Anatomy and cell biology, MS - for continuing students only

Assessment of Progress

The student’s progress will be assessed continuously based upon performance in the courses taken and upon evaluations by the Division of Anatomy and Cell Biology’s Graduate Advisory Committee. Good academic standing necessary for graduation requires maintenance of a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0. Students who fail to earn at least “B” grades in courses within the division, or whose overall GPA falls below 3.0, are placed on probationary status for review of their progress by the Graduate Advisory Committee. Pending this review, any student on probation may be recommended for a remedial action or for dismissal from the program. An outline of these specific academic policies and grievance mechanisms is accessible on the departmental Web site; a printed version may be obtained from the Graduate Program Director.

Graduate College/Rush University Academic Policies

Academic policies specific to The Graduate College are located earlier in this catalog. In addition, the Academic Resources and Policies section of this catalog contains Rush University academic policies.

Guidance

Each entering student is guided in his or her course of study by the Program Director with the assistance of the Graduate Advisory Committee until such time as the student determines a course of dissertation/thesis scholarship and selects a Research Advisor. The Research Advisor must hold an appointment in the Division of Anatomy and Cell Biology. The Research Advisor assists the student in development of a dissertation/thesis proposal, selection of a dissertation/thesis committee and in oversight of the dissertation research and writing. The student, in consultation with the Research Advisor and Graduate Program Director, is responsible for assuring that his or her graduate coursework satisfies requirements of both the Division and The Graduate College for completion of the degree.

Thesis Requirements for Master’s Students

After completion of their coursework and initiation of their research, students identify a master’s thesis committee (three members) and present their thesis proposal for review. The composition of the committee is governed by the Graduate College’s Policy and Procedures document. This proposal is ordinarily scheduled toward the end of summer after their first year. Completion of the study, the thesis and its presentation and defense are to be completed by May in order to qualify for a June graduation.

MS with Advanced Placement

An advanced placement track is available for residents or clinical fellows who may be afforded extended time to pursue research. Students or graduates of Rush or accredited United States or Canadian medical schools are eligible for this advanced placement track. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is ordinarily required, although applicants can petition for an exemption based on their MCAT scores. Proficiency exams administered by the program may be required to validate competency in certain areas or to help set up program plans. International medical graduates will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Their eligibility is based on TOEFL and GRE scores as well as undergraduate medical records and recommendations. The advanced placement track recognizes the medical course background of the applicants by exempting them from anatomy, histology and neurobiology course requirements. The emphasis is on research, laboratory-based training and project development with the completion and defense of their master’s thesis.

Tuition Scholarships/Stipends

Tuition scholarships are provided for all doctoral trainees along with stipend support equivalent to NIH guidelines and according to Graduate College’s Policy and Procedures for predoctoral fellowships. No tuition forgiveness or stipends are provided to master’s students. Tuition and stipend for MD students pursuing an MS degree are based on Graduate College’s Policy and Procedures and resources available to the department and the advisor.

Paid Employment

Outside employment is not permitted under ordinary circumstances. A student who desires to work or needs to work for financial or other reasons is first advised to discuss his or her situation with the research advisor who can best assess potential issues that may relate to conduct of research or other degree requirements. If the student cannot resolve the situation with his or her advisor, the student may petition the Program Director to help arrive at a recommendation that is in the student’s best interest. In any case, the Program Director should stand apprised of any instances of employment.

Bone Biology and Orthopedics

Methods of enhancing bone regeneration for improving fixation of orthopedic implants (e.g., for joint replacement) are being investigated in experimental models and in patients. These studies feature mechanisms by which bone adapts to altered mechanical stresses and to the presence of foreign materials in these devices. The role of growth factors and cytokines is being studied in these models. (Sumner, Virdi)

Bone Biology and the Bone Marrow Stroma

Mesenchymal stem cells in the bone marrow stroma can give rise to a number of cell lineages, including osteogenic, chondrogenic, myogenic and adipogenic. Isolation and characterization of the early progenitors has a great potential for their use in clinical situations of tissue repair and regeneration. Our research interests focus on molecular studies using gene-expression profiling and the role of these cells as vehicles for delivering growth factors to the site of repair. (Virdi, Sumner)

