or CDB or MMG Master's students, register for the number of courses as needed.

Title Course Code Credits Semester/Year

Modulating Bioelectricity for the Treatment of Disease

16:695:621 B1 1 Spring 2026

Cancer Cell Metabolism

16:695:622 B1 1 Spring 2026

Cellular Reprogramming in the Context of Development and Disease

16:695:623 B1 1 Spring 2026

Theory and Practice of Cryo-EM for Molecular Biosciences

16:695:624 B1 1 Spring 2026

How to Make a Good Egg: A Molecular Perspective

16:695:625 B1 1 Spring 2026

Regeneration - All Cut Up To Be

16:695:626 B2 1 Spring 2026, Spring 2023, Spring 2022

Transformation in Aging Research: From Molecular Insights to Lifespan Interventions

16:695:627 B2 1 Spring 2026

Cancer Epigenetics

16:695:628 B2 1 Spring 2026

The Origins of Molecular Medicine

16:695:629 B2 1 Spring 2026

Targeted Modulation of Cell States

16:695:630 B2 1 Spring 2026

Ubiquitin/Proteasome System in Health and Disease

16:695:631 B3 1 Spring 2026

Integrated Stress Response: A Paradigm for Translational Control

16:695:632 B3 1 Spring 2026, Spring 2023

Chromosome Chaos Unleashed: Exploring Aneuploidy's Role in Cancer and Disease Dynamics

16:695:634 B3 1 Spring 2026, Spring 2024

Genome Origami

16:695:635 B3 1 Spring 2026