mit phd programs biology

Computational and Systems Biology PhD Program

Computational and systems biology.

The field of computational and systems biology represents a synthesis of ideas and approaches from the life sciences, physical sciences, computer science, and engineering. Recent advances in biology, including the human genome project and massively parallel approaches to probing biological samples, have created new opportunities to understand biological problems from a systems perspective. Systems modeling and design are well established in engineering disciplines but are newer in biology. Advances in computational and systems biology require multidisciplinary teams with skill in applying principles and tools from engineering and computer science to solve problems in biology and medicine. To provide education in this emerging field, the Computational and Systems Biology (CSB) program integrates MIT's world-renowned disciplines in biology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science. Graduates of the program are uniquely prepared to make novel discoveries, develop new methods, and establish new paradigms. They are also well-positioned to assume critical leadership roles in both academia and industry, where this field is becoming increasingly important.

Computational and systems biology, as practiced at MIT, is organized around "the 3 Ds" of description, distillation, and design. In many research programs, systematic data collection is used to create detailed molecular- or cellular-level descriptions of a system in one or more defined states. Given the complexity of biological systems and the number of interacting components and parameters, system modeling is often conducted with the aim of distilling the essential or most important subsystems, components, and parameters, and of obtaining simplified models that retain the ability to accurately predict system behavior under a wide range of conditions. Distillation of the system can increase the interpretability of the models in relation to evolutionary and engineering principles such as robustness, modularity, and evolvability. The resulting models may also serve to facilitate rational design of perturbations to test understanding of the system or to change system behavior (e.g., for therapeutic intervention), as well as efforts to design related systems or systems composed of similar biological components.

CSB Faculty and Research

More than 70 faculty members at the Institute participate in MIT's Computational and Systems Biology Initiative (CSBi). These investigators span nearly all departments in the School of Science and the School of Engineering, providing CSB students the opportunity to pursue thesis research in a wide variety of different laboratories. It is also possible for students to arrange collaborative thesis projects with joint supervision by faculty members with different areas of expertise. Areas of active research include computational biology and bioinformatics, gene and protein networks, regulatory genomics, molecular biophysics, instrumentation engineering, cell and tissue engineering, predictive toxicology and metabolic engineering, imaging and image informatics, nanobiology and microsystems, biological design and synthetic biology, neurosystems biology, and cancer biology.

The CSB PhD Program

The CSB PhD program is an Institute-wide program that has been jointly developed by the Departments of Biology, Biological Engineering, and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. The program integrates biology, engineering, and computation to address complex problems in biological systems, and CSB PhD students have the opportunity to work with CSBi faculty from across the Institute. The curriculum has a strong emphasis on foundational material to encourage students to become creators of future tools and technologies, rather than merely practitioners of current approaches. Applicants must have an undergraduate degree in biology (or a related field), bioinformatics, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, statistics, physics, or an engineering discipline, with dual-emphasis degrees encouraged.

CSB Graduate Education

All students pursue a core curriculum that includes classes in biology and computational biology, along with a class in computational and systems biology based on the scientific literature. Advanced electives in science and engineering enhance both the breadth and depth of each student's education. During their first year, in addition to coursework, students carry out rotations in multiple research groups to gain a broader exposure to work at the frontier of this field, and to identify a suitable laboratory in which to conduct thesis research. CSB students also serve as teaching assistants during one semester in the second year to further develop their teaching and communication skills and facilitate their interactions across disciplines. Students also participate in training in the responsible conduct of research to prepare them for the complexities and demands of modern scientific research. The total length of the program, including classwork, qualifying examinations, thesis research, and preparation of the thesis is roughly five years.

The CSB curriculum has two components. The first is a core that provides foundational knowledge of both biology and computational biology. The second is a customized program of electives that is selected by each student in consultation with members of the CSB graduate committee. The goal is to allow students broad latitude in defining their individual area of interest, while at the same time providing oversight and guidance to ensure that training is rigorous and thorough.

Core Curriculum

The core curriculum consists of three classroom subjects plus a set of three research rotations in different research groups. The classroom subjects fall into three areas described below.

Modern Biology (One Subject): A term of modern biology at MIT strengthens the biology base of all students in the program. Subjects in biochemistry, genetics, cell biology, molecular biology, or neurobiology fulfill this requirement. The particular course taken by each student will depend on their background and will be determined in consultation with graduate committee members.

Computational Biology (One Subject): A term of computational biology provides students with a background in the application of computation to biology, including analysis and modeling of sequence, structural, and systems data. This requirement can be fulfilled by 7.91[J] / 20.490[J] Foundations of Computational and Systems Biology.

Topics in Computational and Systems Biology (One Subject): All first-year students in the program participate in / 7.89[J] Topics in Computational and Systems Biology, an exploration of problems and approaches in the field of computational and systems biology through in-depth discussion and critical analysis of selected primary research papers. This subject is restricted to first-year PhD students in CSB or related fields in order to build a strong community among the class. It is the only subject in the program with such a limitation.

Research Group Rotations (Three Rotations): To assist students with lab selection and provide a range of research activities in computational and systems biology, students participate in three research rotations of one to two months' duration during their first year. Students are encouraged to gain experience in experimental and computational approaches taken across different disciplines at MIT.

Advanced Electives

The requirement of four advanced electives is designed to develop both breadth and depth. The electives add to the base of the diversified core and contribute strength in areas related to student interest and research direction. To develop depth, two of the four advanced electives must be in the same research area or department. To develop breadth, at least one of the electives must be in engineering and at least one in science. Each student designs a program of advanced electives that satisfies the distribution and area requirements in close consultation with members of the graduate committee.

Additional Subjects: As is typical for students in other doctoral programs at MIT, CSB PhD students may take classes beyond the required diversified core and advanced electives described above. These additional subjects can be used to add breadth or depth to the proposed curriculum, and might be useful to explore advanced topics relevant to the student's thesis research in later years. The CSB Graduate Committee works with each graduate student to develop a path through the curriculum appropriate for his or her background and research interests.

Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research: Throughout the program, students will be expected to attend workshops and other activities that provide training in the ethical conduct of research. This is particularly important in interdisciplinary fields such as computational and systems biology, where different disciplines often have very different philosophies and conventions. By the end of the fourth year, students will have had about 16 hours of training in the responsible conduct of research.

Qualifying Exams: In addition to coursework and a research thesis, each student must pass a written and an oral qualifying examination at the end of the second year or the beginning of the third year. The written examination involves preparing a research proposal based on the student's thesis research, and presenting the proposal to the examination committee. This process provides a strong foundation for the thesis research, incorporating new research ideas and refinement of the scope of the research project. The oral examination is based on the coursework taken and on related published literature. The qualifying exams are designed to develop and demonstrate depth in a selected area (the area of the thesis research) as well as breadth of knowledge across the field of computational and systems biology.

Thesis Research: Research will be performed under the supervision of a CSBi faculty member, culminating in the submission of a written thesis and its oral defense before the community and thesis defense committee. By the second year, a student will have formed a thesis advisory committee that they will meet with on an annual basis.

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Department of Biology

The Department of Biology offers undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral training in basic biology and in a variety of biological fields of specialization. The quantitative aspects of biology—including molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, and cell biology—represent the core of the program. Students in the department are encouraged to acquire a solid background in the physical sciences not only to master the applications of mathematics, physics, and chemistry to biology but also to develop an integrated scientific perspective. The various programs, which emphasize practical experimentation, combine a minimum of formal laboratory exercises with ample opportunities for research work both in project-oriented laboratory subjects and in the department's research laboratories. Students at all levels are encouraged to acquire familiarity with advanced research techniques and to participate in seminar activities.

Bachelor of Science in Biology (Course 7)

Bachelor of science in chemistry and biology (course 5-7), bachelor of science in computer science and molecular biology (course 6-7), minor in biology, undergraduate study.

The curriculum leading to the Bachelor of Science in Biology is designed to prepare students for a professional career in the area of the biological sciences. Graduates of this program are well prepared for positions in industrial or research institutes. However, experience has shown that many graduates choose to continue their education at a graduate school in order to obtain a PhD in an area such as biochemistry, microbiology, genetics, biophysics, cell biology, or physiology, followed by research or teaching in one of those areas. The undergraduate curriculum is also excellent preparation for students who wish to continue their education toward an MD, particularly if their career plans include laboratory investigations bearing on human disease.  Students are encouraged to use their elective subjects for more advanced subjects in their field and for additional study in basic and advanced subjects offered in various departments.

The Departments of Biology and Chemistry jointly offer a  Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Biology . A detailed description of the requirements for this degree program can be found in the section on Interdisciplinary Programs.

The Department of Biology jointly offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Molecular Biology with the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Requirements for this degree program can be found in the section on Interdisciplinary Programs.

The department offers a Minor in Biology; the requirements are as follows:

For a general description of the minor program , see Undergraduate Education.

Additional information regarding undergraduate academic programs and research opportunities may be obtained from the Biology Education Office , Room 68-120, 617-253-4718.

Doctor of Philosophy

Master of engineering in computer science and molecular biology (course 6-7p), graduate study.

The Department of Biology offers graduate work leading to the Doctor of Philosophy. Students may choose from among the following fields of specialization.

Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology focus on improving our understanding of molecular processes central to life. Using in vitro approaches, biochemists and biophysicists analyze the mechanisms of biological information transfer, from maintenance and replication of the genome to protein synthesis, sorting, and processing. Structural biologists elucidate the molecular shapes of biological macromolecules and complexes and determine how structure enables function. Applying principles and tools from chemistry and physics, biochemists and biophysicists elaborate the details of protein and nucleic acid folding and interactions, biomolecular dynamics, catalysis, and macromolecular assembly.

Cancer Biology involves the discovery of genes implicated in cancer, the identification of cell biological processes affected during tumorigenesis, and the development of potential new therapeutic targets. Cancer biologists employ genetic approaches, including classical genetics, to determine the components of growth control pathways in model organisms, cloning of human oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, and generating mutant mouse strains to study these and other cancer-associated genes. They also perform biochemical and cell biological studies to elucidate the function of cancer genes, the details of proliferation, cell cycle and cell death pathways, the nature of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, and the mechanisms of chromosome stability and of DNA repair, replication, and transcription.

Cell Biology is the study of processes carried out by individual cells, such as cell division, organelle inheritance and biogenesis, signal transduction, and motility. These processes are often affected by components in the environment, including nutrients, growth signals, and cell-cell contact. Cell biologists study these processes using single-celled organisms, such as bacteria and yeast; multicellular organisms, such as zebrafish and mice; established mammalian tissue culture lines; and primary cell cultures derived from recombinant animals.

Computational Biology applies quantitative methods to the study of molecular, cellular, and organismal biology. Computational biologists develop and apply models, analyze data, and run simulations to study nucleic acid and protein sequences, biomolecular structures and functions, cellular information processing, tissue morphogenesis, and emergent behaviors.

Genetics is the study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity in living organisms that range in complexity from viruses to single-celled organisms to multicellular organisms, including humans. Geneticists seek to understand the transmission of genes by analyzing DNA replication, DNA repair, chromosome segregation, and cell division. They also use genetic and genomic tools to identify and analyze the genes and gene regulators required for normal biological processes, including development, sex determination, and aging, as well as for the etiology of disease.

Human Disease applies molecular genetics to the problems of human disease. The range of disease areas includes developmental defects, cancer, atherosclerosis and heart disease, neuromuscular diseases, and diseases of other organ systems. Researchers use genetic and genomic strategies to identify, isolate, and characterize genes that cause and contribute to the etiology of human diseases. They explore the mechanisms underlying developmental defects and diseases through the comparison of the genetic pathways in humans and model organisms. They also isolate cells from affected patients to generate novel assay systems to examine gene-function-pathology relationships.

Immunology focuses on the genetic, cellular, and molecular mechanisms by which organisms respond to and eliminate infections by a large number of pathogens. The immune response requires an elaborate collaboration of different cells of the immune system, including macrophages, B lymphocytes, and T lymphocytes. Immunologists study the role of the immune system not just in response to infection but also in a range of human diseases, including cancer.

