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Major Areas of Study: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
As an interdisciplinary program, the molecular biology program at Muskingum University is administered by faculty from the biology and chemistry departments. It is designed to provide students with a wealth of information about biological processes at the genetic and molecular levels through an integration of theory, application, and hands-on experiences in fundamental molecular techniques.
Student Opportunities
Internships
Most Molecular Biology majors apply for NSF-sponsored Research Experiences for Undergraduates, as well as for other research internships at various universities around the country. All of these internships involve original research into a biochemical problem and use molecular biological techniques. Some examples of universities where students have worked in the past couple of years include:
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Baylor University
- Case Western Reserve University
Research
All students who major in molecular biology must complete a capstone research requirement. The projects can be research ideas that the students themselves have proposed, or they can work on a research project proposed by the faculty members in the department. Opportunities also exist for joint research projects that involve other programs such as biology, chemistry, and environmental science.
Some examples of research projects conducted by students within the program in the past two years are the following:
- "Determination of the Relationship Between Gram Negative Bacterial Populations and Macronutrient Concentration of Reclaimed Mining Sites"
- "Genotypic and Phenotypic Analysis of Chryseomonas luteola and Flavimonas oryzihabitans"
- "Micronutrient and Toxicity Determination and Genotypic Fingerprint of Gram Positive Bacteria Population on Reclaimed Strip Mined Soil from Ohio"
Honoraries
A group of students in the Molecular Biology program (along with other interested students) have recently founded the Molecular Biology Club. This group is interested in holding monthly seminars to discuss readings on new developments in Genetic Engineering, bringing speakers to campus, and having field trips to universities to explore research and graduate school opportunities.
Employment
Molecular Biology students have the opportunity to gain valuable experience through working for the stockrooms in the Biology and Chemistry Departments. Some of the duties includes preparation of reagents, setting up lab equipment, and basic maintenance of instrumentation.
Professional Activities
Students periodically accompany faculty to regional and national professional meetings to present their research in the form of posters or papers.
After Graduation
Career Possibilities for Molecular Biology Majors:
- Biotechnology Industry
- Pharmaceutical Industry
- Genetic Counseling
- Forensics Research/Crime Lab work
- Archeology
- Biomedical Research
- Agricultural Research
- Environmental Science Research
- Medicine
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Recent Molecular Biology graduates have enrolled in the following:
Graduate Schools
- Case Western Reserve University
- University of Cincinnati
- University of Wisconsin
- University of California, Los Angeles
- Yale University
Professional Schools (Including Medical, Dental, and Veterinary)
- The Ohio State University
- Ohio University
- West Virginia University
- Case Western Reserve University
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