THE DEPARTMENT OF PATHOLOGY AND …pathology.ucla.edu/workfiles/CMP/GradStudentManual_13-14.pdf2 September 1, 2013 Dear New and Continuing Graduate Students: On behalf of the faculty

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September 1, 2013

Dear New and Continuing Graduate Students:

On behalf of the faculty and staff in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, I want to

welcome you to the start of the 2013-2014 academic year. We are particularly pleased that you have

chosen to initiate your studies in the Cellular and Molecular Pathology Graduate Program. We wish all of

you great success in your research.

This is the 14th edition of a manual that has been prepared to provide information about the department

and degree requirements of the Cellular and Molecular Pathology Graduate Program. We hope that you

will find it of value and would welcome your suggestions for future editions.

No assembly of forms and short descriptions can explain everything or anticipate every situation, so you

should be aware that there are numerous additional sources of information. For example, the Graduate

Division's informative on-line site (www.gdnet.ucla.edu) has up to date details regarding degree

requirements and campus regulations.

We also want you to feel free to contact members of the department for assistance. Obviously, your

research mentor will be a key source of guidance on most matters that arise. Members of your doctoral

committee are another valuable resource. The department also has a dedicated staff able to help you with

the multiple administrative issues that are part of any large organization. Finally, you should convey

thoughts about the program and ideas for constructive change to your graduate student representatives.

As Graduate Program Director, I am happy to meet with you personally, and I hope you will feel free to

contact me. I can be reached by phone at 310-206-9535 or by e-mail at [email protected]. My

office is located in 11-232 Factor Building.

Again, welcome to the department. We wish you continued success and hope your stay here will be

enjoyable and profitable from both an educational and a personal perspective.

Sincerely,

Kenneth Dorshkind, Ph.D.

Professor and Vice Chair (Research)

Director, Cellular and Molecular Pathology Graduate Program

http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/

mailto:[email protected]

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I.

OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT OF

PATHOLOGY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE

The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Organization of the Cellular and Molecular Pathology Graduate Program

Faculty Roster

Student Roster

Important Phone Numbers

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THE DEPARTMENT OF PATHOLOGY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE

The Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP) is an integral part of the research

enterprise of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and offers a program of study

leading to the Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Pathology. All participating graduate program faculty are

members of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

The missions of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine are patient care,

residency/fellowship instruction, medical and dental school education, research, and graduate education.

History

The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UCLA was formed in the summer of 1951,

and Dr. Sydney Madden served as chair for the first twenty years. Subsequently, Drs. Julien Van Lancker

and Pasquale Cancilla served as chair for about ten years each. During these periods, multiple research

programs matured and the Experimental Pathology Ph.D. program was established. Dr. Jonathan Braun

became interim chair in 1994 and permanent chair in 1995. The graduate program name was changed

from “Experimental Pathology” to “Cellular and Molecular Pathology” in 2002.

Organization

The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine is organized into several divisions focused on i)

Clinical Services, ii) Research Services, iii) Resident and Fellowship Education, iv) Research, and v)

Integrative Anatomy (Figure 1). The heads of each of these units are members of the Pathology

Executive Committee, chaired by Dr. Braun, which serves as a forum for decision making and

communication to faculty and staff.

Clinical Services: The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine provides morphologic and

analytical diagnostic services through its Anatomic Pathology and Clinical Pathology laboratories located

in Westwood and at additional UCLA affiliated hospitals in the greater Los Angeles area.

Research Services: The Immunogenetics laboratory, which provides clinical histocompatibility testing, is

a cornerstone of this division. In addition, several key core laboratories support basic and translational

research studies. For example, the recently established Clinical Microarray Core (CMC) is a high-

throughput genomic facility with a focus on complex genetic testing for the characterization of widely

prevalent diseases. The CMC offers Affymetrix GeneChip-based molecular diagnostic, prognostic, and

other personalized testing by gene expression profiling, high-throughput genotyping, copy number

variation assay, and other genetic analyses.

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Resident and Fellowship Education: The Department offers an outstanding program of clinical

education in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology. Residents experience both areas of pathology early in

their training and obtain hands-on experience that is augmented by conferences, problem-solving

sessions, and didactic presentations. The Department also offers fellowship training in Neuropathology,

Dermatopathology, GI/Liver Pathology, Transfusion Medicine, Hematopathology, Cytopathology,

Molecular Pathology, Cardio-Pulmonary Pathology, Women’s Health, Clinical Microbiology, and Surgical

Pathology.