Microbiology is the study of microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, archaea, fungi, and protozoa. Exploiting sophisticated genetic, molecular biological, and biochemical systems available for microorganisms, microbiologists obtain high-resolution insights into the fundamental processes necessary for life and explore ways to manipulate microorganisms to achieve particular desired ends. They also determine how aspects of the microbial life cycle and lifestyle enable their survival within particular biological niches and facilitate interactions with their environment.

Neurobiology seeks to understand how the remarkable diversity in neuronal cell types and their connections are established and how changes in them underlie learning and thinking. Neurobiologists identify and characterize the molecules involved in specifying neuronal cell fate in vertebrates and invertebrates, and in guiding axons to their correct targets.

Stem Cell and Developmental Biology explores how a germ line stem cell develops into a multicellular organism, which requires that cells divide, differentiate, and assume their proper positions relative to one another as they produce organ systems and entire organisms. Stem cells are unusual cells in the body that retain the capacity to both self-renew and differentiate. Stem cell researchers identify the molecular mechanisms underlying stem cell renewal and differentiation, and use stem cells for disease modeling and regenerative medicine. 

Admission Requirements for Graduate Study

In the Department of Biology, the Master of Science is not a prerequisite for a program of study leading to the doctorate.

The department modifies the General Institute Requirements for admission to graduate study as follows: 18.01 Calculus , 18.02 Calculus ; one year of college physics; 5.12 Organic Chemistry I ; and professional subjects including general biochemistry, genetics, and physical chemistry. However, students may make up some deficiencies over the course of their graduate work.

The General Degree Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy are listed under Graduate Education. In the departmental program, each graduate student is expected to acquire solid foundations sufficient for approaching biological questions using the methods of biochemistry, genetics, and quantitative analysis. Most students take subjects in these areas during the first year. All students are required to take three subjects:

7.50 is a seminar designed specifically to introduce graduate students to in-depth discussion and analysis of topics in molecular biology.

Students have a choice of several elective subjects, which have been designed for the entering graduate student. One of the elective subjects must focus on computational and quantitative approaches to biology. Typically, students choose one of the following subjects:

In addition to providing a strong formal background in biology, the first-year program serves to familiarize the students with faculty and students in all parts of the department.

Interdisciplinary Programs

Joint program with the woods hole oceanographic institution.

The Joint Program with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)  is intended for students whose primary career objective is oceanography or oceanographic engineering. Students divide their academic and research efforts between the campuses of MIT and WHOI. Joint Program students are assigned an MIT faculty member as academic advisor; thesis research may be supervised by MIT or WHOI faculty. While in residence at MIT, students follow a program similar to that of other students in their home department. The program is described in more detail under Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs.

The Departments of Biology and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science jointly offer a Master of Engineering in Computer Science and Molecular Biology (6-7P) . A detailed description of the program requirements may be found under the section on Interdisciplinary Programs.

Financial Support

Students who are accepted into the graduate program are provided with support from departmental training grants, departmental funds for teaching assistants, and research grants. In addition, some students bring National Science Foundation and other competitive fellowships. Through these sources, full tuition plus a stipend for living expenses are provided.

Students are encouraged to apply for outside fellowships for which they are eligible, such as the NSF Fellowships. Information regarding graduate student fellowships is available at most colleges from the career planning office.

Additional information regarding graduate academic programs, research activities, admissions, financial aid, and assistantships may be obtained from the Biology Education Office , Room 68-120, 617-253-3717.

Faculty and Teaching Staff

Amy E. Keating, PhD

Jay A. Stein (1968) Professor

Professor of Biology

Professor of Biological Engineering

Head, Department of Biology

Iain Cheeseman, PhD

Associate Head, Department of Biology

Tania Baker, PhD

E.C. Whitehead Professor

David Bartel, PhD

Facundo Batista, PhD

Phillip and Susan Ragon Professor

Stephen P. Bell, PhD

Uncas (1923) and Helen Whitaker Professor

Laurie Boyer, PhD

Christopher B. Burge, PhD

Jianzhu Chen, PhD

(On leave, fall)

Sallie W. Chisholm, PhD

Institute Professor

Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Catherine L. Drennan, PhD

John and Dorothy Wilson Professor

Professor of Chemistry

Gerald R. Fink, PhD

Professor Post-Tenure of Biology

Mary Gehring, PhD

Alan D. Grossman, PhD

Praecis Professor

Leonard Pershing Guarente, PhD

Novartis Professor of Biology

Michael Hemann, PhD

H. Robert Horvitz, PhD

David H. Koch Professor

David E. Housman, PhD

Virginia and Daniel K. Ludwig Professor for Cancer Research

Richard O. Hynes, PhD

Daniel K. Ludwig Professor for Cancer Research

Barbara Imperiali, PhD

Class of 1922 Professor

Tyler E. Jacks, PhD

Rudolf Jaenisch, MD

Chris Kaiser, PhD

Amgen Professor

Sally Kornbluth, PhD

Monty Krieger, PhD

Whitehead Professor

Eric S. Lander, PhD

Michael T. Laub, PhD

Douglas A. Lauffenburger, PhD

Ford Foundation Professor

Professor of Chemical Engineering

Jacqueline Lees, PhD

Ruth E. Lehmann, PhD

Daniel Lew, PhD

J. Troy Littleton, MD, PhD

Menicon Professor in Neuroscience

Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences

Harvey F. Lodish, PhD

Adam C. Martin, PhD

Elly Nedivi, PhD

William R. (1964) and Linda R. Young Professorship

Professor of Neuroscience

David C. Page, MD

Member, Health Sciences and Technology Faculty

Peter Reddien, PhD

Robert T. Sauer, PhD

Salvador E. Luria Professor

Thomas Schwartz, PhD

Boris Magasanik Professor in Biology

Anthony J. Sinskey, ScD

Susumu Tonegawa, PhD

Picower Professor

Matthew G. Vander Heiden, MD, PhD

Lester Wolfe Professor of Molecular Biology

Graham C. Walker, PhD

Robert A. Weinberg, PhD

Jonathan Weissman, PhD

Matthew A. Wilson, PhD

Sherman Fairchild Professor

Michael B. Yaffe, MD, PhD

David H. Koch Professor in Science

Yukiko Yamashita, PhD

Richard A. Young, PhD

Associate Professors

Eliezer Calo, PhD

Associate Professor of Biology

Joseph Davis, PhD

Rebecca Lamason, PhD

Gene-Wei Li, PhD

Sebastian Lourido, PhD

Stefani Spranger, PhD

Omer Yilmaz, PhD

Assistant Professors

Lindsay Case, PhD

Irwin and Helen Sizer Career Development Professor

Assistant Professor of Biology

Yiyin Erin Chen, MD, PhD

Olivia Corradin, PhD

Class of 1922 Career Development Professor

Sinisa Hrvatin, PhD

Thomas D. and Virginia W. Cabot Career Development Professor

Ankur Jain, PhD

Kristin Knouse, PhD

Whitehead Career Development Professor

Pulin Li, PhD

Hernandez Moura Silva, PhD

Sara Prescott, PhD

Alison Ringel, PhD

Francisco J. Sánchez-Rivera, PhD

Yadira Soto-Feliciano, PhD

Howard S. (1953) and Linda B. Stern Career Development Professor

Seychelle Vos, PhD

Robert A. Swanson (1969) Career Development Professor of Life Sciences

Brandon Weissbourd, PhD

Harikesh Wong, PhD

Professors of the Practice

Bruce Walker, MD

Professor of the Practice of Biology

Mandana Sassanfar, PhD

Lecturer in Biology

Vivian Siegel, PhD

Mary Ellen Wiltrout, PhD

Instructors

Monika Avello, PhD

Instructor of Biology

Darcy Gordon, PhD

Tyler Smith, PhD

Technical Instructors

Vanessa J. Cheung, PhD

Senior Technical Instructor of Biology

Wai Keung Chu, PhD

Technical Instructor of Biology

Anthony Fuccione, BS

Research Staff

Research scientists.

Mary Anderson, PhD

Research Scientist of Biology

Vincent Butty, MD, PhD

Huiming Ding, PhD

Brian Grone, PhD

Charley Gruber, PhD

Stuart S. Levine, PhD

Daniel Cham-Chin Lim, PhD

Jennifer Podgorski, PhD

Janet L. Smith, PhD

Sarah Sterling, PhD

Alexei Stortchevoi, PhD

Mohan Viswanathan, PhD

Professors Emeriti

David Baltimore, PhD

Professor Emeritus of Biology

Martha Constantine-Paton, PhD

Professor Emerita of Neuroscience

Professor Emerita of Biology

Malcolm L. Gefter, PhD

Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry

Frank Gertler, PhD

Nancy Haven Hopkins, PhD

Amgen Professor Emerita

Jonathan Alan King, PhD

Professor Emeritus of Molecular Biology

Terry L. Orr-Weaver, PhD

Mary-Lou Pardue, PhD

Boris Magasanik Professor Emerita

William G. Quinn, PhD

Professor Emeritus of Neurobiology

Uttam L. RajBhandary, PhD

Lester Wolfe Professor Emeritus of Molecular Biology

Phillips W. Robbins, PhD

Leona D. Samson, PhD

Uncas (1923) and Helen Whitaker Professor Emerita

Professor Emerita of Biological Engineering

Paul R. Schimmel, PhD

John D. MacArthur Professor Emeritus

Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and Biophysics

Phillip A. Sharp, PhD

Institute Professor Emeritus

Ethan R. Signer, PhD

Hazel L. Sive, PhD

Frank Solomon, PhD

Lisa A. Steiner, MD

Professor Emerita of Immunology

JoAnne Stubbe, PhD

Novartis Professor Emerita

Professor Emerita of Chemistry

Undergraduate Subjects

Introductory biology.

All five subjects cover the same core material, comprising about 50% of the course, while the remaining material is specialized for each version as described below. Core material includes fundamental principles of biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, and cell biology. These topics address structure and regulation of genes, structure and synthesis of proteins, how these molecules are integrated into cells and how cells communicate with one another.

7.012 Introductory Biology

Prereq: None U (Fall) 5-0-7 units. BIOLOGY Credit cannot also be received for 7.013 , 7.014 , 7.015 , 7.016 , ES.7012 , ES.7013

Exploration into biochemistry and structural biology, molecular and cell biology, genetics and immunology, and viruses and bacteria. Special topics can include cancer biology, aging, and the human microbiome project. Enrollment limited to seating capacity of classroom. Admittance may be controlled by lottery.

C. Drennan, L. Guarente

7.013 Introductory Biology

Prereq: None Acad Year 2023-2024: Not offered Acad Year 2024-2025: U (Spring) 5-0-7 units. BIOLOGY Credit cannot also be received for 7.012 , 7.014 , 7.015 , 7.016 , ES.7012 , ES.7013

Genomic approaches to human biology, including neuroscience, development, immunology, tissue repair and stem cells, tissue engineering, and infectious and inherited diseases, including cancer. Enrollment limited to seating capacity of classroom. Admittance may be controlled by lottery.

7.014 Introductory Biology

U (Spring) 5-0-7 units. BIOLOGY Credit cannot also be received for 7.012 , 7.013 , 7.015 , 7.016 , ES.7012 , ES.7013

Studies the fundamental principles of biology and their application towards understanding the Earth as a dynamic system shaped by life. Focuses on environmental life science with an emphasis on biogeochemistry, population genetics, population and community ecology, evolution, and the impact of climate change. Enrollment limited to seating capacity of classroom. Admittance may be controlled by lottery.

G. C. Walker, D. Des Marais

7.015 Introductory Biology

Prereq: None U (Fall) 5-0-7 units. BIOLOGY Credit cannot also be received for 7.012 , 7.013 , 7.014 , 7.016 , ES.7012 , ES.7013

Emphasizes the application of fundamental biological principles to modern, trending topics in biology. Specific modules focus on antibiotic resistance, biotechnology (e.g., genetically-modified organisms and CRISPR-based genome editing), personal genetics and genomics, viruses and vaccines, ancient DNA, and the metabolism of drugs. Includes discussion of the social and ethical issues surrounding modern biology. Limited to 60; admittance may be controlled by lottery.

