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Center for Structural Biology

CSB Training Opportunities

Outreach, Education & Instrument Certification

  • Protein Production & Characterization – All new users must complete one-on-one training before gaining self-served access to CSB instrumentation. User fees vary depending on the instrument. Expression vectors developed by the CSB are provided to Vanderbilt researchers free of charge.
  • Macromolecular Crystallography – Training and certification on X-ray instrumentation is conducted on an individual basis. Training on any instrument is available by scheduling time with the Director of Operations. Facility training and support is available for researchers with no previous crystallography training. This is currently done on an individual basis. Anyone considering crystallography should be committed to spending several months learning the techniques. However, this can be accomplished in segments as the project develops.
  • Biomolecular NMR – There are three progressive levels of training offered, nominally associated with 1D, 2D and finally 3D NMR techniques. Each course certifies the user to perform experiments of an increasingly sophisticated level. The courses begin with a lecture component but emphasize hands-on training to familiarize users with the instruments. These courses are provided to Vanderbilt researchers free of charge.
  • Cryo Electron Microscopy – The Cryo-EM Facility is a shared resource for the Center of Structural Biology. All users share responsibility for careful, error-free usage of the microscopes and other equipment in the facility. The facility staff offers training and consultation in planning EM experiments, sample preparation and imaging, using equipment and data analysis.
  • Computational Structural Biology – Training and consultation in a variety of Computational Structural Biology techniques is available via Workshops and one-on-one sessions. Workshops and consulting services are supported in part by user fees, but initial consultation and project feasibility determination are always free of charge.

Graduate Opportunities

  • Molecular Biophysics Graduate Training Program
    The Molecular Biophysics Training Program is an interdisciplinary program offering training opportunities in a wide range of topics in Molecular Biophysics, using a broad spectrum of physical, chemical, and computational approaches.
  • Chemical and Physical Biology Graduate Program
    The CPB Program is a PhD track, multidisciplinary program introducing elements of biology to students who wish to pursue a doctoral degree at the interface of the chemical, physical, and biological sciences. The curriculum will prepare students for research careers at the chemistry-biology interface, in structural biology, in molecular biophysics, or in computational biology. Previous didactic training in the biological sciences is not required for entry into the CPB program.
  • Interdisciplinary Graduate Program
    Individuals pursuing a PhD in the basic biomedical or biological science departments at Vanderbilt University join these departments through the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in the Biomedical Sciences (IGP). Participating programs and departments include Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Cancer Biology, Cell & Developmental Biology, Human Genetics, Microbiology & Immunology, Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Neuroscience, Pathology and Pharmacology.
  • Department of Chemistry Graduate Program
    The Department of Chemistry is a core element of the life and physical sciences at Vanderbilt Univeristy. Graduate students, post-docs, staff and faculty work together and with other leading national and international scientists. We build intellectual relationships across disciplines—working with the College of Arts and Science, the School of Engineering, and the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine—with particular emphasis on chemical biology, structural biology, molecular toxicology, materials chemistry and nanotechnology. The Graduate Program prepares students for a myriad of educational, postdoctoral and professional opportunities.
  • Department of Biological Sciences Graduate Program
    The Department of Biological Sciences is a diverse life science department composed of internationally recognized scholars in areas of research at all levels of biological organization – from molecules and cells to organisms and ecosystems. Because of this diversity in research, the graduate program is highly flexible and allows students and their faculty mentors to design paths that maximize the growth of each individual student. Students in the program develop critical thinking skills and technical expertise through dissertation research, a firm foundation of course work, seminars, teaching opportunities and a wide range of professional development activities. Our graduates are successful in securing careers in science and related fields in a variety of settings that include academic research and teaching, biotech and governmental agencies.