³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ

The M.Sc. in Biochemistry introduces students to laboratory-based research at an advanced level. The M.Sc. program offers core courses in advanced biochemistry topics, but focuses on laboratory research. The program provides sophisticated training in the technical as well as theoretical aspects of biochemistry, at one of the leading Biochemistry departments in Canada. The M.Sc. program is an excellent preparation for skilled positions in the biomedical sciences, in industry or the public sector, or for superior research in a Ph.D. program.

Bioinformatics research lies at the intersection of biological/medical sciences and mathematics/computer science/engineering. The intention of the Bioinformatics option is to train students to become researchers in this interdisciplinary field. This includes the development of strategies for experimental design, the construction of tools to analyze datasets, the application of modelling techniques, the creation of tools for manipulating bioinformatics data, the integration of biological databases, and the use of algorithms and statistics.

M.Sc. level – Students successfully completing the Bioinformatics option at the M.Sc. level will be fluent in the concepts, language, approaches, and limitations of the field.

The option consists of a number of interdisciplinary courses and a seminar designed to bring students from many backgrounds together and to provide a thorough overview of research in this field.

The Chemical Biology Thematic Group is engaged in a diverse range of research topics, which span structural biology, enzymology, nucleic acid research, signalling pathways, single molecule biophysics, and biophysical chemistry of living tissues. Among the themes that unite the research being performed in this group is the attempt to learn new chemistry and physics from biological systems. We have projects relating to pharmaceutically relevant enzymes such as those involved in drug metabolism and antibiotic resistance; development of therapeutic agents in the control of inflammation, cancer, and viral infections; the chemical biology of NO; quantification of bioenergetic markers of metabolism; self-assembly mechanisms of the HIV-1 virion capsid; liposome microarray systems to address membrane protein dynamics and recognition; studies on reactive oxygen species translocation across the aqueous/lipid membrane interface; RNAi/antisense technologies; dynamic combinatorial chemistry; protein dynamics and function; mechanistic aspects involved in cellular adhesion and transport in membrane and zeolite channels; and cutting-edge microscopes used to examine transport, motility, and reactivity in cells.

The Chemical Biology graduate option is centred on the pursuit of an original research project under the direction of one or more mentors. The program is supported by ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ and by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) through its Strategic Training Initiatives program.

The program of training incorporates several important features, including a diverse curriculum and programs of seminars, workshops, and discussion groups designed to provide students with a well-rounded exposure to both the chemical and biological aspects of the discipline. The M.Sc. option provides a foundation in the concepts and approaches of Chemical Biology.

The Ph.D. in Biochemistry trains students in laboratory-based research at the highest level. The Ph.D. program is streamlined to emphasize independent research, and the many areas of biochemistry studied in our Department offer a wide choice of specialties. Students gain in-depth expertise in biochemistry and the biomedical sciences, with the opportunity to carry out research projects at a world-class level and build collaborations with other leading research groups.

Graduates of the Ph.D. program are outstandingly prepared for leadership careers in the basic health sciences in industry, the public sector, or academia.

Bioinformatics research lies at the intersection of biological/medical sciences and mathematics/computer science/engineering. The intention of the Bioinformatics option is to train students to become researchers in this interdisciplinary field. This includes the development of strategies for experimental design, the construction of tools to analyze datasets, the application of modelling techniques, the creation of tools for manipulating Bioinformatics data, the integration of biological databases, and the use of algorithms and statistics.

Ph.D. level – Students successfully completing the Bioinformatics option at the Ph.D. level will be fluent in the concepts, language, approaches, and limitations of the field, and have the capability of developing an independent Bioinformatics research program.

The option consists of a number of interdisciplinary courses and a seminar designed to bring students from many backgrounds together and to provide a thorough overview of research in this field.

The Chemical Biology Thematic Group is engaged in a diverse range of research topics which span structural biology, enzymology, nucleic acid research, signalling pathways, single molecule biophysics, and biophysical chemistry of living tissues. Among the themes which unite the research being performed in this group is trying to learn new chemistry and physics from biological systems. We have projects relating to pharmaceutically relevant enzymes such as those involved in drug metabolism and antibiotic resistance; development of therapeutic agents in the control of inflammation, cancer and viral infections; the chemical biology of NO; quantification of bioenergetic markers of metabolism; self-assembly mechanisms of the HIV-1 virion capsid; liposome microarray systems to address membrane protein dynamics and recognition; studies on reactive oxygen species translocation across the aqueous/lipid membrane interface; RNAi/antisense technologies; dynamic combinatorial chemistry; protein dynamics and function; mechanistic aspects involved in cellular adhesion and transport in membrane and zeolite channels; and cutting-edge microscopes used to examine transport, motility, and reactivity in cells.

The Chemical Biology graduate option is centred on the pursuit of an original research project under the direction of one or more mentors. The program is supported by ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ and by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) through its Strategic Training Initiatives program.

The program of training incorporates several important features, including a diverse curriculum and programs of seminars, workshops, and discussion groups designed to provide students with a well-rounded exposure to both the chemical and biological aspects of the discipline. The Ph.D. option provides advanced training in Chemical Biology based on independent research.

Financial support for students in the program is available from a variety of sources, including competitively awarded CIHR-funded Chemical Biology Scholarship awards.