Joint Pathophysiology

The pathophysiologic processes that produce damage to joints and articular cartilage are being examined in experimental models. Possible approaches to protecting cartilage from damage and inducing cartilage repair are being studied as a means to restore articular surfaces damaged by trauma or osteoarthritis. The role of bone in the development and progression of osteoarthritis is controversial. Several of our recent studies have suggested that bone may play a critical role. (Williams, Sumner, Thorp)

Movement Disorders

Faculty investigator and a team of collaborators are investigating: (1) Balance, gait and functional mobility deficits in neurodegenerative disorders as well as identifying potential functional markers for early detection of such disorders. (2) Novel technologies to measure hyperactive motion including repetitive, stereotyped movements in individuals with Fragile X Syndrome and autism as potential outcome measures in future therapeutic intervention trials. (O’Keefe)

Cartilage Biology and Bone Growth

The long-term goals of this research area is to understand the molecular mechanisms that govern chondrocyte maturation (hypertrophy) during skeletal development; and to identify putative therapeutic targets that regulate chondrocyte maturation and are therefore involved in the pathogenesis of related skeletal dysplasias and/or osteoarthritis. Current projects are focused on identification of transcriptional determinants that mediate tissue-specific mouse Col10a1 expression in hypertrophic chondrocytes in vivo and characterizing the role of Runx2, AP-1 (Activator Protein-1) and other putative transcription factors in late endochondral bone formation. (Zheng)

Ocular Lens

The structural basis of lens opacification (cataract), lens structure/function relationships as a consequence of aging, cataract formation and ocular/systemic diseases and fiber cell elongation/migration in normal lens and models of cataract are being investigated. (Al-Ghoul)

Cancer Research

Dissemination of cancer cells from primary tumor to distal organs (e.g., bone, lungs) is the primary cause of cancer-related deaths. A compelling and therapeutically relevant question is how cancer cells acquire a metastatic phenotype and escape from the primary tumor. Research interests focus on the understanding the role of transcriptional regulatory networks operative during cancer progression and metastasis to bone using various approaches (molecular, biochemical and imaging), and in vitro and in vivo models of cancer metastasis. (Pratap)

Cancer stem cells are highly metastatic and play a key role in tumor recurrence and resistance to radiation and chemotherapy. Cross-talk between the sonic hedgehog signaling pathway, heparanase, and PI-3 kinase signaling pathway, are implicated in promoting cancer stem cell self-renewal and tumor cell invasiveness. Studies in the Xu laboratory focus on the role of these signaling pathways in tumorigenesis and metastasis of thyroid and breast cancer and targeting these signaling pathways for cancer treatment and prevention. (Xu)

Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant bone cancer in children. Current treatment includes aggressive preoperative and postoperative multidrug chemotherapy. Nonetheless, it is estimated that 30% of patients with localized disease and 80% of patients with metastatic disease at diagnosis will relapse. Recurrent tumors are thought to arise from therapy-resistant cancer cells that survive the initial treatment. Determining the molecular basis for chemotherapy resistance should allow one to more effectively target these therapy resistant cells. The tumor suppressor protein p53 is activated and triggers cell death pathways in response to DNA damaging chemotherapeutic drugs. More than 50% of cancer harbor inactivating mutations in p53, and in many cases mutations in p53 have been linked to a diminished response to chemotherapy. A long-term goal in the Maki Lab is to identify molecular mechanisms responsible for therapy resistance in osteosarcoma and other cancers, and then use this information to more effectively target resistant cells. (Maki)

Master’s Degree in Anatomy and Cell Biology

The master’s degree is a research-based degree requiring a thesis based on laboratory or experimental work of limited scope. There is some flexibility in selecting courses to meet the master’s degree requirements. The core courses that students select to meet these requirements are minimized in order to direct students’ efforts to their thesis projects beginning in the first year. Completion of the full course complement and thesis research would ordinarily take two years.

Core courses are based on corresponding courses in Rush Medical College, but may include a supplement for graduate students. In these sessions students are variously presented with problems, encouraged to explore material from historical or contemporary perspectives in the literature, perform and demonstrate special dissections, and to discuss or present material on assigned topics. Weekly journal club meeting on selected topics provide an opportunity for students to discuss papers under faculty supervision. These sessions expose students to methods and experimental studies outside the mainstream of their laboratory setting. The journal club provides experience in critical review of literature with a focus on experimental design and presentation and interpretation of data. Faculty participation in these discussions helps broaden students’ perspectives.

Coursework