Program Components

Program Components

Training through the Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô Molecular Biophysics program can be divided into a few categories: coursework and electives; research training, including rigor and reproducibility and responsible conduct of research; mentorship and progress evaluation; cohort and community building; and professional development. An example timeline of what Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô's training program looks like can be found below.

Timeline of PhD requirements for trainees

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Rigor & Reproducibility and Responsible Conduct of Research

Rigor and reproducibility (R&R) and the responsible conduct of research (RCR) are both important features of the Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô Molecular Biophysics Program. As a starting point, trainees must take GRAD 5000 - The Resopnsible Conduct of Research, a one credit course that features 10+ hours of formal coursework that covers 9 NIH-required topics. This RCR training must be refreshed every four years through an additional online course (see Resources).

In addition to an additional introduction in GRAD 5000, the Biophysics program cultivates R&R learning in many program components. It is a focus in both required courses, where students engage with scientific literature and research conducted by their peers. R&R is explicitly highlighted in Supergroup presentations through statistics requirements and focused questions from faculty directors; this policy is good chance for trainees and the larger Biophysics community to see real examples of how to incorporate rigor in a variety of situations. R&R is also reinforced through annual committee meetings, mentor-mentee compacts, and IDPs. A new workshop will be offered starting in Fall 2026 that focuses on R&R with large datasets, hosted by Prof. Mary Allen.

Research Training and Mentorship

All participating departments have first-year students serve as teaching assistants, an opportunity to practice teaching and mentoring skills. Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô Boulder's Center for STEM Learning and Center for Teaching and Learning provide training opportunities that train both faculty and graduate students in modern pedagogical tools.

All Biophysics trainees perform rotations to select an appropriate lab for their thesis. This exposes trainees to multiple disciplines and research areas, which enriches their experience, and also improves finding a good mentor-mentee fit. To further ensure productive relationships between trainees and their advisors, trainees must sign mentorship compacts which outline the responsibilities and expectations for both graduate students and advisors.

The Molecular Biophysics program requires that trainees have annual committee meetings to provide support and feedback, whether or not this is a requirement of the trainee's home department. A committee must be composed of at least four faculty including a trainee's advisor and at least one additional faculty who is a member of the Molecular Biophysics program. At the end of the meeting, committee members fill out a form with a trainee that summarizes the main discussion points, including R&R, and also comments on the timeline to graduation and future career plans. The form also instructs the trainee's advisor to leave, to give room for any discussions about mentor-mentee relationship that might be impacting a student's training.

Biophysics Classes

Biophysics has two associated courses, BCHM 5491 - Biophysical Methods (3 credits) and BCHM 6601 - Biophysics Seminar (1 credit).

Biophysical Methods introduces students to the theory and practice of quantitative biophysics techniques including spectroscopy, fluorescence and imaging, and mass spectrometry. This course relies on team-focused projects to encourage collaboration and teach communication skills. Students also focus on and discuss rigor and reproducibility in these methods, helping them understand how to conduct high-quality research with their own methods and fields. This course is offered every other year, so trainees may take it during their first or second year of participation in the program, but is open to all students regardless of program affiliation.

The Biophysics Seminar is an opportunity to develop communication skills and interact with outside faculty. Students give research updates, followed by scientific questions and presentation feedback from their peers. Students also read papers from visiting faculty speakers and prepare questions for a discussion in class, where students can directly engage with experts from a variety of biophysical fields. This course must be taken every semester during both semester of training, for one credit each semester. Note - this course is only open to trainees.

Elective Courses

At least three credits of approved biophysics electives must be completed either prior to or during training. Approved elective courses are offered in a variety of different departments, and trainees are encouraged to complete electives that complement their field of study. Approved electives include:

  • BCHM 5770 - Fundamentals of Biochemistry I, 3 credits
  • BCHM 5312 - Quantitative Optical Imaging, 3 credits
  • CHEN 5150 - Biomolecular Kinetics, Transport, and Thermodynamics, 3 credits
  • CHEN 5838 - Special Topics in Chemical Engineering, 1-3 credits, depends on section
  • MCDB 5520 - Bioinformatics and Genomics, 3 credits
  • MCDB 6440 - Special Topics in MCD Biology: Advanced Biological Data Science, 3 credits
  • CSCI 6118 - Software Engineering for Scientists, 3 credits
  • PHYS 7230 - Statistical Mechanics, 3 credits
  • CHEM 5531 - Statistical Mechanics, 3 credits
  • PHYS 5250 - Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, 3 credits

If you have questions about a particular course or would like to approve a new course, reach out to Eric Rohlinger (eric.rohlinger@colorado.edu) for more information.

Professional Development

Trainees must annually complete an Individual Development Plan (IDP) which considers skill development and career exploration and preparation. A variety of formats are acceptable, including the NIH's myIDP, the American Chemical Society's ChemIDP, or the University of Wisconsin's IDP. Trainees are encouraged to frequently discuss the IDP with their advisors.

Trainees also nominate, invite, and host speakers from other institutions. These visits provide a great chance for students to ask both research and professional development questions, and they can also be a useful networking opportunity.

Trainees are required to attend at least four career and professional development events annually, which are offered both at Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô and outside. These events help trainees explore career paths, both in academia and outside, and also help trainees gain useful skills for after graduation. Examples of career events include:

  • Job search, resume, and interview workshops from the Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô Career Center
  • Inclusive Research Mentoring (CIMER) workshops from the Center for Teaching and Learning at Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô
  • Public science communication workshops from the Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô Clinical and Translational Science Institute
  • The Grad+ Writing Retreats offered by the Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô Graduate School
  • Teaching and research statement workshops from the Center for Teaching and Learning
  • Founder and Funder Perspectives on SBIR/STTR panel from the Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô Research and Innovation Office
  • Workshops from GRADCO, a professional development collaboration across five Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô universities
  • Visiting speakers in NRSC 7102, a course offered at Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô that highlights career paths outside of academia

Biophysics Supergroup and Community

Biophysics supergroup is hosted once a month and usually features two student presentations from member labs. This serves as a great chance for students to present their work to a broad audience, and it also provides a place for the wider Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô biophysical community to connect both professionally and personally.

Biophysics trainees also organize and host roundtables, which encourage community within the program and are used to prepare for conferences and other important presentations, scientific literature discussion, or even manuscript preparation. Trainees can learn from each other at roundtables, which supports interdisciplinary research and collaboration within the program.

How to Get Involved

Graduate students are encouraged to apply each spring. In addition to NIH and Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô funded traineeships, so students will be offered affiliate status. All students are welcome to participate with the certificate option. More detail can be found here [link in progress].

Faculty interested in joining the Molecular Biophysics program should reach out to Eric Rohlinger (Eric.Rohlinger@colorado.edu).