Training of residents and fellows in general does not overlap with the graduate program. However,

fellows have the opportunity to pursue the Ph.D. degree in Cellular and Molecular Pathology through the

UCLA STAR program, described in Section III.

Research: The responsibilities of the research division include administration of space, disbursement of

equipment funds, and review of requests for bridge funding. The CMP Graduate Program is a

component within the research division.

The Vice-Chair for Research heads a Research Committee that makes decisions regarding major

equipment purchases and reviews requests for space and bridge funding. The CMP Graduate Program

Director is a member of the Research Committee, thus ensuring that the interests of the CMP Graduate

Program are integrated into the division’s decision making process. Also, as noted above, the Vice-Chair

for Research is a member of the Department Executive Committee and represents graduate program

issues at that level.

Integrative Anatomy: This division focuses on curriculum development and instruction in the schools of

medicine and dentistry and operates independent of the CMP Graduate Program.

Administrative Services

The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine has a large administrative structure to support

its clinical and academic missions. The following units are of direct relevance to the CMP Graduate

Program:

Contracts and Grants Administration: This unit includes several fund managers, each of whom manages

the grants and contracts portfolios of individual research faculty members. The fund managers in this

office interact with departmental personnel officers and the CMP student affairs officers to facilitate the

appointment of CMP graduate students to research and training grants and to deal with any financial

issues that arise.

Information Services: This unit is responsible for supporting the Departmental network infrastructure,

the Departmental WEB site, and the clinical laboratory computer system.

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Facilities Management: This unit is responsible for coordinating space planning, laboratory moves,

construction, renovation, and equipment maintenance. The value of this Department-based unit can not

be overemphasized, because research investigators no longer have to take valuable time to find out who

to call to solve a physical plant or equipment maintenance problem.

Location of Research Laboratories

Faculty research laboratories are located in the main CHS complex (the 1P and 1-3 areas), the Brain

Research Institute/Neuropsychiatric Institute, the Rehabilitation Center, the Factor Building, the

Macdonald Medical Research Lab, and the Terasaki Life Sciences Building. In addition, the financial

management group and personnel operations are located in the Bank of America building in Westwood

Village.

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ORGANIZATION OF THE CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY

GRADUATE PROGRAM

As described above, the head of the CMP Graduate Program is the Graduate Advisor, who reports to

the Vice-Chair for Research. For the 2013-2014 academic year, Dr. Kenneth Dorshkind serves as both.

The CMP Student Affairs Officer (SAO) provides administrative support to the Graduate Advisor and

graduate students. The Graduate Advisor and the SAO are the primary contacts for students enrolled in

the program, and both are available to provide advice and assistance.

The majority of student issues involve routine clarification or interpretation of graduate division or CMP

Graduate Program requirements. However, policy issues often arise that do not fall within these

confines. In this case, the Graduate Advisor first consults with members of the Graduate Program

Executive Committee, formed by the Graduate Advisor, the Vice-Chair for Research, and one to two

additional CMP faculty members. The 2013-2014 members of the CMP Graduate Executive Committee,

chaired by Dr. Dorshkind, are Drs. Steven Bensinger, Gay Crooks, Samuel French, and Tomas Ganz.

Figure 2. Organization of the

CMP Graduate Program.

However, for matters that involve reformulation of program policy or course requirements, the entire

CMP program faculty meets to discuss the matter. It is also important to emphasize that student input is

solicited whenever changes are made to the program. In this regard, the CMP graduate students elect two

representatives each year, and these individuals routinely meet with the Graduate Advisor and attend

CMP graduate faculty meetings.

Graduate Student Representatives

Two graduate student representatives are selected by the graduate students each year. These individuals

meet with the graduate students on a regular basis and convey general student concerns and issues to the

Graduate Advisor.