M. Laub, S. Vos

7.016 Introductory Biology

Prereq: None U (Spring) 5-0-7 units. BIOLOGY Credit cannot also be received for 7.012 , 7.013 , 7.014 , 7.015 , ES.7012 , ES.7013

Introduction to fundamental principles of biochemistry, molecular biology and genetics for understanding the functions of living systems. Covers examples of the use of chemical biology, the use of genetics in biological discovery, principles of cellular organization and communication, immunology, cancer, and engineering biological systems. In addition, includes 21st-century molecular genetics in understanding human health and therapeutic intervention. Enrollment limited to seating capacity of classroom. Admittance may be controlled by lottery.

S. Hrvatin, A. Martin

7.00 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 and the Pandemic

Prereq: None Acad Year 2023-2024: Not offered Acad Year 2024-2025: U (Fall) 1-0-1 units

Lectures by leading experts on the fundamentals of COVID-19 epidemiology, coronavirus and host cell biology, immunity, vaccine development, clinical disease and therapy. Subject can count toward the 6-unit discovery-focused credit limit for first year students.

R. Young, F. Batista

7.002 Fundamentals of Experimental Molecular Biology

Prereq: None U (Fall, Spring) 1-4-1 units. Partial Lab

Introduces the experimental concepts and methods of molecular biology. Covers basic principles of experimental design and data analysis, with an emphasis on the acquisition of practical laboratory experience. Satisfies 6 units of Institute Laboratory credit. Satisfies biology laboratory credit for pre-health professions. Enrollment limited.

T. Baker, T. Schwartz

7.003[J] Applied Molecular Biology Laboratory

Same subject as 10.7003[J] Prereq: 7.002 U (Fall, Spring) 2-7-3 units. Partial Lab

Laboratory-based exploration of modern experimental molecular biology. Specific experimental system studied may vary from term to term, depending on instructor. Emphasizes concepts of experimental design, data analysis and communication in biology and how these concepts are applied in the biotechnology industry. Satisfies 6 units of Institute Laboratory credit. Enrollment limited; admittance may be controlled by lottery.

Fall: E. Calo, H Sikes. Spring: L. Case, H. Sikes

7.03 Genetics

Prereq: Biology (GIR) U (Fall, Spring) 4-0-8 units. REST

The principles of genetics with application to the study of biological function at the level of molecules, cells, and multicellular organisms, including humans. Structure and function of genes, chromosomes, and genomes. Biological variation resulting from recombination, mutation, and selection. Population genetics. Use of genetic methods to analyze protein function, gene regulation, and inherited disease.

Fall: M. Gehring, P. Reddien. Spring: O. Corradin, F. Sánchez-Rivera

7.05 General Biochemistry

Prereq: ( Biology (GIR) and 5.12 ) or permission of instructor U (Spring) 5-0-7 units. REST Credit cannot also be received for 5.07[J] , 20.507[J]

Contributions of biochemistry toward an understanding of the structure and functioning of organisms, tissues, and cells. Chemistry and functions of constituents of cells and tissues and the chemical and physical-chemical basis for the structures of nucleic acids, proteins, and carbohydrates. Basic enzymology and biochemical reaction mechanisms involved in macromolecular synthesis and degradation, signaling, transport, and movement. General metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and nitrogen-containing materials such as amino acids, proteins, and related compounds.

A. Ringel, M. Vander Heiden, M. Yaffe

7.06 Cell Biology

Prereq: 7.03 and 7.05 U (Fall, Spring) 4-0-8 units

Presents the biology of cells of higher organisms. Studies the structure, function, and biosynthesis of cellular membranes and organelles; cell growth and oncogenic transformation; transport, receptors, and cell signaling; the cytoskeleton, the extracellular matrix, and cell movements; cell division and cell cycle; functions of specialized cell types. Emphasizes the current molecular knowledge of cell biological processes as well as the genetic, biochemical, and other experimental approaches that resulted in these discoveries.

Fall:  S. Lourido; Spring: K. Knouse, R. Lamason

7.08[J] Fundamentals of Chemical Biology

Same subject as 5.08[J] Subject meets with 7.80 Prereq: ( Biology (GIR) , 5.13 , and ( 5.07[J] or 7.05 )) or permission of instructor U (Spring) 4-0-8 units

See description under subject 5.08[J] .

B. Imperiali, R. Raines

7.093 Modern Biostatistics

Subject meets with 7.573 Prereq: 7.03 and 7.05 U (Spring; first half of term) 2-0-4 units

Provides a practical introduction to probability and statistics used in modern biology. Topics covered include discrete and continuous probability distributions, statistical modeling, hypothesis testing, independence, conditional probability, multiple test corrections, nonparametric methods, clustering, correlation, linear regression, principal components analysis with applications to high-throughput DNA sequencing, and image data analysis. Homework is in the R programming language, but prior programming experience is not required. Students taking the graduate version are expected to explore the subject in greater depth.

A. Jain, H. Wong

7.094 Modern Computational Biology

Subject meets with 7.574 Prereq: 7.03 and 7.05 U (Spring; second half of term) 2-0-4 units

Introduces modern methods in computational biology, focusing on DNA/RNA/protein analysis. Topics include next-generation DNA sequencing and sequencing data analysis, RNA-seq (bulk and single-cell), and protein dynamics. Students taking the graduate version are expected to explore the subject in greater depth.

 A. Jain, H. Wong

7.102 Introduction to Molecular Biology Techniques

Prereq: None U (IAP) 0-5-1 units. Partial Lab

Designed primarily for first-year students with little or no lab experience. Introduces basic methods of experimental molecular biology. Specific experiments vary from year-to-year, but will focus on the identification and characterization of bacteria and bacteriophages from the wild using an array of basic methods in molecular biology and microbiology. Biology GIR or Chemistry GIR recommended. Satisfies 6 units of Institute Laboratory credit. Limited to 16; admittance may be controlled by lottery.

7.11 Biology Teaching

Prereq: None U (Fall, Spring) Units arranged Can be repeated for credit.

For qualified undergraduate students interested in gaining some experience in teaching. Laboratory, tutorial, or classroom teaching under the supervision of a faculty member. Students selected by interview.

Consult Staff

7.19 Communication in Experimental Biology

Prereq: ( 7.06 and ( 5.362 , 7.003[J] , or 20.109 )) or permission of instructor U (Fall, Spring) 4-4-4 units

Students carry out independent literature research. Journal club discussions are used to help students evaluate and write scientific papers. Instruction and practice in written and oral communication is provided. 

Fall: F. Batista, D. Housman. Spring: C. Kaiser

7.20[J] Human Physiology

Same subject as HST.540[J] Prereq: 7.05 U (Fall) 5-0-7 units

Comprehensive exploration of human physiology, emphasizing the molecular basis and applied aspects of organ function and regulation in health and disease. Includes a review of cell structure and function, as well as the mechanisms by which the endocrine and nervous systems integrate cellular metabolism. Special emphasis on examining the cardiovascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, and renal systems, as well as liver function, drug metabolism, and pharmacogenetics.

M. Krieger, O. Yilmaz

7.21 Microbial Physiology

Subject meets with 7.62 Prereq: 7.03 and 7.05 U (Fall) 4-0-8 units

Biochemical properties of bacteria and other microorganisms that enable them to grow under a variety of conditions. Interaction between bacteria and bacteriophages. Genetic and metabolic regulation of enzyme action and enzyme formation. Structure and function of components of the bacterial cell envelope. Protein secretion with a special emphasis on its various roles in pathogenesis. Additional topics include bioenergetics, symbiosis, quorum sensing, global responses to DNA damage, and biofilms. Students taking the graduate version are expected to explore the subject in greater depth.

G. C. Walker, A. J. Sinskey

7.23[J] Immunology

Same subject as 20.230[J] Subject meets with 7.63[J] , 20.630[J] Prereq: 7.06 U (Spring) 5-0-7 units

Comprehensive survey of molecular, genetic, and cellular aspects of the immune system. Topics include innate and adaptive immunity; cells and organs of the immune system; hematopoiesis; immunoglobulin, T cell receptor, and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins and genes; development and functions of B and T lymphocytes; immune responses to infections and tumors; hypersensitivity, autoimmunity, and immunodeficiencies. Particular attention to the development and function of the immune system as a whole, as studied by modern methods and techniques. Students taking graduate version explore the subject in greater depth, including study of recent primary literature.

S. Spranger, M. Birnbaum

7.24 Advanced Concepts in Immunology

Subject meets with 7.84 Prereq: 7.23[J] U (Spring) 3-0-9 units

Provides a comprehensive and intensified understanding of the relevance of the immune system beyond immunity. Focuses on how the immune system intersects with all aspects of body homeostasis/physiology or disease and how the immune system can be manipulated therapeutically. New advances in the intersection of immunology with cancer biology, neurosciences, metabolism, aging, and maternal-fetal immunology or similar explored. Presents new modern methods and techniques applicable beyond immunology. Includes critical analysis and discussion of assigned readings. Students apply principles learned in class to generate a potential research project, presented in a written form. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments.

H. Moura Silva, S. Spranger

7.26 Molecular Basis of Infectious Disease

Subject meets with 7.66 Prereq: 7.06 U (Spring) 4-0-8 units

Focuses on the principles of host-pathogen interactions with an emphasis on infectious diseases of humans. Presents key concepts of pathogenesis through the study of various human pathogens. Includes critical analysis and discussion of assigned readings. Students taking the graduate version are expected to explore the subject in greater depth.

E. Chen, R. Lamason

7.27 Principles of Human Disease and Aging

Prereq: 7.06 U (Spring) 4-0-8 units

Covers modern approaches to human diseases and aging, emphasizing the molecular and cellular basis of genetic diseases, infectious diseases, aging, and cancer. Topics include the genetics of simple and complex traits; karyotypic analysis and positional cloning; genetic diagnosis; evolutionary determination of aging, genetic and molecular aspects of aging, HIV/AIDs and other infectious diseases; the roles of oncogenes and tumor suppressors; the interaction between genetics and environment; animal models of human disease, cancer, and aging; and treatment strategies for diseases and aging. Includes a paper describing novel treatment options for a specific disease chosen by each student.

D. Housman, Y. Soto-Feliciano

7.28 Molecular Biology

Subject meets with 7.58 Prereq: 7.03 ; Coreq: 7.05 U (Spring) 5-0-7 units

Detailed analysis of the biochemical mechanisms that control the maintenance, expression, and evolution of prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes. Topics covered in lecture and readings of relevant literature include: gene regulation, DNA replication, genetic recombination, and mRNA translation. Logic of experimental design and data analysis emphasized. Presentations include both lectures and group discussions of representative papers from the literature. Students taking the graduate version are expected to explore the subject in greater depth.

S. Bell, E. Calo, Y. Soto-Feliciano

7.29[J] Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology

Same subject as 9.09[J] Prereq: 7.05 or 9.01 U (Spring) 4-0-8 units

Introduction to the structure and function of the nervous system. Emphasizes the cellular properties of neurons and other excitable cells. Includes the structure and biophysical properties of excitable cells, synaptic transmission, neurochemistry, neurodevelopment, integration of information in simple systems, and detection and information coding during sensory transduction.

T. Littleton, S. Prescott

7.30[J] Fundamentals of Ecology

Same subject as 1.018[J] , 12.031[J] Prereq: None U (Fall) 4-0-8 units. REST

See description under subject 1.018[J] .

M. Follows, D. Des Marais

7.31 Current Topics in Mammalian Biology: Medical Implications

Prereq: 7.06 or permission of instructor Acad Year 2023-2024: Not offered Acad Year 2024-2025: U (Fall) 4-0-8 units

Covers recent advances in mammalian cell and developmental biology with particular emphasis on approaches that utilize mouse genetics. Combines formal lectures on selected topics with readings of original papers which are discussed in class. Major emphasis on the implications of mechanisms of human genetic diseases. Topics include early mammalian development; genomic imprinting; X inactivation; embryonic stem cells; nuclear reprogramming of somatic cells; cell migration; nervous system development; and central nervous system degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease. Limited to 20.

