Webpage: https://icahn.mssm.edu/education/phd/biomedical-sciences/therapeutics
Faculty: https://icahn.mssm.edu/education/phd/biomedical-sciences/therapeutics/faculty
Mount Sinai’s multidisciplinary training area in Disease Mechanisms and Therapeutics (DMT) provides cutting-edge training in molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutic Discovery. Biophysics is an established discipline that uses the principles and methods of physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, and computation to address fundamental biological and biomedical questions, such as what are the structural determinants and molecular mechanisms underlying protein function and how this information can be used to design small-molecule modulators with exciting biological or therapeutic properties. Systems Pharmacology is an emerging interdisciplinary field of research that seeks to translate molecular-level information on diseases and drug action into predictions of effects seen at the organismal level and across heterogeneous populations. The integration of these experimental and computational methodologies is an imperative innovation for the discovery of new therapeutics and the development of personalized medicine.
The DMT program welcomes students from both traditional and non-traditional paths into PhD programs in medical schools, including undergraduate degrees in mathematics, physics, computer science, engineering, chemistry, biochemistry, biology, pharmacology, genetics and many more. While students with a more biological background get the opportunity to obtain rigorous training in biophysical, chemical, and computational approaches to biological research, trainees from more technical disciplines get their first sustained exposure to biological research during their PhD training at Mount Sinai.
This is enabled by DMT’s personalized curriculum and multidisciplinary research programs, which provide a platform for education at the intersection between computation and experiments for the next generation of physicians and biomedical scientists. In particular, trainees are prepared to apply a thorough understanding of molecular recognition, protein-protein interactions, and networks of molecular interactions within and between cells to the design and synthesis of new molecules with potentially improved therapeutic properties in relevant human disease models. We are extremely proud that many of our graduates find employment opportunities (several in the biotech industry and private sector, but also in academia, government, etc.) before their thesis defenses.
DMT provides an educational environment in which students receive the training needed to discover and design new drug-like molecules that can modulate the function of biological systems. Trainees gain a thorough understanding of drugs and drug targets under investigation using a variety of approaches ranging from structural, computational, molecular, and cell biology to biochemistry and synthetic chemistry. Our students also gain a deep understanding of biological systems and disease states through training that emphasizes a quantitative, predictive understanding of physiology, pharmacology, organ level research, and animal studies.
Avner Schlessinger, PhD
212-241-3321
Michael Lazarus, PhD
212-241-7770
PTD uses a personalized curriculum to allow our diverse student body to obtain rigorous training at the intersection between computation and experiments. Depending on their undergrad background, and as early as in the first year, students can choose between different Core Curriculum courses (one in the Fall semester and at least two in the Spring semester). A number of Advanced Electives is offered in the second and third year of the program, although students are welcomed to take advanced electives in other training areas as well.
Systems Biomedicine (BSR1800) OR Biomedical Science (BSR1012)
Biostatistics (BIO6400 or MPH0300)
Responsible Conduct in Research (BSR1003)
Seminars (BSR5802)
Journal Club (BSR4801)
Lab Rotation (BSR1006)
Two of the following three options:
Systems Biology: Biomedical Modeling (BSR1803)
Quantitative Graduate Physiology (BSR1802)
Structural and Chemical Approaches to Pharmacology and Drug Discovery (BSR 2108)
Journal Club (BSR4801)
Rigor and Reproducibility (BSR1022)
Lab Rotation (BSR1006)
Minimum of two advanced electives (1-3 credits each)
Seminars (BSR5802)
Journal Club (BSR4801)
Independent Research (BSR8000)
Minimum of two advanced electives (1-3 credits each)
Seminars (BSR5802)
Journal Club (BSR4801)
Independent Research (BSR8000)
Thesis Proposal
Advanced electives (optional)
Seminars (BSR5802)
Journal Club (BSR4801)
Doctoral Dissertation Research (BSR9000)