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CMP FACULTY ROSTER

Linda Baum, M.D., Ph.D. -- Glycans in cell-cell interactions and immune function

Email: [email protected]

Office: 4-730 MRL

Phone: 6-5985

Steven Bensinger, V.M.D., Ph.D. -- Metabolic regulation of immune function


Office: 36-120 CHS

Phone: 5-9885

Judith Berliner, Ph.D. -- Lipid regulation of monocyte endothelial interactions -

implications for atherosclerosis


Office: 4-760 MRL

Phone: 5-2436

Jonathan Braun, M.D., Ph.D. -- Mucosal immunology, immunologic imaging, and

inflammatory bowel disease


Office: 13-222 CHS

Phone: 4-7953

Alistair Cochran, M.D. -- Melanocytic tumors and the interactions of immunological,

molecular and genetic factors that determine whether metastatic spread occurs and favorable

or unfavorable outcome for individual patients


Office: 13-145C CHS

Phone: 5-2743

Gay Crooks, M.D. -- Human hematopoiesis and thymus development


Office: 3014 TLSB

Phone: 6-0205

David Dawson, M.D., Ph.D. -- Epigenetics and growth signaling in pancreatic

carcinogenesis


Office: 14-118 CHS

Phone: 7-2799

Kenneth Dorshkind, Ph.D. -- Lymphocyte development from embryogenesis through

senescence


Office: 11-232 Factor

Phone: 6-9535

Thomas Drake, M.D. -- Integrating genetics and gene expression to study complex

disease pathogenesis


Office: AL-124 CHS

Phone: 5-6975

Steven Dubinett, M.D. -- Inflammation in lung cancer progression and response to

therapy


Office: 37-131 CHS

Phone: 7-2725

Rita Effros, Ph.D. -- Immunodeficiency of HIV & aging; Osteoimmunology: the link

between T cells and bone


Office: 13-344 CHS

Phone: 5-0748









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Michael Fishbein, M.D. -- Formation and progression of lung cancer


Office: 13-145H CHS

Phone: 5-9731

Samuel French, M.D., Ph.D. -- Hepatitis C Viral Mediated Hepatocarcinogenesis


Office: 14-118 CHS

Phone: 7-2795

Tomas Ganz, M.D., Ph.D. -- Innate immunity in host defense and iron metabolism


Office: 37-055 CHS

Phone: 5-6112

Ben Glasgow, M.D. -- Pathogenesis of ocular disease


Office: B-279 JSEI

Phone: 5-6998

Wayne Grody, M.D., Ph.D. -- Molecular Genetics of Metabolic and Heritable

Neoplastic Diseases


Office: 1P-249 CHS

Phone: 5-5648

Oliver Hankinson, Ph.D. -- Chemical carcinogenesis, role of hypoxia in tumor growth



Phone: 5-2936

Jiaoti Huang, M.D., Ph.D. -- Molecular mechanisms of prostate cancer


Office: 13-229 CHS

Phone: 7-2264

Kathleen Kelly, Ph.D. -- Reproductive mucosal immune trafficking, inflammation and

pathogenesis of STDs


Office: 1P-245 CHS

Phone: 6-5562

Jerzy Kupiec-Weglinski, M.D. -- Liver and pancreas transplantation


Office: 77-120 CHS

Phone: 5-4196

Siavash Kurdistani, M.D., Ph.D. -- Cancer Epigenetics


Office: 377B BSRB

Phone: 4-5194

Benhur Lee, M.D. -- Viral Attachment and Entry, HIV and Emerging Viruses,

Glycobiology


Office: 251A BSRB

Phone: 4-2132

Xin Liu, M.D., Ph.D. -- Molecular biology of cognition


Office: 23-263 CHS

Phone: 4-5880

Michael Phelps, Ph.D. -- Molecular Imaging with PET and the biology of disease


Office: 23-138 CHS

Phone: 5-6539

Dinesh Rao, M.D., Ph.D. -- Understanding the role of microRNAs in hematopoietic

development and cancer



Phone: 5-1675








mailto:jkupiec%40mednet.ucla.edu


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Jianyu Rao, M.D. -- Cancer molecular signatures, biomarker and prevention



Phone: 4-1567

Elaine Reed, Ph.D. -- Immunogenetics and transplant immunology


Office: 15-20 Rehab

Phone: 4-4943

Jonathan Said, M.D. -- Lymphoma and urologic cancer biology and therapy


Office: 13-226 CHS

Phone: 5-1149

Robert Schiestl, Ph.D. -- Gene-Environment-Nutrition interactions in predisposition