F. Gertler, R. Jaenisch

7.32 Systems Biology

Subject meets with 7.81[J] , 8.591[J] Prereq: ( 18.03 and 18.05 ) or permission of instructor U (Fall) 3-0-9 units

Introduction to cellular and population-level systems biology with an emphasis on synthetic biology, modeling of genetic networks, cell-cell interactions, and evolutionary dynamics. Cellular systems include genetic switches and oscillators, network motifs, genetic network evolution, and cellular decision-making. Population-level systems include models of pattern formation, cell-cell communications, and evolutionary systems biology. Students taking graduate version explore the subject in more depth.

7.33[J] Evolutionary Biology: Concepts, Models and Computation

Same subject as 6.4710[J] Prereq: ( 6.100A and 7.03 ) or permission of instructor U (Spring) 3-0-9 units

Explores and illustrates how evolution explains biology, with an emphasis on computational model building for analyzing evolutionary data. Covers key concepts of biological evolution, including adaptive evolution, neutral evolution, evolution of sex, genomic conflict, speciation, phylogeny and comparative methods, life's history, coevolution, human evolution, and evolution of disease.

R. Berwick, D. Bartel

7.340-7.344 Advanced Undergraduate Seminar

Prereq: 7.06 or 7.28 U (Fall, Spring) 2-0-4 units Can be repeated for credit.

Seminars covering topics of current interest in biology with a focus on how to understand experimental methods and design and how to critically read the primary research literature. Small class size facilitates discussions and interactions with an active research scientist. Students visit research laboratories to see firsthand how biological research is conducted. Contact Biology Education Office for topics.

H. R. Horvitz

7.345-7.349 Advanced Undergraduate Seminar

7.35 human genetics and genomics.

Subject meets with 7.75 Prereq: 7.06 , ( 7.03 and 7.05 ), or permission of instructor U (Spring) 3-0-9 units

Upper-level seminar offering in-depth analysis and engaged discussion of primary literature on the dimensions and phenotypic consequences of variation in human genes, chromosomes, and genomes. Topics include the human genome project; pedigree analysis; mutation and selection; linkage and association studies; medical genetics and disease; sex chromosomes and sex differences; the biology of the germ line; epigenetics, imprinting, and transgenerational inheritance; human origins; and evolutionary and population genetics. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. Limited to 20 total for versions meeting together.

7.37[J] Molecular and Engineering Aspects of Biotechnology

Same subject as 10.441[J] , 20.361[J] Prereq: ( 7.06 and ( 2.005 , 3.012, 5.60 , or 20.110[J] )) or permission of instructor Acad Year 2023-2024: Not offered Acad Year 2024-2025: U (Spring) 4-0-8 units Credit cannot also be received for 7.371

Covers biological and bioengineering principles underlying the development and therapeutic use of recombinant proteins and stem cells; glycoengineering of recombinant proteins; normal and pathological signaling by growth factors and their receptors; receptor trafficking; monoclonal antibodies as therapeutics; protein pharmacology and delivery; stem cell-derived tissues as therapeutics; RNA therapeutics; combinatorial protein engineering; and new antitumor drugs.

7.371 Biological and Engineering Principles Underlying Novel Biotherapeutics

Prereq: 7.06 Acad Year 2023-2024: Not offered Acad Year 2024-2025: U (Fall) 4-0-8 units Credit cannot also be received for 7.37[J] , 10.441[J] , 20.361[J]

Covers biological and bioengineering principles underlying the development and therapeutic use of recombinant proteins and immune cells. Special attention to monoclonal antibodies and engineered immune system cells as therapeutics; protein- and glyco- engineering to enhance protein function; protein pharmacology and delivery; nucleic acid- based biotherapeutics; generation of functional cells and tissues from embryonic stem cells and iPS cells; and immune cell-cancer cell interactions in cancer immunotherapy.

J. Chen, H. Lodish

7.45 The Hallmarks of Cancer

Subject meets with 7.85 Prereq: None. Coreq: 7.06 U (Fall) 4-0-8 units

Provides a comprehensive introduction to the fundamentals of cancer biology and cancer treatment. Topics include cancer genetics, genomics, and epigenetics; familial cancer syndromes; signal transduction, cell cycle control, and apoptosis; cancer metabolism; stem cells and cancer; metastasis; cancer immunology and immunotherapy; conventional and molecularly-targeted therapies; and early detection and prevention. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments.

M. Hemann, T. Jacks

7.46 Building with Cells

Subject meets with 7.86 Prereq: 7.03 and 7.05 U (Fall) 4-0-8 units

Focuses on fundamental principles of developmental biology by which cells build organs and organisms. Analyzes the pivotal role of stem cells in tissue maintenance or repair, and in treatment of disease. Explores how to integrate this knowledge with engineering tools to construct functional tissue structures. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments

L. Boyer, P. Li

7.458[J] Advances in Biomanufacturing

Same subject as 10.03[J] Subject meets with 7.548[J] , 10.53[J] Prereq: None U (Spring; second half of term) 1-0-2 units

Seminar examines how biopharmaceuticals, an increasingly important class of pharmaceuticals, are manufactured. Topics range from fundamental bioprocesses to new technologies to the economics of biomanufacturing. Also covers the impact of globalization on regulation and quality approaches as well as supply chain integrity. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments.

J. C. Love, A. Sinskey, S. Springs

7.49[J] Developmental Neurobiology

Same subject as 9.18[J] Subject meets with 7.69[J] , 9.181[J] Prereq: 7.03 , 7.05 , 9.01 , or permission of instructor U (Spring) 3-0-9 units

Considers molecular control of neural specification, formation of neuronal connections, construction of neural systems, and the contributions of experience to shaping brain structure and function. Topics include: neural induction and pattern formation, cell lineage and fate determination, neuronal migration, axon guidance, synapse formation and stabilization, activity-dependent development and critical periods, development of behavior. Students taking graduate version complete additional readings that will be addressed in their mid-term and final exams.

E. Nedivi, M. Heiman

7.390 Practical Internship Experience in Biology

Prereq: None U (Fall, IAP, Spring, Summer) 0-1-0 units Can be repeated for credit.

For Course 7, 5-7, and 6-7 students participating in curriculum-related off-campus internship experiences in biology. Before enrolling, students must consult the Biology Education Office for details on procedures and restrictions, and have approval from their faculty advisor. Subject to department approval.  Upon completion, the student must submit a write-up of the experience, approved by their faculty advisor.

7.391 Independent Study in Biology

Prereq: None Acad Year 2023-2024: Not offered Acad Year 2024-2025: U (Fall, Spring, Summer) Units arranged [P/D/F] Can be repeated for credit.

Program of study or research to be arranged with a department faculty member.

7.392 Independent Study in Biology

Prereq: None Acad Year 2023-2024: Not offered Acad Year 2024-2025: U (Fall, IAP, Spring) Units arranged Can be repeated for credit.

7.393 Independent Study in Genetics

Prereq: None Acad Year 2023-2024: Not offered Acad Year 2024-2025: U (Fall, Spring) Units arranged Can be repeated for credit.

7.394 Independent Study in Biochemistry

7.395 independent study in cell and molecular biology, 7.396 independent study in experimental biology.

Prereq: None Acad Year 2023-2024: Not offered Acad Year 2024-2025: U (Fall, IAP, Spring) Units arranged [P/D/F] Can be repeated for credit.

7.S391 Special Subject in Biology

Prereq: Permission of instructor U (Fall, IAP, Spring, Summer) Units arranged [P/D/F] Can be repeated for credit.

Covers material in various fields of biology not offered by the regular subjects of instruction.

7.S392 Special Subject in Biology

Prereq: Permission of instructor U (Fall, IAP, Spring) Not offered regularly; consult department Units arranged [P/D/F] Can be repeated for credit.

7.S399 Special Subject in Biology

Prereq: Permission of instructor U (Fall, IAP, Spring) Not offered regularly; consult department Units arranged Can be repeated for credit.

7.UR Undergraduate Research

Prereq: Permission of department U (Fall, IAP, Spring, Summer) Units arranged [P/D/F] Can be repeated for credit.

Undergraduate research opportunities in the Department of Biology.

7.URG Undergraduate Research

Prereq: Permission of department U (Fall, IAP, Spring) Units arranged Can be repeated for credit.

Graduate Subjects

Mit-whoi joint program in oceanography, 7.410 applied statistics.

Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Spring) 3-0-9 units

Provides an introduction to modern applied statistics. Topics include likelihood-based methods for estimation, confidence intervals, and hypothesis-testing; bootstrapping; time series modeling; linear models; nonparametric regression; and model selection. Organized around examples drawn from the recent literature.

7.411 Seminars in Biological Oceanography

Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Fall, Spring) Units arranged [P/D/F] Can be repeated for credit.

Selected topics in biological oceanography.

7.421 Problems in Biological Oceanography

Advanced problems in biological oceanography with assigned reading and consultation.

Information: M. Neubert (WHOI)

7.430 Topics in Quantitative Marine Science

Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Spring) 2-0-4 units Can be repeated for credit.

Lectures and discussions on quantitative marine ecology. Topics vary from year to year.

7.431 Topics in Marine Ecology

Prereq: Permission of instructor Acad Year 2023-2024: Not offered Acad Year 2024-2025: G (Fall, Spring) 2-0-4 units Can be repeated for credit.

Lectures and discussions on ecological principles and processes in marine populations, communities, and ecosystems. Topics vary from year to year.

7.432 Topics in Marine Physiology and Biochemistry

Lectures and discussions on physiological and biochemical processes in marine organisms. Topics vary from year to year.

7.433 Topics in Biological Oceanography

Lectures and discussions on biological oceanography. Topics vary from year to year.

S. Laney, M. Hahn

7.434 Topics in Zooplankton Biology

Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Fall, Spring) 2-0-4 units Can be repeated for credit.

Lectures and discussions on the biology of marine zooplankton. Topics vary from year to year.

7.435 Topics in Benthic Biology

Lectures and discussions on the biology of marine benthos. Topics vary from year to year.

7.436 Topics in Phytoplankton Biology

Lectures and discussion on the biology of marine phytoplankton. Topics vary from year to year.

7.437 Topics in Molecular Biological Oceanography

Lectures and discussion on molecular biological oceanography. Topics vary from year to year.

7.438 Topics in the Behavior of Marine Animals

Lectures and discussion on the behavioral biology of marine animals. Topics vary from year to year.

7.439 Topics in Marine Microbiology

Lectures and discussion on the biology of marine prokaryotes. Topics vary from year to year.

7.440 An Introduction to Mathematical Ecology

Prereq: Calculus I (GIR) , 1.018[J] , or permission of instructor G (Spring) 3-0-9 units

Covers the basic models of population growth, demography, population interaction (competition, predation, mutualism), food webs, harvesting, and infectious disease, and the mathematical tools required for their analysis. Because these tools are also basic to the analysis of models in biochemistry, physiology, and behavior, subject also broadly relevant to students whose interests are not limited to ecological problems.

M. Neubert (WHOI)

7.470 Biological Oceanography

Intended for students with advanced training in biology. Intensive overview of biological oceanography. Major paradigms discussed, and dependence of biological processes in the ocean on physical and chemical aspects of the environment examined. Surveys the diversity of marine habitats, major groups of taxa inhabiting those habitats, and the general biology of the various taxa: the production and consumption of organic material in the ocean, as well as factors controlling those processes. Species diversity, structure of marine food webs, and the flow of energy within different marine habitats are detailed and contrasted.

7.491 Research in Biological Oceanography

Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Fall, Spring, Summer) Units arranged [P/D/F] Can be repeated for credit.

Directed research in biological oceanography not leading to graduate thesis and initiated prior to the qualifying exam.

Microbiology (MICRO)

7.492[j] methods and problems in microbiology.

Same subject as 1.86[J] , 20.445[J] Prereq: None G (Fall) 3-0-9 units

Students will read and discuss primary literature covering key areas of microbial research with emphasis on methods and approaches used to understand and manipulate microbes. Preference to first-year Microbiology and Biology students.

7.493[J] Microbial Genetics and Evolution

Same subject as 1.87[J] , 12.493[J] , 20.446[J] Prereq: 7.03 , 7.05 , or permission of instructor G (Fall) 4-0-8 units

Covers aspects of microbial genetic and genomic analyses, central dogma, horizontal gene transfer, and evolution.

