Curriculum and Certificate Requirements
Because of its very nature, the training program in CBTE involves both faculty and graduate students from eight different degree-granting units within Duke University, as well as faculty from several clinical departments. All CBTE predoctoral trainees are thus subject to the degree requirements of the University and their home department. The CBTE curriculum is geared primarily for engineering graduate students; however, flexibility is built into the curricular requirements to allow the participation of carefully selected students from non-engineering departments.
Curriculum for Certificate in CBTE
Engineering students must take the following:
One laboratory–based class in modern biotechnology
Two semesters credit of Biological Engineering Seminar Series
Four BTE Electives
Two non–engineering biomedical science classes
Non–engineering students must take the following:
One Laboratory–based class in modern biotechnology
Two semesters credit of Biological Engineering Seminar Series
Two BTE Electives
Two non–engineering biomedical science classes
Approved laboratory–based biotechnology classes:
BME220L – Introduction to Biomolecular Engineering
BME258L/CBB258L – Genome Science & Technology Lab
CE239L/BME240L – Environmental Molecular Biotechnology
BTE electives selected from, but are not limited to*, the following:
BME207 – Transport Phenomena in Biological Systems
BME208 – Theoretical & Applied Polymer Science
BME210 – Molecular Membrane Transport
BME215 – Biomedical Materials
BME216 – Transport Phenomena in Cells and Organs
BME230 – Tissue Biomechanics
BME237 – Biosensor & Array Technology
BME239 – Cell Transport Mechanisms
BME247 – Drug Delivery
BME248 – Tissue Engineering
ME209 – Soft Wet Materials and Interfaces
ME211 – Theoretical Applied Polymer Science
BME/CE/ME265 – Advanced Topics (suitably appropriate sections*)
BME/CE/ME399 – Special readings (suitable appropriate topics*)
Non–engineering biomedical science classes selected from, but not limited to*, the following:
BIO118 – Principles of Genetics and Cell Biology I
BIO119 – Principles of Genetics and Cell Biology II
BCH222 – Structure of Biological Macromolecules
BCH227 – Introductory Biochemistry I
BCH228 – Introductory Biochemistry II
BCH291 – Physical Biochemistry
BGT203 – Genome Informatics Seq Analys
BGT206 – Genome Technologies
BGT207 – Computational Macromolecular Structure
BGT210 – Bioinformatics/Genome Tech Sem
BGT212 – Selected Advanced Topics
BGT214S – Biophysics of Cell Signaling
CHM301 – Analytical Chemistry
CHM302 – Spectrochemical Analysis
CHM306 – Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry
CHM311 – Biological Chemistry
CHM312 – Chem/Biol Nucleic Acids
CHM324 – Bioinorganic Chemistry
CBI200 – Cell and Tissue Biology
CBI201 – Microscopic Anatomy
CBI202 – Medical Physiology
CBI203 – Introduction to Physiology
CBI204 – Cell and Molecular Physiology
CBI259 – Molecular Biology I. Proteins and Enzymes
CBI251 – Molecular Cell Biology
CBI268 – Nucleic Acids
CBI417 – Cellular Signaling
IMM244 – Principles of Immunology
IMM252 – General Virology and Viral Oncology
IMM291 – Comprehensive Immunology
IMM300 – Tumor Immunology
IMM330 – Medical Immunology
MBP291 – Advance Biophysical Chemistry
MIC221 – Medical Microbiology
MIC252 – General Virology and Viral Oncology
NBI315 – Molecular Neurobiology
NBI317 – Neuronal Signaling: Ion Channels/Synapse
NBI317b – Neuronal Signaling
UPGEN200 – Genetic Analysis of Human Disease
UPGEN222 – Genetic Analysis of Cellular Function
UPGEN232 – Human Genetics
UPGEN247 – Macromolecular Synthesis
UPGEN278 – Genetic Approaches to the Solution of Biological Problems
UPGEN281 – DNA, Chromosomes and History
UPGEN285 – Ecological Genetics
UPGEN287 – Evolutionary Genetics
UPGEN286 – Evolutionary Mechanisms
UPGEN288 – Mathematical Population Genetics
* subject to approval by CBTE Director.
Internships
All NIH fellows in CBTE are expected to participate in an industrial internship. Upon accepting the fellowship award, and with the help of the CBTE office, it will be the responsibility of the preceptor and the trainee to identify internship possibilities and implement this requirement. Other CBTE students are encouraged to do an industrial internship. Preferably, owing to intellectual property considerations, the student will undertake a three-month full time project at the company. This provides interested students with extensive industrial research experience. These projects would involve direct interactions with the host company and would address research issues of concern to a commercial enterprise. These projects may be undertaken at any time, but would normally be performed after students have completed their course work. Students do not receive additional academic credit, but would be paid directly by the company, plus a supplement for those projects performed out of town*. Alternative internship arrangements besides direct employment are possible and will be considered on a case by case basis.
*"out of town" constitutes relocation outside the Triangle area (i.e. greater than 1 hour commute 1 way (excluding traffic) to the internship location) For example, Winston Salem would be "out of town", Raleigh would not.
Students have performed internships at all sizes and types of biotech firms from small start-ups to big pharmaceutical and medical device corporations. See the "News and Events" link for a list of internships conducted in the past.
International students are strongly encouraged to speak with an International Office representative to discuss practical training options. *
Interdisciplinary Experience
NIH encourages the biotechnology training fellows to have significant interdisciplinary experience-- that is interaction between engineers and non-engineers. NIH fellows should work on projects involving teams of engineering and non-engineering collaborators. It is likely the majority of our trainees will be engineering students with minority participation from cell biology, zoology, or chemistry students. It is therefore proposed that all engineering training fellows work on a project that has substantial contributions from a non-engineering program faculty member. Other CBTE students can choose this experience.
Thesis Committee Composition
At least two CBTE faculty must be on the doctoral dissertation committee of the trainee, one of which must be the committee chair. At least one committee member must be a non-engineer CBTE faculty member.
Additional Requirements
All students seeking a certificate in BTE are required to participate fully in BTE activities, which include the annual meeting with the program director, and regular attendance at BioE seminars, student-run Chalk Talks, the Kewaunee event (i.e. attending the lecture, putting up a poster in the poster session, and attending the awards dinner), and the summer mock study sessions. We are aware that issues come up from time to time that preclude participation; however, we expect students to make participation in BTE activities a priority throughout their tenure as a graduate student at Duke.
Applying for a Certificate in CBTE
All students who are seeking a certificate in BTE must apply to the Graduate School for admission to the certificate program. This involves filling out the application form found under "Student Info," having it signed by the BTE director, and submitting the form to the Graduate School. Please do this well in advance of your prelim date.