to cancer


Office: 71-295 CHS

Phone: 7-2087

Ram Raj Singh, M.D. -- Autoimmune diseases: T, NKT and dendritic cells; Immune

tolerance; Biomarkers


Office: 32-59 Rehab

Phone: 5-5410

Michael Teitell, M.D., Ph.D. -- Cancer mechanisms and nanosystems


Office: 4-762 MRL

Phone: 6-6754

James Tidball, Ph.D. -- Pathophysiological mechanisms in muscular dystrophy


Office: 5833 LSB

Phone: 6-3395

Peter Tontonoz, M.D., Ph.D. -- Nuclear hormone receptor family in metabolism and

inflammation


Office: 4-726 MRL

Phone: 6-4546

Harry Vinters, M.D., Ph.D. -- Pathogenesis of degenerative, vascular and

malformative diseases of the nervous system


Office: 18-170B NPI

Phone: 5-6191

Anna Wu, Ph.D. -- Engineered antibodies for cancer targeting and imaging


Office: 4335 CNSI

Phone: 4-5088



mailto:rrsingh%40mednet.ucla.edu


mailto:jtidball%40physci.ucla.edu



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CMP STUDENT ROSTER 2013-2014

STUDENT MENTOR CONTACT

ARENSMAN, Michael

2011 (ACCESS)

DAWSON, David [email protected]

Lab: 8-240 Factor, x50618

CHIN, Julia

2012 (ACCESS)

CROOKS, Gay [email protected]

Lab: 3009A TLSB, x53535

CHOU, Jennifer

2009 (ACCESS)

EFFROS, Rita [email protected]

Lab : 18-111 CHS, x58786

CONTRERAS, Jorge

2011 (ACCESS)

RAO, Dinesh [email protected]

Lab: 11-544 Factor, x52548

DOCK, Jeffrey

2008 (ACCESS)

EFFROS, Rita [email protected]

Lab: 18-111 CHS, x58786

HONG, Jason

2012 (ACCESS)

TEITELL, Michael [email protected]

Lab: 4-567 MRL, x66821

JACOBS, Jonathan

2001 (STAR)

BRAUN, Jonathan [email protected]

Lab: 4-525 MRL, x51469

KERSHAW, Kathleen

2013 (ACCESS)

DAWSON, David [email protected]

Lab: 8-240 Factor, x50618

KIM, Airie

2009 (STAR)

GANZ, Tomas [email protected]

Lab: 52-164 CHS, x57499

KING, Jennifer

2012 (STAR)


Lab: 11-544 Factor, x52548

MCMORRAN, Brian

2013 (ACCESS)

BAUM, Linda [email protected]

Lab: MRL 4-730, x66329

RODRIGUEZ –

MALAVE, Norma

2011 (ACCESS)


Lab: 11-544 Factor, x52548

RONG, Xin

2010 (ACCESS)

TONTONOZ, Peter [email protected]

Lab: 6-629 MRL, x54622

SALEHI, Sahar

2012 (ACCESS)

REED, Elaine [email protected]

Lab: A5-38 Rehab, x44945

SEET, Christopher

2012 (STAR)

CROOKS, Gay [email protected]

Lab: 3009A TLSB, x53535

TRAN, Cynthia

2011 (ACCESS)

SINGH, Ram Raj [email protected]

Lab: 35-40 Rehab, x63608

WALSH, Nicole

2008 (ACCESS)

TEITELL, Michael [email protected]

Lab: 4-567 MRL, x66821

WANG, Jiexin

2011 (ACCESS)

TONTONOZ, Peter [email protected]

Lab: 6-629 MRL, x54622







http://www.pathology.ucla.edu/educ/cmp/profiles/Heinrich,%20Eileen.php


http://www.pathology.ucla.edu/educ/cmp/profiles/Heinrich,%20Eileen.php











http://www.pathology.ucla.edu/educ/cmp/profiles/Vardanian,%20Andrew.php


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IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS

CONTACT POSITION PHONE OFFICE

Dr. Kenneth

Dorshkind

Graduate Program

Director 6-9535 11-232 Factor

Christina Kim

Graduate Program

Student Affairs

Manager

5-8119 1P-166 CHS

Doug Smoot

Graduate Program

Student Affairs

Officer

6-1770 1P-171 CHS

Josephine Alviar Personnel and

Payroll 4-1355 Suite 730, BofA Bldg.

Kristine Fisher Personnel, Payroll

and Parking 6-5008 Suite 730, BofA Bldg.

David Islas Research

Administration 6-2877 Suite 400A, BofA Bldg.

Carmen Kistner Purchasing 5-9162 Suite 400A, BofA Bldg.

Noel Lau Computer Helpdesk 5-6270 A2-260 CHS

[email protected]


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II.