A. D. Grossman, Staff

7.494 Research Problems in Microbiology

Directed research in the fields of microbial science and engineering.

7.498 Teaching Experience in Microbiology

For qualified graduate students in the Microbiology graduate program interested in teaching. Classroom or laboratory teaching under the supervision of a faculty member.

7.499 Research Rotations in Microbiology

Prereq: None. Coreq: 7.492[J] or 7.493[J] ; permission of instructor G (Fall, Spring) Units arranged [P/D/F] Can be repeated for credit.

Introduces students to faculty participating in the interdepartmental Microbiology graduate program through a series of three lab rotations, which provide broad exposure to microbiology research at MIT. Students select a lab for thesis research by the end of their first year. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the program and the many research programs available, students may be able to work jointly with more than one research supervisor. Limited to students in the Microbiology graduate program.

7.MTHG Microbiology Graduate Thesis

Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Fall, IAP, Spring, Summer) Units arranged Can be repeated for credit.

Program of research leading to the writing of a PhD thesis. To be arranged by the student and the appropriate MIT faculty member.

7.50 Method and Logic in Molecular Biology

Prereq: None. Coreq: 7.51 and 7.52 ; or permission of instructor G (Fall) 4-0-8 units

Logic, experimental design and methods in biology, using discussions of the primary literature to discern the principles of biological investigation in making discoveries and testing hypotheses. In collaboration with faculty, students also apply those principles to generate a potential research project, presented in both written and oral form. Limited to Course 7 graduate students.

I. Cheeseman, J. Lees, R. Lehmann, S. Vos, J. Weissman, Y. Yamashita

7.51 Principles of Biochemical Analysis

Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Fall) 6-0-6 units

Principles of biochemistry, emphasizing structure, equilibrium studies, kinetics, informatics, single-molecule studies, and experimental design. Topics include macromolecular binding and specificity, protein folding and unfolding, allosteric systems, transcription factors, kinases, membrane channels and transporters, and molecular machines.

L. Case, A. Keating, R. T. Sauer

7.52 Genetics for Graduate Students

Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Fall) 4-0-8 units

Principles and approaches of genetic analysis, including Mendelian inheritance and prokaryotic genetics, yeast genetics, developmental genetics, neurogenetics, and human genetics.

7.540[J] Advances in Chemical Biology

Same subject as 5.54[J] , 20.554[J] Prereq: 5.07[J] , 5.13 , 7.06 , and permission of instructor G (Fall) 3-0-9 units

See description under subject 5.54[J] .

L. Kiessling, M. Shoulders

7.546[J] Science and Business of Biotechnology

Same subject as 15.480[J] , 20.586[J] Prereq: None. Coreq: 15.401 ; permission of instructor G (Spring) 3-0-6 units

Covers the new types of drugs and other therapeutics in current practice and under development, the financing and business structures of early-stage biotechnology companies, and the evaluation of their risk/reward profiles. Includes a series of live case studies with industry leaders of both established and emerging biotechnology companies as guest speakers, focusing on the underlying science and engineering as well as core financing and business issues. Students must possess a basic background in cellular and molecular biology.

J. Chen, A. Koehler, A. Lo, H. Lodish

7.548[J] Advances in Biomanufacturing

Same subject as 10.53[J] Subject meets with 7.458[J] , 10.03[J] Prereq: None G (Spring; second half of term) 1-0-2 units

7.549[J] Case Studies and Strategies in Drug Discovery and Development

Same subject as 15.137[J] , 20.486[J] , HST.916[J] Prereq: None G (Spring) Not offered regularly; consult department 2-0-4 units

See description under subject 20.486[J] .

7.55 Case Studies in Modern Experimental Design

Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Spring) 2-0-7 units

Focuses on enhancing students' ability to analyze, design and present experiments, emphasizing modern techniques. Class discussions begin with papers that developed or utilized contemporary approaches (e.g., quantitative microscopy, biophysical and molecular genetic methods) to address important problems in biology. Each student prepares one specific aim of a standard research proposal for a project that emphasizes research strategy, experimental design, and writing.

L. Guarente, A. Ringel

7.571 Quantitative Analysis of Biological Data

Prereq: None G (Spring; first half of term) 2-0-4 units

Application of probability theory and statistical methods to analyze biological data. Topics include: descriptive and inferential statistics, an introduction to Bayesian statistics, design of quantitative experiments, and methods to analyze high-dimensional datasets. A <em>conceptual</em> understanding of topics is emphasized, and methods are illustrated using the Python programming language. Although a basic understanding of Python is encouraged, no programming experience is required. Students taking the graduate version are expected to explore the subject in greater depth.

7.572 Quantitative Measurements and Modeling of Biological Systems

Prereq: None G (Spring; second half of term) 2-0-4 units

Quantitative experimental design, data analysis, and modeling for biological systems. Topics include absolute/relative quantification, noise and reproducibility, regression and correlation, and modeling of population growth, gene expression, cellular dynamics, feedback regulation, oscillation. Students taking the graduate version are expected to explore the subject in greater depth.

7.573 Modern Biostatistics

Subject meets with 7.093 Prereq: 7.03 and 7.05 G (Spring; first half of term) 2-0-4 units

Provides a practical introduction to probability and statistics used in modern biology. Topics covered include discrete and continuous probability distributions, statistical modeling, hypothesis testing, independence, conditional probability, multiple test corrections, nonparametric methods, clustering, correlation, linear regression, principal components analysis with applications to high-throughput DNA sequencing and image data analysis. Homework is in the R programming language, but prior programming experience is not required. Students taking the graduate version are expected to explore the subject in greater depth.

7.574 Modern Computational Biology

Subject meets with 7.094 Prereq: 7.03 and 7.05 G (Spring; second half of term) 2-0-4 units

A, Jain, H. Wong

7.58 Molecular Biology

Subject meets with 7.28 Prereq: 7.03 , 7.05 , and permission of instructor G (Spring) 5-0-7 units

7.59[J] Teaching College-Level Science and Engineering

Same subject as 1.95[J] , 5.95[J] , 8.395[J] , 18.094[J] Subject meets with 2.978 Prereq: None G (Fall) 2-0-2 units

See description under subject 5.95[J] .

7.60 Cell Biology: Structure and Functions of the Nucleus

Prereq: 7.06 or permission of instructor G (Spring) 3-0-9 units

Eukaryotic genome structure, function, and expression, processing of RNA, and regulation of the cell cycle. Emphasis on the techniques and logic used to address important problems in nuclear cell biology. Lectures on broad topic areas in nuclear cell biology and discussions on representative recent papers.

L. Boyer, R. Young

7.61[J] Eukaryotic Cell Biology: Principles and Practice

Same subject as 20.561[J] Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Fall) 4-0-8 units

Emphasizes methods and logic used to analyze structure and function of eukaryotic cells in diverse systems (e.g., yeast, fly, worm, mouse, human; development, stem cells, neurons). Combines lectures and in-depth roundtable discussions of literature readings with the active participation of faculty experts. Focuses on membranes (structure, function, traffic), organelles, the cell surface, signal transduction, cytoskeleton, cell motility and extracellular matrix. Ranges from basic studies to applications to human disease, while stressing critical analysis of experimental approaches. Enrollment limited.

M. Krieger, M. Yaffe

7.62 Microbial Physiology

Subject meets with 7.21 Prereq: 7.03 , 7.05 , and permission of instructor G (Fall) 4-0-8 units

7.63[J] Immunology

Same subject as 20.630[J] Subject meets with 7.23[J] , 20.230[J] Prereq: 7.06 and permission of instructor G (Spring) 5-0-7 units

7.64 Molecular Mechanisms, Pathology and Therapy of Human Neuromuscular Disorders

Prereq: Permission of instructor Acad Year 2023-2024: Not offered Acad Year 2024-2025: G (Spring) 3-0-9 units

Investigates the molecular and clinical basis of central nervous system and neuromuscular disorders with particular emphasis on strategies for therapeutic intervention. Considers the in-depth analysis of clinical features, pathological mechanisms, and responses to current therapeutic interventions. Covers neurodegenerative diseases, such as Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Amyotropic Lateral Schlerosis, Frontal Temporal Dementia, and neuromuscular disorders, such as Myotonic Dystrophy, Facio Scapular Humoral Dystrophy, and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

7.65[J] Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience Core I

Same subject as 9.015[J] Prereq: None G (Fall) 3-0-9 units

See description under subject 9.015[J] .

J. T. Littleton, M. Sheng

7.66 Molecular Basis of Infectious Disease

Subject meets with 7.26 Prereq: 7.06 and permission of instructor G (Spring) 4-0-8 units

7.68[J] Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience Core II

Same subject as 9.013[J] Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Spring) 3-0-9 units

See description under subject 9.013[J] .

G. Feng, L.-H. Tsai

7.69[J] Developmental Neurobiology

Same subject as 9.181[J] Subject meets with 7.49[J] , 9.18[J] Prereq: 9.011 or permission of instructor G (Spring) 3-0-9 units

See description under subject 9.181[J] .

7.70 Regulation of Gene Expression

Prereq: Permission of instructor Acad Year 2023-2024: Not offered Acad Year 2024-2025: G (Spring) 4-0-8 units

Seminar examines basic principles of biological regulation of gene expression. Focuses on examples that underpin these principles, as well as those that challenge certain long-held views. Topics covered may include the role of transcription factors, enhancers, DNA modifications, non-coding RNAs, and chromatin structure in the regulation of gene expression and mechanisms for epigenetic inheritance of transcriptional states. Limited to 40.

7.71 Biophysical Technique

Subject meets with 5.78 Prereq: 5.13 , 5.60 , ( 5.07[J] or 7.05 ), and permission of instructor G (Spring) 5-0-7 units

Introduces students to modern biophysical methods to study biological systems from atomic, to molecular and cellular scales. Includes an in-depth discussion on the techniques that cover the full resolution range, including X-ray crystallography, electron-, and light microscopy. Discusses other common biophysical techniques for macromolecular characterizations. Lectures cover theoretical principles behind the techniques, and students are given practical laboratory exercises using instrumentation available at MIT. Meets with 5.78 when offered concurrently. 

C. Drennan, T. Schwartz

7.72 Stem Cells, Regeneration, and Development

Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Spring) 4-0-8 units

Topics include diverse stem cells, such as muscle, intestine, skin, hair and hematopoietic stem cells, as well as pluripotent stem cells. Topics address cell polarity and cell fate; positional information and patterning of development and regeneration; limb, heart and whole body regeneration; stem cell renewal; progenitor cells in development; responses to wounding; and applications of stem cells in development of therapies. Discussions of papers supplement lectures.

R. Jaenisch, P. Reddien

7.73 Principles of Chemical Biology

Prereq: 7.05 and permission of instructor Acad Year 2023-2024: Not offered Acad Year 2024-2025: G (Spring) 3-0-9 units

Spanning the fields of biology, chemistry and engineering, class addresses the principles of chemical biology and its application of chemical and physical methods and reagents to the study and manipulation of biological systems. Topics include bioorthogonal reactions and activity-based protein profiling, small molecule inhibitors and chemical genetics, fluorescent probes for biological studies, and unnatural amino acid mutagenesis. Also covers chemical biology approaches for studying dynamic post-translational modification reactions, natural product biosynthesis and mutasynthesis, and high-throughput drug screening. Students taking the graduate version are expected to explore the subject in greater depth.

B. Imperiali, J. K. Weng

7.74[J] Topics in Biophysics and Physical Biology

Same subject as 8.590[J] , 20.416[J] Prereq: None Acad Year 2023-2024: Not offered Acad Year 2024-2025: G (Fall) 2-0-4 units

Provides broad exposure to research in biophysics and physical biology, with emphasis on the critical evaluation of scientific literature. Weekly meetings include in-depth discussion of scientific literature led by distinct faculty on active research topics. Each session also includes brief discussion of non-research topics including effective presentation skills, writing papers and fellowship proposals, choosing scientific and technical research topics, time management, and scientific ethics.

