The MS in Bioinformatics and Molecular Biochemistry is offered by the Graduate School of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences at the Foggy Bottom campus in Washington, District of Columbia, U.S.A. The program provides schedule flexibility (classes are held in the late afternoons and evenings), options to choose between a thesis or non-thesis track, and between a 1-year or a 2-year program. The program of study provides an excellent opportunity to gain knowledge and skills that are becoming increasingly vital in biomedical research. Students will be encouraged to make contact with faculty members in the department who are developing bioinformatics research opportunities that can be pursued remotely or in person. It combines a rigorous and up-to-date curriculum with hands-on experience in a myriad of laboratories and research initiatives and allows students to partially create their own program by offering a diverse elective course pool. The program includes students coming from many countries, and our graduates have gone on to successfully pursue many career paths.
The Department has a passionately committed Teaching Faculty with a strong biomedical research background, who teach most of the undergraduate, graduate, medical, and allied health biochemistry and molecular biology courses. The Research Faculty develops and teaches the advanced courses for the MS and Ph.D. programs, and mentors students in their research projects.
MS Program in Bioinformatics and Molecular Biochemistry
Overview
The MS Program in Bioinformatics and Molecular Biochemistry offers an interdisciplinary, application-based curriculum in Biomedical Informatics and Biochemistry. Located in the heart of Washington DC, our programs are in close proximity to government labs (NIH, USDA, and FDA), as well as biotechnology companies, research hospitals, law firms, and nonprofits; providing students with ample, unparalleled professional development opportunities.
One of the first in the US, the program is devoted exclusively to teaching important genome-wide approaches to medicine and biology. It focuses on medical genomics, proteomics, applied bioinformatics, Big Data statistics, system biology, pharmaceutical oncology, algorithm development, next-generation sequencing, data analysis, biocuration, and annotation. After graduating, students work in various job sectors holding positions as bioinformaticians in academia or industry, while others pursue Ph.D. programs at GWU or other leading institutions.
The program is housed in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine. Here students will build a strong foundation in bioinformatics that is rooted in biochemistry and molecular biochemistry, covering topics such as protein structure and function, metabolism, biochemical genetics, and cutting-edge technologies in molecular and genome biology, all of which are important to decipher the intricacies of human health and disease. Students will be prepared for jobs in academic or industrial research, as well as in any discipline ranging from advanced biomedical research, medicine, and public health to law and policy.
Research Opportunities
- Cancer Biology
- Inflammation
- Pathobiology
- Computational Genomics
What we offer:
- Schedule flexibility
- Thesis and non-thesis tracks
- 1-year or 2-year programs
- Hands-on experience in a myriad of laboratories & research initiatives
- Diverse elective course pool to choose from
Application deadlines
- Fall Domestic: August 1st
- Fall International: May 1st
- Spring Domestic: December 1st
- Spring International: October 1st
These deadlines are specific to our program. We review applications submitted by these dates on a case-by-case basis.
The graduate application process and links can be found here. More information in the Bulletin including overview, admissions, and requirements are described in the Bulletin here.
If you are having any issues, please reach out to CCAS Graduate Admissions at askccas [at] gwu [dot] edu (askccas[at]gwu[dot]edu).
Contact
Manjari Dimri, M.D., M.A. Ed. & H.D.
Director of Graduate Services
Associate Professor
Program Co-Director
Ross Hall, Room 205
Office Phone: 202-994-7271
Email: mdimri [at] gwu [dot] edu (mdimri[at]gwu[dot]edu)
Raja Mazumder, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Program Co-Director
Ross Hall, Room 540
Office Phone: 202-994-5004
Phone lab: 202-994-3639
Email: mazumder_lab [at] gwu [dot] edu (mazumder_lab[at]gwu[dot]edu)