Pathology and Translational Pathobiology, Ph.D. (CIP 26.0910)

The PhD degree is the highest academic degree offered by the university and is conferred only for work of distinction in which the student displays original scholarship. The ultimate goals of the doctoral program in Pathology and Translational Pathobiology will be to develop graduates capable of elucidating the mechanisms and origins of human disease at the molecular and/or organismal level. Additionally, the Doctoral Program will provide students the opportunity to translate mechanistic insights gained at the bench to clinically relevant applications. The program involves interdisciplinary and mentor-guided training in molecular and cellular biology, disease pathogenesis, animal models of disease, and translational biomedical research. Research programs in Pathology and Translational Pathobiology focus primarily on the major causes of human disability and death, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and metabolic diseases. Doctoral training includes extensive biomedical research training, coursework relevant to the student’s research interests, and the development of soft skills, such as grant writing, networking, and public speaking, that play a critical role in the student’s career development.

Formal Coursework

Doctoral training in Pathology and Translational Pathobiology will require students to attain in depth understanding of various aspects of cell and molecular biology, organ system biology, animal models of human disease, tissue histology, and disease pathogenesis. To obtain this knowledge, the students will undertake extensive formal coursework composed of a unified core curriculum, advanced pathology coursework, and selected elective courses based on the student’s proposed research area. Doctoral programs at LSU Health Shreveport require students to pass 32 credit hours, including 20 hours letter grade hours, as part of their doctoral training. Students in the proposed Pathology and Translational Pathobiology PhD Track will obtain well over 32 credit hours in the first two years and 22.5 letter grade hours in the first two years, including 17 letter grade hours during Year 1 and 5.5 letter grade hours in Year 2. A detailed curriculum is listed below. Full-time students who have not yet completed the coursework requirement must register for a minimum of 9 credit hours (letter grade or S/U) in both fall and spring semesters, and 6 credit hours in summer semester. Students who have completed all coursework should register for dissertation research credit hours until completing all degree requirements.

Graduate Student Curriculum

Year 1. The Pathology and Translational Pathobiology first-year curriculum closely matches that offered from the Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology and the Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Neuroscience to allow students that enter the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program to have access to all three of these departments into the spring of their first year. In addition to the required coursework, all Pathology and Translational Pathobiology doctoral students will gain a basic understanding of clinical lab functions through a week-long rotation through the clinical laboratories in their first summer of doctoral training. These interactions with clinical colleagues, further solidified by participation and presentation within Pathology Grand Rounds, will help students identify mechanisms to improve the translational aspects of their research.

In year 2, doctoral students in Pathology and Translational Pathobiology will take two specialized advanced Pathology courses, a histology course, and student-selected electives. This will allow students to tailor their graduate training within this curriculum.