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Experimental Pathology Graduate Program
The UC Irvine Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine offers a graduate program in Experimental Pathology. Application to Experimental Pathology is generally through one of two "gateway" programs, which offer multidisciplinary graduate training under the heading of Cellular and Molecular Biosciences (CMB) or the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program (INP).
The CMB and INP programs include a first-year curriculum and the opportunity to rotate through two or more research laboratories. For the CMB program, students select a specific area of interest from 10 areas of academic study, one of which is Experimental Pathology. Experimental Pathology emphasizes experimental approaches to better understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of disease, with a focus on human disease. After the first year in the CMB or INP program, students interested in Experimental Pathology will join the laboratories of faculty within the department or the laboratories of affiliated faculty.
After the first year, Ph.D. students in Experimental Pathology must take one didactic graduate course each year. Senior graduate students (year 4 and beyond) may waive this requirement with approval from the graduate advisor. To satisfy this requirement, students may take Path/MMG 221 (Immunopathogenic Mechanisms of Disease), other approved courses offered by other departments, or any other relevant coursework with approval from the graduate advisor.
An additional mechanism to enter into the Experimental Pathology Ph.D. program is through direct admission. This pathway requires a pre-identified faculty member with an interest and funding to support a graduate student. Contact the graduate advisor for more information regarding this mechanism.
Experimental Pathology Ph.D. students are required to:
- Meet annually with either their advancement/doctoral committee
- Meet regularly one-on-one with their Ph.D. advisor
- Complete an Independent Development Plan (IDP) annually
- Attend seminars and speaker/student lunches
- Participate in the Experimental Pathology Journal Club
- Present a "Research-in-Progress" (RIP) seminar annually in the Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Research Conferences series, usually during the Spring quarter; these oral presentations are an important part of the graduate training. Second year students are required to give a 30-minute RIP talk. In the third year and beyond, students are required to present formal one-hour seminars.
Graduate students are also strongly encouraged to apply for intramural and extramural funding/fellowships (http://som.uci.edu/graduate-studies/student-support/student-support.asp)
Following successful completion of the Experimental Pathology curriculum and research leading to a dissertation thesis, students will receive a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences with a concentration in Experimental Pathology. Graduate students typically advance by the end of the 3rd year and defend by the end of the 5th year.
How to Apply
Application materials, checklists, requirements and regulations to apply to the CMB program can be found on the Cellular & Molecular Biosciences website. (http://cmb.uci.edu/admissions/)
Application materials, checklists, requirements and regulations to apply to the INP program can be found on the interdepartmental Neuroscience Program. (https://inp.uci.edu/admissions-and-application/)
Experimental Pathology Conference Series Schedule
The Experimental Pathology Research Conference Series is an ongoing continuing education program for faculty, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and laboratory staff. The program features a series of conferences targeting research issues. The program is designated by the UC Irvine College of Health Sciences as an approved CME activity and is approved for continuing education credit by California Continuing Education Accreditation Agency.
Research Conferences
When: the last Monday of the month at 11 a.m.
Where: Thorpe Conference Center, 4th floor, Gross Hall
UC Irvine School of Medicine campus
Scientific and Clinical Advances Ground Rounds
When: Thursdays at 12 p.m.
Where: Bldg. 53, Auditorium
UC Irvine Medical Center campus
Contact Us
Elizabeth Head, BSc, MA, PhD
Graduate Advisor
Vice Chair for Research
Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
UC Irvine
1111 Gillespie Neuroscience Research Facility
Irvine, CA 92697-4800
Edwin Monuki, MD, PhD
Department Chair
Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
UC Irvine
D440 Medical Sciences I
Irvine, CA 92697-4800
Dan Mercola, MD, PhD
Director, Experimental Pathology Graduate Program
Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
UC Irvine
D440 Medical Sciences I
Irvine, CA 92697-4800
Stefani Ching
Graduate Student Coordinator
Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
UC Irvine
D440 Medical Sciences I
Irvine, CA 92697-4800
949-824-5367