THE CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY GRADUATE PROGRAM

Outline of the Cellular and Molecular Pathology Graduate Program

Cellular and Molecular Pathology Graduate Program Requirements

Time to Degree Policy

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OUTLINE OF THE CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR

PATHOLOGY GRADUATE PROGRAM

YEAR 1 (ACCESS)

Complete All ACCESS Requirements

YEAR 2

(ENTRY INTO THE CMP

GRADUATE PROGRAM)

Complete First TA Requirement

Complete Pathology M237 (or APPROVED

equivalent course if M237 taken during ACCESS

year)

Nominate Doctoral Committee (by 12/1)

Convene First Committee Meeting - present initial

research objectives and set timeline for Oral

Qualifying Exam (by 6/1)

YEAR 3

Complete Course Requirements

Complete Second TA Requirement

Complete Written and Oral Qualifying Exam

(a.k.a. Second Committee Meeting by 6/1)

Advance to Candidacy

YEAR 4

Convene Third Committee Meeting - present

research update/progress (by 6/1)

YEAR 5

Convene Fourth Committee Meeting - discuss

dissertation goals and set timeline for Final Oral

Exam

Complete Final Oral Exam (by mid-Spring

Quarter; see Graduate Division deadline)

File Dissertation

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CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY

GRADUATE PROGRAM REQUIRMENTS

Only students who have been admitted to UCLA through UCLA ACCESS may enter the CMP Graduate

Program. Students are not admitted directly. Following completion of the year 1 ACCESS core

curriculum, students in good standing may enter the CMP Graduate Program following acceptance into

the laboratory of a CMP Graduate Program faculty member. They then undertake a program of

coursework and research that leads to the Ph.D. degree in Cellular and Molecular Pathology.

A. Coursework and Teaching Requirements:

i. Coursework:

All students are required to complete Pathology M237 “Cellular and Molecular Basis of Disease” (or an

approved equivalent course if M237 was taken during year 1 in ACCESS), and one of the following

options:

a. Three 298 seminar courses; at least one must focus on mechanism(s) of disease. The seminar

must be a separate and distinct 2 unit seminar course, not associated with another course.

Additionally, the seminar must require that each student make at least one formal presentation.

b. Pathology 294 “Basic Concepts in Oncology” and one 298 seminar course. (Note: If Pathology

294 was taken during year 1 to satisfy an ACCESS course requirement, it cannot be used to meet

this option in the CMP program)

c. Pathology 240 “Transplantation Immunobiology” and one 298 seminar course.

Students are required to be enrolled in at least 12 units each quarter. In addition to formal courses and

seminars, the 12 unit requirement may be met by enrollment in Pathology 596 (Directed Individual Study or

Research) or Pathology 599 (Preparation of Ph.D. Dissertation). Enrollment in Pathology 599 occurs only

after advancement to candidacy.

Additional advanced didactic courses may be substituted for up to two of the 298 seminar courses if

approved by the Cellular and Molecular Pathology Graduate Program Director. Students considering

this option should seek approval BEFORE enrolling in such courses, as curriculum substitutions may

not be retroactively approved.

The Academic Calendar and Schedule of Classes may be obtained online at

http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/schedule/schedulehome.aspx.

http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/schedule/schedulehome.aspx

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ii. Teaching Requirement:

Students are required to serve as teaching assistants for two (2) quarters and complete a course in

teaching principles and methods. One quarter of teaching and the methods course are usually completed

during year 2 of study. The ACCESS program office maintains a Teaching Assistant course list and a

sign-up list for teaching preferences. Note that students for whom English is not the native language

must pass the TOP (Test of Oral Proficiency) Exam with a minimum score of 50 before they can be

hired as a teaching assistant. A student scoring 45 may serve as a teaching assistant if concurrently

enrolled in an English as a Second Language course specifically aimed at improving spoken

communication (ESL 39A, 39B, 39C, 38 and 108). Additional information regarding teaching

assignments is available from the ACCESS office in 172 Boyer Hall.

The CMP Graduate Program does not encourage teaching beyond 2 quarters, as this can significantly

impede research progress and timely graduation.

B. Nomination of Doctoral Committee

The Doctoral Committee, which conducts the Oral Qualifying Examination and guides the student in the

preparation and defense of the dissertation, should be selected by December 1 following entry into the

CMP Graduate Program.

The committee is made up of at least four graduate program faculty. This number includes the research

mentor, who serves as Chair of the Committee, two additional CMP faculty members, and one eligible

faculty member from outside the Department. The Nomination of Doctoral Committee form may be

obtained online at www.gdnet.ucla.edu/forms.asp. The form is submitted to the Graduate Division for

final review and approval.