J. Gore, N. Fakhri

7.75 Human Genetics and Genomics

Subject meets with 7.35 Prereq: 7.52 or permission of instructor G (Spring) 3-0-9 units

Upper level seminar offering in-depth analysis and engaged discussion of primary literature on the dimensions and phenotypic consequences of variation in human genes, chromosomes, and genomes.  Topics include the human genome project; pedigree analysis; mutation and selection; linkage and association studies; medical genetics and disease; sex chromosomes and sex differences; the biology of the germ line; epigenetics, imprinting, and transgenerational inheritance; human origins; and evolutionary and population genetics. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. Limited to 20 total for versions meeting together.

7.76 Topics in Macromolecular Structure and Function

Prereq: Permission of instructor Acad Year 2023-2024: Not offered Acad Year 2024-2025: G (Spring) 3-0-6 units

In-depth analysis and discussion of classic and current literature, with an emphasis on the structure, function, and mechanisms of proteins and other biological macromolecules.

7.77 Nucleic Acids, Structure, Function, Evolution, and Their Interactions with Proteins

Prereq: 7.05 , 7.51 , or permission of instructor G (Spring) 3-0-9 units

Surveys primary literature, focusing on biochemical, biophysical, genetic, and combinatorial approaches for understanding nucleic acids. Topics include the general properties, functions, and structural motifs of DNA and RNA; RNAs as catalysts and as regulators of gene expression; RNA editing and surveillance, and the interaction of nucleic acids with proteins, such as zinc-finger proteins, modification enzymes, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases and other proteins of the translational machinery. Includes some lectures but is mostly analysis and discussion of current literature in the context of student presentations.

D. Bartel, A. Jain

7.80 Fundamentals of Chemical Biology

Subject meets with 5.08[J] , 7.08[J] Prereq: 5.13 and ( 5.07[J] or 7.05 ) G (Spring) 4-0-8 units

Spanning the fields of biology, chemistry, and engineering, this class introduces students to the principles of chemical biology and the application of chemical and physical methods and reagents to the study and manipulation of biological systems. Topics include nucleic acid structure, recognition, and manipulation; protein folding and stability, and proteostasis; bioorthogonal reactions and activity-based protein profiling; chemical genetics and small-molecule inhibitor screening; fluorescent probes for biological analysis and imaging; and unnatural amino acid mutagenesis. The class will also discuss the logic of dynamic post-translational modification reactions with an emphasis on chemical biology approaches for studying complex processes including glycosylation, phosphorylation, and lipidation. Students taking the graduate version are expected to explore the subject in greater depth.

7.81[J] Systems Biology

Same subject as 8.591[J] Subject meets with 7.32 Prereq: ( 18.03 and 18.05 ) or permission of instructor G (Fall) 3-0-9 units

See description under subject 8.591[J] .

7.82 Development, Disease and Therapeutics

Seminar covering the key concepts and technological approaches that are used to study and treat human disease. Topics include human genome variation, germline editing, gene therapy, stem cell derived organoids, human-animal chimeras and the application of these approaches to the study and treatment of major diseases.

R. Jaenisch, R. Young

7.84 Advanced Concepts in Immunology

Subject meets with 7.24 Prereq: None. Coreq: 7.63[J] ; or permission of instructor G (Spring) 3-0-9 units

7.85 The Hallmarks of Cancer

Subject meets with 7.45 Prereq: None. Coreq: 7.06 ; permission of instructor G (Fall) 4-0-8 units

7.86 Building with Cells

Subject meets with 7.46 Prereq: 7.03 and 7.05 G (Fall) 4-0-8 units

Focuses on fundamental principles of developmental biology by which cells build organs and organisms. Analyzes the pivotal role of stem cells in tissue maintenance or repair, and in treatment of disease. Explores how to integrate this knowledge with engineering tools to construct functional tissue structures. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments.

7.88[J] Protein Folding in Health and Disease

Same subject as 5.48[J] Prereq: ( 5.07[J] or 7.05 ) and permission of instructor G (Spring; first half of term) 3-0-3 units

See description under subject 5.48[J] .

M. Shoulders

7.89[J] Topics in Computational and Systems Biology

Same subject as CSB.100[J] Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Fall) 2-0-10 units

See description under subject CSB.100[J] . Preference to first-year CSB PhD students.

7.930[J] Research Experience in Biopharma

Same subject as 20.930[J] Prereq: None G (Fall) 2-10-0 units

See description under subject 20.930[J] .

7.931 Independent Study in Biology

Prereq: Permission of instructor Acad Year 2023-2024: Not offered Acad Year 2024-2025: G (Fall, Spring) Units arranged [P/D/F] Can be repeated for credit.

7.932 Independent Study in Biology

Prereq: Permission of instructor Acad Year 2023-2024: Not offered Acad Year 2024-2025: G (Fall, Spring) Units arranged Can be repeated for credit.

7.933 Research Rotations in Biology

Introduces students to faculty participating in the Biology graduate program through a series of lab rotations, which provide broad exposure to biology research at MIT. Students select a lab for thesis research by the end of their first year. Limited to students in the Biology graduate program.

7.934 Teaching Experience in Biology

Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Fall, IAP, Spring) Units arranged [P/D/F] Can be repeated for credit.

For qualified graduate students in the Biology graduate program interested in teaching. Classroom or laboratory teaching under the supervision of a faculty member.

7.935 Responsible Conduct in Biology

Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Fall, Spring) Units arranged [P/D/F]

Sessions focus on the responsible conduct of science. Considers recordkeeping and reporting; roles of mentor and mentee; authorship, review, and confidentiality; resolving conflicts; misfeasance and malfeasance; collaborations, competing interests, and intellectual property; and proper practices in the use of animal and human subjects. Limited to second-year graduate students in Biology.

7.936 Professional Development in Biology

Prereq: None G (Fall, Spring, Summer) 0-2-0 units Can be repeated for credit.

Required for course 7 doctoral students to gain professional perspective in career development activities such as internships, scientific meetings, and career and networking events. Written report required upon completion of activities.

7.941 Research Problems

Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Fall, Summer) Units arranged [P/D/F] Can be repeated for credit.

Directed research in a field of biological science, but not contributory to graduate thesis.

Consult Biology Education Office

7.942 Research Problems

Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Spring) Units arranged [P/D/F] Can be repeated for credit.

7.95 Cancer Biology

Prereq: 7.85 and permission of instructor G (Spring) 3-0-9 units

Advanced seminar involving intensive analysis of historical and current developments in cancer biology. Topics address principles of apoptosis, principles of cancer biology, cancer genetics, cancer cell metabolism, tumor immunology, and therapy. Detailed analysis of research literature, including important reports published in recent years. Enrollment limited.

R. Weinberg, O. Yilmaz

7.98[J] Neural Plasticity in Learning and Memory

Same subject as 9.301[J] Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Spring) 3-0-6 units

See description under subject 9.301[J] . Juniors and seniors require instructor's permission.

S. Tonegawa

7.S930 Special Subject in Biology

7.s931 special subject in biology, 7.s932 special subject in biology.

Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Fall, IAP, Spring) Not offered regularly; consult department Units arranged [P/D/F] Can be repeated for credit.

7.S939 Special Subject in Biology

Prereq: Permission of instructor G (Fall, IAP, Spring) Units arranged Can be repeated for credit.

7.THG Graduate Biology Thesis

Program of research leading to the writing of a Ph.D. thesis; to be arranged by the student and an appropriate MIT faculty member.

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The PDF includes all information on this page and its related tabs. Subject (course) information includes any changes approved for the current academic year.

Welcome to the MIT Computational and Systems Biology PhD Program (CSB)

The Ph.D. program seeks to train a new breed of quantitative biologists who can take advantage of technologies at the leading edge of science and engineering to tackle fundamental and applied problems in biology. Our students acquire: (i) a background in modern molecular/cell biology; (ii) a foundation in quantitative/engineering disciplines to enable them to create new technologies as well as apply existing methods; and (iii) exposure to subjects emphasizing the application of quantitative approaches to biological problems.  Our program and courses emphasize the logic of scientific discovery rather than mastering a specific set of skills or facts.  The program includes teaching experience during one semester of the second year.  It prepares students with the tools needed to succeed in a variety of academic and non-academic careers.

The program is highly selective with typical class sizes 8 to 10 students. About half of our graduate students are women, about one-quarter are international students, and about 10% are under-represented minorities.

Students complete most coursework during the first year, while exploring research opportunities through 1- or 2-month research rotations.  A faculty academic advisor assigned in the first year provides guidance and advice. Students choose a research advisor in spring or early summer of year 1 and develop a Ph.D. research project in with their advisor and input from a thesis committee chosen by the student.

Average time to graduation is 5½ years. 

The Program in CSB is committed to increasing opportunities for under-represented minority graduate students and students who have experienced financial hardship or disability.

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Life Sciences | Graduate | Careers | Undergraduate

Aeronautics and astronautics, biological engineering, biophysics graduate certificate program, brain and cognitive sciences, chemical engineering, civil and environmental engineering (environmental microbiology), computational and systems biology, earth, atmospheric, and planetary sciences, hst - health, sciences and technology, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, microbiology program, nuclear science and engineering, sloan mba with a health care focus, sts- science, technology, and society, whoi joint program, writing and humanistic studies, life sciences at mit.

Many areas of research today have a Life Sciences focus. This is primarily due to the powerful tools of molecular biology, which form a common language and allow exciting and important interdisciplinary approaches. Experience in Life Sciences-based research opens multiple career paths.

This site collates the broad array of MIT graduate degree programs with a primary focus on biological questions, or that can include a Life Sciences focus. Applications for graduate study should be made through the appropriate program. Please explore this site, and our program offerings!

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Prospective Graduate

Overview of the Biological Engineering (BE) PhD Program

MIT Biological Engineering’s mission is to generate and communicate new knowledge in the application of engineering principles in biological systems and to educate leaders in our discipline. We focus at the interface of engineering and biology by combining quantitative, physical, and integrative engineering principles with modern life sciences research to lead the field in the positive impacts of our research and effectiveness of our training programs. MIT BE offers a graduate PhD degree, and only accepts PhD applications through the annual Departmental process for admission fall term of the following year. Our program is an excellent match for ambitious applicants with extraordinary qualifications who want to advance the intellectual boundaries of biological engineering and make positive impacts on society through the creative and rigorous application of research in biological engineering.

PhD-level training in BE prepares students to conduct research that will:

• Explain how biological systems function in terms of biological/chemical/physical mechanisms, and how they respond when perturbed by endogenous, environmental, and therapeutic factors
• Engineer innovative technologies based on this understanding and apply technologies to address societal needs across all sectors including, but not limited to, biomedicine
• Establish new biology-based paradigms for solving problems in areas of science and engineering that have not historically been impacted by biological approaches

In addition, PhD-level training in BE prepares students to translate this research for positive impact in the world by developing skills to:

• Explain technical subject matter clearly, accurately, and in a compelling and contextual manner for a range of audiences
• Engage collaboratively in diverse teams to contribute biological engineering expertise needed for multidisciplinary projects
• Exercise intellectual and operational leadership to advance on goals in technically and organizationally complex scenarios
• Exhibit integrity and ethical judgment in the design of research and the application of research results

Degree Requirements

BE PhD students complete two core courses in the first year, supplemented with four additional electives ( Course Requirements ). Individual students pace their own progress through elective coursework in consultation with their academic advisor.

In addition to the course requirements, students perform a qualifying exam with written and oral components and submit a thesis proposal to be completed by the end of the fall term in their third year.

BE PhD students complete research rotations in the fall and winter of their first year and select a BE Faculty member as a research and thesis advisor. Students carry out thesis research with the guidance and support of their faculty advisor and a thesis committee formed by the student. Technical communication is an important part of the BE PhD curriculum. Students gain and practice scientific communication skills through one or more terms of teaching experience at the graduate or undergraduate level and research-focused activities including poster and oral presentations at Departmental events including our retreat, the Bioengineering and Toxicology Seminar (BATS) series, and culminating in delivery of a written PhD thesis and oral defense of their thesis work.

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Please contact [email protected] for additional information regarding BE educational programs.

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• Current MIT Graduate Students

Doctoral Programs in Computational Science and Engineering

Application & admission information.

