Biophysics (BIPH)

Graduate Degree Program
College: Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences

Abstract

The Biophysics Program in the Institute for Physical Science and Technology offers Ph.D. degrees in Biophysics. It is affiliated with the College of Computer, Mathematical, & Natural Sciences and the College of Engineering. 

The Maryland Biophysics Program aims to train graduate students in the use of theoretical, computational, and experimental methods to gain quantitative insights into biological systems. The post genomic era is bringing tools for unprecedented characterization and control of living systems. To fully harness these tools for quantitative insights in biology, biomedicine, and bioengineering requires expertise from a number of disciplines. Thus, our program includes faculty from Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Mathematics, Materials Science, and Bioengineering. The Biophysics Program is open to students with undergraduate degrees in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Mathematics, Computational Science, or Engineering. Because student backgrounds are diverse, we tailor the curriculum to suit the needs of the individual. 

Research areas include Computational Biology and Complex Networks; Molecular Simulations; Cell Mechanics and Motility; Biological Machines and Molecular Motors; Protein and RNA Folding; Experimental and Computational Neuroscience; Membrane Biophysics; Machine Learning in Biology; Statistical Thermodynamics; Mechanobiology; Cellular dynamics in immune signaling and cancer.

The core courses that include (but are not limited to) Statistical Mechanics, Chemical Thermodynamics, Biophysical Chemistry, Membrane Biophysics and Cell Biology constitute the basis for further specialization.

Financial Assistance

TAships, RAships, Fellowships, arrangements for support from the National Institutes of Health.

Contact

Jeffery Klauda
Biophysics Program Co-Director

1227A Chemical & Nuclear Engineering Building
4418 Stadium Drive
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Telephone: 301.405.1320
Email: jbklauda@umd.edu

Arpita Upadhyaya
Biophysics Program Co-Director

1151 Physical Sciences Complex
4296 Stadium Drive
College Park, MD 20742
Telephone: 301.405.9939
Email: arpitau@umd.edu

Jessica Crosby
Program Coordinator

2123 Institute for Physical Science & Tech
8108 Regents Drive
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Telephone: 301.405.9307
Emailjcrosby@umd.edu

Website: http://www.marylandbiophysics.umd.edu
 

Courses:  BCHM BIOE BIOL BIPH BSCI CHEM ENMA PHYS

Relationships: Chemical Physics (CHPH), Chemistry (CHEM), Materials Science and Engineering (ENMA), Physics (PHYS)Fischell Department of Bioengineering (BIOE)

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Statement of Purpose: In addition to the questions requested by the Graduate School, applicants should include their interests in the University of Maryland’s Biophysics Ph.D. program
  • Transcript(s)
  • TOEFL/IELTS/PTE (international graduate students)

PROGRAM-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

  • Letters of Recommendation (3)
  • Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (optional)
  • GRE Subject (optional)
  • CV/Resume
  • Writing Sample(s) (optional, up to 3)
  • Description of Research/Work Experience 

Students dedicated to a career in experimental or theoretical biophysics are sought. For more admissions information or to apply to the program, please visit our Graduate School website: https://gradschool.umd.edu/admissions

APPLICATION DEADLINES

Type of Applicant Fall Deadline
Domestic Applicants
US Citizens and Permanent Residents January 7, 2025
International Applicants
F (student) or J (exchange visitor) visas; A,E,G,H,I and L visas and immigrants January 7, 2025

RESOURCES AND LINKS:

Other Deadlines: marylandbiophysics.umd.edu
Program Website: marylandbiophysics.umd.edu/admissions/
Application Process: gradschool.umd.edu/admissions/application-process/step-step-guide-applying

Incoming students are provided with private desk space and up to date computer facilities. A Biophysics Seminar is run on the average of once a week generally given by visiting scholars. For those students electing to take the Seminar for credit (one credit is offered) must sign in each week. Three-person committee to mentor students. Symposia consisting of about six nationally and internationally known scholars are conducted once a year on various topics. Seminars and Symposia are well attended by students, postdocs, faculty, and visitors from local institutions such as NIH and Johns Hopkins.