The Center for Computational Science and Engineering (CCSE) offers two doctoral programs in computational science and engineering (CSE) – one leading to a standalone PhD degree in CSE offered entirely by CCSE (CSE PhD) and the other leading to an interdisciplinary PhD degree offered jointly with participating departments in the School of Engineering and the School of Science (Dept-CSE PhD).

While both programs enable students to specialize at the doctoral level in a computation-related field via focused coursework and a thesis, they differ in essential ways. The standalone CSE PhD program is intended for students who plan to pursue research in cross-cutting methodological aspects of computational science. The resulting doctoral degree in Computational Science and Engineering is awarded by CCSE via the the Schwarzman College of Computing. In contrast, the interdisciplinary Dept-CSE PhD program is intended for students who are interested in computation in the context of a specific engineering or science discipline. For this reason, this degree is offered jointly with participating departments across the Institute; the interdisciplinary degree is awarded in a specially crafted thesis field that recognizes the student’s specialization in computation within the chosen engineering or science discipline.

Applicants to the standalone CSE PhD program are expected to have an undergraduate degree in CSE, applied mathematics, or another field that prepares them for an advanced degree in CSE. Applicants to the Dept-CSE PhD program should have an undergraduate degree in a related core disciplinary area as well as a strong foundation in applied mathematics, physics, or related fields. When completing the MIT CSE graduate application , students are expected to declare which of the two programs they are interested in. Admissions decisions will take into account these declared interests, along with each applicant’s academic background, preparation, and fit to the program they have selected.  All applicants are asked to specify MIT CCSE-affiliated faculty that best match their research interests; applicants to the Dept-CSE PhD program also select the home department(s) that best match. At the discretion of the admissions committee, Dept-CSE PhD applications might also be shared with a home department beyond those designated in the application. CSE PhD admissions decisions are at the sole discretion of CCSE; Dept-CSE PhD admission decisions are conducted jointly between CCSE and the home departments.

Please note: These are both doctoral programs in Computational Science and Engineering; applicants interested in Computer Science must apply to the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science .

Important Dates

September 15: Application Opens December 1: Deadline to apply for admission* December – March: Application review period January – March: Decisions released on rolling basis

*All supplemental materials (e.g., transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation) must also be received by December 1. Application review begins on that date, and incomplete applications may not be reviewed. Please be sure that your recommenders are aware of this hard deadline, as we do not make exceptions. We also do not allow students to upload/submit material beyond what is required, such as degree certificates, extra recommendations, publications, etc.

A complete electronic CSE application includes the following:

• Three letters of recommendation ;
• Students admitted to the program will be required to supply official transcripts. Discrepancies between unofficial and official transcripts may result in the revocation of the admission offer.
• Statement of objectives (limited to approximately one page) and responses to department-specific prompts for Dept-CSE PhD applicants;
• Official GRE General Test score report , sent to MIT by ETS via institute code 3514 GRE REQUIREMENT WAIVED FOR FALL 2024 ;
• Official IELTS score report sent to MIT by IELTS†  (international applicants from non-English speaking countries only; see below for more information)
• Resume or CV , uploaded in PDF format;
• MIT graduate application fee of $75‡.

‡Application Fee

The MIT graduate application fee of $75.00 is a mandatory requirement set by the Institute payable by credit card. Please visit the MIT Graduate Admission Application Fee Waiver page for information about fee waiver eligibility and instructions.

Please note: CCSE cannot issue fee waivers; email requests for fee waivers sent to [email protected] will not be considered.

Admissions Contact Information

Email: [email protected]

► Current MIT CSE SM Students: Please see the page for Current MIT Graduate Students .

GRE Requirement

GRE REQUIREMENT WAIVED FOR FALL 2024 All applicants are required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Aptitude Test. The MIT code for submitting GRE score reports is 3514 (you do not need to list a department code). GRE scores must current; ETS considers scores valid for five years after the testing year in which you tested.

†English Language Proficiency Requirement

The CSE PhD program requires international applicants from non-English speaking countries to take the academic  version of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).  The IELTS exam measures one’s ability to communicate in English in four major skill areas: listening, reading, writing, and speaking.  A minimum IELTS score of 7 is required for admission.  For more information about the IELTS, and to find out where and how to take the exam, please visit the IELTS web site .

While we will also accept the TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language), we strongly prefer the IELTS. The minimum TOEFL iBT score is 100.

This requirement is waived for those who can demonstrate that one or more of the following are true:

• English is/was the language of instruction in your four-year undergraduate program,
• English is the language of your employer/workplace for at least the last four years,
• English was your language of instruction in both primary and secondary schools.

Degree Requirements for Admission

To be admitted as a regular graduate student, an applicant must have earned a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a college, university, or technical school of acceptable standing. Students in their final year of undergraduate study may be admitted on the condition that their bachelor’s degree is awarded before they enroll at MIT.

Applicants without an SM degree may apply to the CSE PhD program, however, the Departments of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Mechanical Engineering nominally require the completion of an SM degree before a student is considered a doctoral candidate. As a result, applicants to those departments holding only a bachelor’s degree are asked in the application to indicate whether they prefer to complete the CSE SM program or an SM through the home department.

Nondiscrimination Policy

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment.  To read MIT’s most up-to-date nondiscrimination policy, please visit the Reference Publication Office’s nondiscrimination statement page .

Additional Information

For more details, as well as answers to most commonly asked questions regarding the admissions process to individual participating Dept-CSE PhD departments including details on financial support, applicants are referred to the website of the participating department of interest.

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cell division • organelle biogenesis and inheritance • cytoskeleton • signal transduction • cell motility • cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions • cell shape changes • metabolism • protein sorting and trafficking • cell wall and cell membrane biogenesis • nutrients and growth control

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Abate and Fink win 2024 Bose Grants

MIT Provost Cynthia Barnhart announced four  Professor Amar G. Bose Research Grants  to support bold research projects across diverse areas of study, including a way to generate clean hydrogen from deep in the Earth, build an environmentally friendly house of basalt, design maternity clothing that monitors fetal health, and recruit sharks as ocean oxygen monitors. This year’s recipients are Iwnetim Abate, assistant professor of materials science and engineering; Andrew Babbin, the Cecil and Ida Green Associate Professor in Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences; Yoel Fink, professor of materials science and engineering and of electrical engineering and computer science; and Skylar Tibbits, associate professor of design research in the Department of Architecture. The program was named for the visionary founder of the Bose Corporation and MIT alumnus Amar G. Bose ’51, SM ’52, ScD ’56. After gaining admission to MIT, Bose became a top math student and a Fulbright Scholarship recipient. He spent 46 years as a professor at MIT, led innovations in sound design, and founded the Bose Corp. in 1964. MIT launched the Bose grant program 11 years ago to provide funding over a three-year period to MIT faculty who propose original, cross-disciplinary, and often risky research projects that would likely not be funded by conventional sources. “The promise of the Bose Fellowship is to help bold, daring ideas become realities, an approach that honors Amar Bose’s legacy,” says Barnhart. “Thanks to support from this program, these talented faculty members have the freedom to explore their bold and innovative ideas.”

Deep and clean hydrogen futures

A green energy future will depend on harnessing hydrogen as a clean energy source, sequestering polluting carbon dioxide, and mining the minerals essential to building clean energy technologies such as advanced batteries. Iwnetim Abate thinks he has a solution for all three challenges: an innovative hydrogen reactor. He plans to build a reactor that will create natural hydrogen from ultramafic mineral rocks in the crust. “The Earth is literally a giant hydrogen factory waiting to be tapped,” Abate explains. “A back-of-the-envelope calculation for the first seven kilometers of the Earth’s crust estimates that there is enough ultramafic rock to produce hydrogen for 250,000 years.” The reactor envisioned by Abate injects water to create a reaction that releases hydrogen, while also supporting the injection of climate-altering carbon dioxide into the rock, providing a global carbon capacity of 100 trillion tons. At the same time, the reactor process could provide essential elements such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt — some of the most important raw materials used in advanced batteries and electronics. “Ultimately, our goal is to design and develop a scalable reactor for simultaneously tapping into the trifecta from the Earth’s subsurface,” Abate says.

Sharks as oceanographers

If we want to understand more about how oxygen levels in the world’s seas are disturbed by human activities and climate change, we should turn to a sensing platform “that has been honed by 400 million years of evolution to perfectly sample the ocean: sharks,” says Andrew Babbin. As the planet warms, oceans are projected to contain less dissolved oxygen, with impacts on the productivity of global fisheries, natural carbon sequestration, and the flux of climate-altering greenhouse gasses from the ocean to the air. While scientists know dissolved oxygen is important, it has proved difficult to track over seasons, decades, and underexplored regions both shallow and deep. Babbin’s goal is to develop a low-cost sensor for dissolved oxygen that can be integrated with preexisting electronic shark tags used by marine biologists. “This fleet of sharks … will finally enable us to measure the extent of the low-oxygen zones of the ocean, how they change seasonally and with El Niño/La Niña oscillation, and how they expand or contract into the future.” The partnership with sharks will also spotlight the importance of these often-maligned animals for global marine and fisheries health, Babbin says. “We hope in pursuing this work marrying microscopic and macroscopic life we will inspire future oceanographers and conservationists, and lead to a better appreciation for the chemistry that underlies global habitability.”

Maternity wear that monitors fetal health

There are 2 million stillbirths around the world each year, and in the United States alone, 21,000 families suffer this terrible loss. In many cases, mothers and their doctors had no warning of any abnormalities or changes in fetal health leading up to these deaths. Yoel Fink and colleagues are looking for a better way to monitor fetal health and provide proactive treatment. Fink is building on years of research on acoustic fabrics to design an affordable shirt for mothers that would monitor and communicate important details of fetal health. His team’s original research drew inspiration from the function of the eardrum, designing a fiber that could be woven into other fabrics to create a kind of fabric microphone. “Given the sensitivity of the acoustic fabrics in sensing these nanometer-scale vibrations, could a mother’s clothing transcend its conventional role and become a health monitor, picking up on the acoustic signals and subsequent vibrations that arise from her unborn baby’s heartbeat and motion?” Fink says. “Could a simple and affordable worn fabric allow an expecting mom to sleep better, knowing that her fetus is being listened to continuously?” The proposed maternity shirt could measure fetal heart and breathing rate, and might be able to give an indication of the fetal body position, he says. In the final stages of development, he and his colleagues hope to develop machine learning approaches that would identify abnormal fetal heart rate and motion and deliver real-time alerts.

A basalt house in Iceland

In the land of volcanoes, Skylar Tibbits wants to build a case-study home almost entirely from the basalt rock that makes up the Icelandic landscape. Architects are increasingly interested in building using one natural material — creating a monomaterial structure — that can be easily recycled. At the moment, the building industry represents 40 percent of carbon emissions worldwide, and consists of many materials and structures, from metal to plastics to concrete, that can’t be easily disassembled or reused. The proposed basalt house in Iceland, a project co-led by J. Jih, associate professor of the practice in the Department of Architecture, is “an architecture that would be fully composed of the surrounding earth, that melts back into that surrounding earth at the end of its lifespan, and that can be recycled infinitely,” Tibbits explains. Basalt, the most common rock form in the Earth’s crust, can be spun into fibers for insulation and rebar. Basalt fiber performs as well as glass and carbon fibers at a lower cost in some applications, although it is not widely used in architecture. In cast form, it can make corrosion- and heat-resistant plumbing, cladding and flooring. “A monomaterial architecture is both a simple and radical proposal that unfortunately falls outside of traditional funding avenues,” says Tibbits. “The Bose grant is the perfect and perhaps the only option for our research, which we see as a uniquely achievable moonshot with transformative potential for the entire built environment.”

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Best Global Universities for Mechanical Engineering in Russia

These are the top universities in Russia for mechanical engineering, based on their reputation and research in the field. Read the methodology »

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Here are the best global universities for mechanical engineering in Russia

Tomsk polytechnic university.

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• # 74 in Best Universities for Mechanical Engineering
• # 879 in Best Global Universities  (tie)

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The Bioinformatics PhD Program is well established, with a long history of successful graduates in both academia and industry.  

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To apply for the Bioinformatics PhD Program, you must submit complete applications by December 1 for admission the following Fall term. Early applications are not allowed and will not be considered. 

Please visit the Rackham Graduate School web pages for additional information on applying. There you will also find information on how to respond to an offer of admission, plus tips and materials required for international applicants and incoming students.

If you are certain about pursuing a Bioinformatics PhD, then applications should be submitted directly to the Bioinformatics PhD Program ; there are more than 100 diverse affiliated faculty to choose from.

Applicants should be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. In addition, applicants with a background in quantitative sciences should consider applying directly. Separately, if you are transferring from another University of Michigan Program or have obtained an established University of Michigan mentor affiliated with the program, a direct application is most appropriate.

PIBS is an umbrella program that offers first-year PhD students flexibility in exploring opportunities in bioinformatics and thirteen other graduate programs. Through PIBS, students have the opportunity to rotate in, and potentially join the lab of a faculty mentor in another program; there are more than 500 diverse faculty to select from. PIBS students who list Bioinformatics as their primary choice must complete at least one rotation with a Bioinformatics-affiliated faculty member. After 10 months in PIBS, students officially join Bioinformatics (or one of the other programs). You can visit the PIBS website for more information.

Please note that reviewing admissions faculty for both PIBS and direct applications are the same. In addition, admitted applicants take the same Bioinformatics-specific courses and activities. See below for details on program diversity outreach, application materials, and funding.

Students who will have an MS in a relevant field (e.g. computer science, statistics, biostatistics, biology) from another university may request to have up to 6 credit-hours (two classes) waived. These classes may be used to help fulfill the core PhD requirements for biology (1 course), statistics (2 courses), and/or computing (1 course). To obtain approval, students need to send a detailed syllabus of the class(es) they took to the PhD directors along with their grade(s), which must be a B or better. The other PhD course requirements, including BIOINF-529 and two advanced bioinformatics courses, cannot be waived.

Most international Bioinformatics PhD applicants should apply through PIBS. However, some who are already embedded in a University of Michigan mentor lab affiliated with the program may be an appropriate fit for the direct Bioinformatics PhD program.

The TOEFL or IELTS exam is required unless Rackham Graduate School waiver requirements have been met. Criteria for English proficiency exemption can be found on the Rackham website . In addition, a list of required credentials from non-U.S. institutions for an application can be found here.

The Bioinformatics Graduate Program encourages applications from traditionally underrepresented minorities, students with disabilities, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. There are numerous funding opportunities and resources on campus to contribute to students overall well-being while pursuing studies. Several resources available to students can be found on the Rackham Graduate School Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion website .

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All application materials should be submitted electronically when possible. Applicants must meet  Rackham's Minimum Requirements for Admission . The  online application form  can be found on the Rackham Admissions webpages. The application is available in early September through the deadline. 

• GPA, minimum 3.2/4.0 (exceptions may be made if deemed appropriate)
• Letters of recommendation (3 required): Please be aware that submitting only the Rackham Recommendation for Admission Form is insufficient; forms must be accompanied by a letter from the recommender. All letters are due by the application deadline. Without them, applications will not be considered complete or reviewed by the Program Admissions Committee.
• Statement of Purpose: The Statement of Purpose should be a concise, well-written statement about your academic and research background, your career goals, and how Michigan's graduate program will help you meet your career and educational objectives.
• Personal Statement: The Personal Statement should be a concise, well-written statement about how your personal background and life experiences, including social, cultural, familial, educational, or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan. This is not an Academic Statement of Purpose, but a discussion of the personal journey that has led to your decision to seek a graduate degree.
• Transcripts: Please submit unofficial transcripts electronically with your online application
• GRE scores are no longer included as part of admission
• Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency via either the TOEFL or IELTS exam. The institution code is 1839. Other exams may not be substituted. Rackham Graduate School offers a full explanation of this requirement , including exemption criteria. Please contact Rackham directly ( [email protected] ) with questions.

Diversity is a key component of excellence, especially for solving the complex biomedical challenges that our field of computational medicine and bioinformatics faces. We believe that all people—regardless of background, race, religion, sexual/gender orientation, age or disability—deserve an equitable opportunity to pursue the education and career of their choice.

The Bioinformatics Graduate Program will provide tuition, healthcare coverage, and a stipend on a 12-month basis. This level of support will be maintained throughout a student's tenure in the Program, provided s/he remains in good academic standing and makes reasonable progress towards the degree as determined by the Graduate Directors, with faculty input. It is expected that the student will be supported directly by the mentor's laboratory, beginning in the second year. The expected time to degree is typically 5-6 years.

The U-M MS program is a terminal degree program. If you are interested in the Bioinformatics PhD Program, you must submit a new application. If you are a Bioinformatics MS student who is in good academic standing and has identified a Bioinformatics affiliated faculty mentor, you may apply for admission directly to the PhD Bioinformatics Program for the Winter term. Reviewing faculty take all application components into account and mentors are prepared to take both academic and financial responsibility for their trainees.

Eligibility: Only current or recently graduated University of Michigan Master’s students are eligible. Before applying, students must have completed more than half of all required courses, with at least six credits from the Bioinformatics Program.

Application deadline: October 1

The online application form can be found on the Rackham Admissions webpages. The application is available in early September through the deadline.

• Letters of recommendation: Please be aware that submitting only the Rackham Recommendation for Admission Form is insufficient; forms must be accompanied by a letter from the recommender. If you wish to include three letters from your original application, only one additional letter is needed. It must be from the DCMB faculty member who will serve as your primary mentor. The letter should state clearly that the mentor takes responsibility for your funding upon admission. Alternatively, you may wish to obtain three new letters of recommendation. The Admissions Committee strongly encourages you to include letters from those familiar with your research and coursework obtained while pursuing your Master’s degree. Of these, one must be from the faculty member who will serve as your primary mentor. The letter should state clearly that the mentor takes responsibility for your funding upon admission.
• Statement of Purpose: The Statement of Purpose should be a concise, well-written statement about your academic and research background, your career goals, and how the PhD Program will help you meet your career and educational objectives.
• Transcripts: Only a current, unofficial U-M transcript is necessary. You do not need to re-submit materials included with your Master’s application.
• TOEFL: If you submitted TOEFL scores when applying to the Master’s Program, additional test scores are not needed.

Bioinformatics consists of a mathematical and/or statistical analysis of a biomedical problem using computation. We define bioinformatics widely and include traditional bioinformatics areas such as for examples, systems biology, genomics, proteomics, plus statistical and evolutionary genetics, clinical informatics, and protein modeling.

As an interdisciplinary field, Bioinformatics attracts graduate students from mathematics, statistics, physics, computer science, biomedical engineering, chemistry, biochemistry and biology. Most incoming students have both a major in one and a minor in another discipline. In recent years students have entered with undergraduate training in bioinformatics or computational biology.

Each student obtains individual counseling by one of the two graduate program directors upon arrival and throughout their academic career. As Bioinformatics is still developing, new courses are added all the time. Current students are encouraged to contact the Program Directors about courses that may be relevant to their studies and are not listed on the website (esp. if they are new or infrequently offered).

In most cases, we recommend you apply to the PIBS program, as it provides flexibility in classes, funding, and a central admission for many biomedical programs. If you have no or very little biology background, please contact our Student Services Representative as to whether a direct application would be better. Current student who are considering transferring areas of study should also contact the Bioinformatics Graduate Office.

There is no need to apply both direct and through PIBS, as the same committee sees your applications.

For most students, thesis work includes computing, reading, and writing. A small group also participates in wet laboratory work. Please check both the research areas and student webpages for an overview of the varied subjects addressed in research and student theses.

Many of our graduate students obtain academic postdoctoral fellowships and go on to faculty positions. Quite a significant number of graduates go into non-academic professions such as small or large biotech companies. Some have founded their own business, and others apply their analytical skills in companies unrelated to bioinformatics. For a current list of graduate placement, please visit the alumni pages.

No. If you want to get a PhD, directly apply to the PhD Program.

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• Graduate Student Awards in Microbiology

Microbiology, Virology and Parasitology program within the Cell and Molecular Biology graduate group has announced awards to three talented graduate students. We are excited to see where your research leads you! 

Priyanka Chatterjee is a 4th year PhD student in the Microbiology, Virology and Parasitology subtrack of the Cell and Molecular Biology graduate group. She received the NIH F31 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award to fund her dissertation research in the Pohlschröder Lab.

Yirui Hong is a 4th year PhD student in the Biology graduate group. She received the Teece Dissertation Research Award to fund her dissertation research in the Pohlschröder Lab.

Jacob Cote is a 2nd  year Ph.D. student in the Microbiology, Virology and Parasitology subtrack of the Cell and Molecular Biology graduate group. He received an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP) to fund his dissertation research in the Pohlschröder Lab.

100 Best universities for Mechanical Engineering in Russia

Updated: February 29, 2024

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Below is a list of best universities in Russia ranked based on their research performance in Mechanical Engineering. A graph of 714K citations received by 136K academic papers made by 158 universities in Russia was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Moscow State University

For Mechanical Engineering

2. Tomsk State University

3. St. Petersburg State University

4. Bauman Moscow State Technical University

5. Ufa State Aviation Technical University

6. Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University

7. Tomsk Polytechnic University

8. Ural Federal University

9. South Ural State University

10. National Research University Higher School of Economics

11. Moscow Aviation Institute

12. Novosibirsk State University

13. ITMO University

14. N.R.U. Moscow Power Engineering Institute

15. National Research Nuclear University MEPI

16. Kazan Federal University

17. National University of Science and Technology "MISIS"

18. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology

19. Samara National Research University

20. Moscow State Technological University "Stankin"

21. Novosibirsk State Technical University

22. RUDN University

23. Southern Federal University

24. Saratov State University

25. Ufa State Petroleum Technological University

26. Samara State Technical University

27. Siberian Federal University

28. Kazan National Research Technical University named after A.N. Tupolev - KAI

29. Perm State Technical University

30. Omsk State Technical University

31. Saint Petersburg State Electrotechnical University

32. Moscow Polytech

33. Saint-Petersburg Mining University

34. Magnitogorsk State Technical University

35. Saratov State Technical University

36. Moscow State University of Railway Engineering

37. Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod

38. Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University

39. Tula State University

40. Belgorod State Technological University

41. Far Eastern Federal University

42. Novgorod State University

43. belgorod state university.

44. Finance Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation

45. Moscow Medical Academy

46. Kazan State Technological University

47. Russian State University of Oil and Gas

48. siberian state aerospace university.

49. Tambov State Technical University

50. Voronezh State University

51. Siberian State Industrial University

52. Saint Petersburg State Institute of Technology

53. Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University

54. St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering

55. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia

56. Murmansk State Technical University

57. South-Western State University

58. Ogarev Mordovia State University

59. Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics

60. south-russian state university of economics and service.

61. Perm State University

62. Kuzbass State Technical University

63. Russian National Research Medical University

64. Plekhanov Russian University of Economics

65. Ulyanovsk State Technical University

66. Ulyanovsk State University

67. Penza State University

68. Kuban State University of Technology

69. Polzunov Altai State Technical University

70. Chelyabinsk State University

71. Yaroslavl State University

72. University of Tyumen

73. National Research University of Electronic Technology

74. Leningrad State University

75. Moscow State Pedagogical University

76. Udmurt State University

77. Irkutsk State University

78. North-Eastern Federal University

79. Bashkir State University

80. Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration

81. Kuban State University

82. Kuban State Agricultural University

83. St. Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation

84. Kemerovo State University

85. Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University

86. Orenburg State University

87. Baltic State Technical University "Voenmeh"

88. Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building

89. Chuvash State University

90. ivanovo state power university.

91. Irkutsk National Research Technical University

92. Orel State University

93. State University of Management

94. Tomsk State Pedagogical University

95. Volgograd State University

96. Petrozavodsk State University

97. Tver State University

98. Northern Arctic Federal University

99. Omsk State Transport University

100. Kaliningrad State Technical University

The best cities to study Mechanical Engineering in Russia based on the number of universities and their ranks are Moscow , Tomsk , Saint Petersburg , and Ufa .

Engineering subfields in Russia