Last Name First/Middle Name Graduate Faculty Status Academic Credentials Positions
Aranda-Espinoza Jose Helim Full Member B.S., University of Zacatecas, Mexico 1990; M.S., University of San Luis Potosi, Mexico 1993; Ph.D., University of San Luis Potosi, Mexico 1998. Associate Chair, Bioengineering
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Associate Professor, Bioengineering
Associate Professor, Biophysics
Affiliate Associate Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Briber Robert M. Full Member B.S.,Cornell University, 1979; M.S., University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 1981; Ph.D., 1984. Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Professor, Biophysics
Professor, Chemical Physics
Butts Daniel Full Member B.A., Oberlin College, 1994; Ph.D., University of California Berkeley, 2000. Professor, Biophysics
Associate Professor, Applied Mathematics & Statistics, and Scientific Computation
Associate Professor, Neurosciences and Cognitive Science
Associate Professor, Biological Sciences
Dayie Kwaku Full Member B.A. Physics,1990, Hamilton College; PhD., Biophysics, 1996, Harvard University Associate Professor, Biochemistry
Associate Professor, Biophysics
Associate Professor, Chemistry
Duncan Gregg Full Member Associate Professor, Bioengineering
Assistant Professor, Biophysics
Feijo Jose Full Member Ph.D., University of Lisbon Professor, Biological Sciences
Professor, Biophysics
Fushman David Full Member M.S., University of Kazan, 1978; Ph.D., University of Kazan, 1985. Associate Director, Biophysics
Professor, Biochemistry
Professor, Chemical Physics
Professor, Chemistry
Girvan Michelle Full Member B.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1999; Ph.D., Cornell University, 2003; Ph.D., 2004. Associate Professor, Applied Mathematics & Statistics, and Scientific Computation
Associate Professor, Physics
Associate Professor, Biophysics
Huang Huang Chiao Full Member Associate Professor, Bioengineering
Assistant Professor, Biophysics
Jarzynski Christopher Full Member Professor, Physics
Professor, Biophysics
Professor, Chemical Physics
Professor, Chemistry
Klauda Jeffery Full Member Ph.D. University of Delaware Associate Professor, Biophysics
Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering
Graduate Director, Chemical Engineering
Levy Doron Full Member B.Sc., Tel-Aviv University,Israel 1991 M.Sc., Tel-Aviv University,1994 Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University,1997 Distinguished Scholar-Teacher, Applied Mathematics & Statistics, and Scientific Computation
Distinguished Scholar-Teacher, Mathematics
Professor, Mathematics
Professor, Biophysics
Losert Wolfgang Full Member M.S., University of Munich, 1995; Ph.D., City College of New York, 1998 Professor, Physics
Professor, Biophysics
Associate Professor, Chemical Physics
Affiliate Professor, Bioengineering
Matysiak Silvina Full Member Ph.D., Rice University, 2007 Associate Professor, Bioengineering
Assistant Professor, Biophysics
Papoian Garegin Full Member B.S.,1994,Russian Academy of Science; Ph.D., 1999, Cornell University Director, Chemical Physics
Associate Professor, Biophysics
Associate Professor, Chemistry
Scarcelli Giuliano Full Member Assistant Professor, Biophysics
Speer Colenso Full Member Ph.D., University of California, Davis, 2010 Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
Assistant Professor, Biophysics
Stroka Kimberly Full Member Associate Professor, Bioengineering
Assistant Professor, Biophysics
Sukharev Sergei I. Full Member M.S., Russia, 1980; Ph.D., M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1987. Director, Biophysics
Professor, Biological Sciences
Tiwary Pratyush Full Member n/a, Applied Mathematics & Statistics, and Scientific Computation
Assistant Professor, Biochemistry
Assistant Professor, Biophysics
Assistant Professor, Chemistry
Upadhyaya Arpita Full Member B.E. & M.S., Birla Institute of Technology and Science, India, 1994; Ph.D., University of Notre Dame, 2000; Associate Professor, Physics
Assistant Professor, Biophysics
Assistant Professor, Chemical Physics
Weeks John D. Full Member B.A., Harvard University, 1965; Ph.D., University of Chicago, 1969. Distinguished University Professor, Biophysics
Distinguished University Professor, Chemical Physics
Distinguished University Professor, Chemistry
Affiliate Professor, Physics