The Doctoral Committee may be reconstituted if the student wishes to make any changes to the

membership after the initial nomination has been approved by the Graduate Division. A Reconstitution

of Doctoral Committee form may be obtained online at www.gdnet.ucla.edu/forms.asp. A committee

may be reconstituted for a variety of reasons, including if the student wishes to add additional members

or if a member cannot fulfill his/her responsibilities (sabbatical, transfer, etc.) and must be replaced.

The duties of the doctoral committee extend beyond simply administering the oral examination. Most

importantly, committee members can provide valuable feedback and suggestions regarding thesis

research. Consequently, it is important to choose committee members based on their familiarity with the

research to be conducted.

C. Annual Committee Meetings

Students are required to meet with their doctoral committee at least once a year. During the first meeting,

which is held within 6 months after appointing the committee, students discuss their interests, outline a

possible research project, and set a time for their Oral Qualifying Examination. It is recommended that a

1-2 page outline of potential goals for the project be submitted to the committee at least one week prior

to the meeting.

http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/forms.asp

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Students are expected to present research updates during subsequent meetings. The aim of these

meetings is to provide the student with constructive comments that will facilitate their work and avoid

subsequent time-consuming problems. A 1-2 page written summary of research results must be provided

to members one week prior to each committee meeting. These meetings should not extend beyond 90

minutes. Thus, it is important that the presentation succinctly summarize past progress and future goals.

At the conclusion of every meeting, each committee member must fill out a Report of Annual

Committee Meeting, which will be turned in to the Graduate Program Student Affairs Office and

included in the student's file.

D. Written and Oral Qualifying Examination

In order to advance to candidacy, students must prepare a written proposal that is orally presented to the

doctoral committee. The Oral Qualifying Examination should be scheduled and completed by June 1 of

year 3.

i. The Written Proposal

Approximately two months prior to the prospective oral exam date, the student should choose the oral

examination topic. It is recommended that a one page proposal that lists the topic and key aims be

submitted to the doctoral committee for approval one month prior to the exam date. Once the oral

exam topic is chosen, the student then prepares the written proposal to be presented to the doctoral

committee.

The written proposal, in the form of an NIH grant application, must be submitted to the committee one

week in advance of the scheduled examination. The student and thesis advisor should plan for 4-6 weeks

for completion of the written proposal and study for the oral examination. The proposal must include

the following sections:

1. Abstract The question to be addressed and the approaches to be taken should be succinctly described. The

abstract should be ½ page or less.

2. Specific Aims Provide a short introductory paragraph that delineates the broad, long-term objectives and what the

specific research is intended to accomplish. State the hypotheses to be defended. One page or less is

recommended.

3. Background and Significance Briefly sketch the background leading to the present proposal, critically evaluate existing knowledge in

the field, and identify gaps that the project is intended to fill. State concisely the importance of the work

to a basic biological or clinical issue. Remember that this section must provide a rationale for the specific

aims that have been formulated. Up to three pages is recommended.

4. Research Design Describe the research design and the procedures that will be used to address the specific aims. Include

how the data will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted. Indicate possible outcomes of experiments and

19

how these will influence the direction of the studies. Discuss potential difficulties and limitations. The

experimental methods should not include too many details regarding buffers, concentrations of

antibodies, etc., although the committee may ask the student about such details during the oral

presentation. This section should form the major portion of the application and should be at least four

pages in length.

Sections 1-4 should be no more than 10 single-spaced pages in length. Font size should be at least 11 or

12 point with ½ inch margins on all sides. Adherence to these formatting instructions is mandatory for

the submission of the proposal.

5. References The proposal should be a scholarly document and appropriate references should be cited to indicate

knowledge of key papers in the field and to support statements that have been made. Each reference

must include the title, names of all authors, book or journal, volume number, page numbers, and year of

publication. Select only those references pertinent to the proposal. References are not included in the

page count.

ii. Written Proposal Guidelines

1. The written proposal may be related or unrelated to the general interest of the laboratory.

However, the proposal cannot focus on the student’s proposed dissertation research or a

reformulation of any proposal written by any member of the laboratory.

2. The student may discuss the general choice of topic with the research mentor. However, once the

topic is approved, the student may no longer discuss any aspect of the proposal with the mentor

or any other committee member.

iii. Oral Examination Guidelines

1. The student must be registered during the terms in which the oral examination is taken.

2. The Oral Qualifying Examination may not be held unless a doctoral committee has been

appointed by the Graduate Division.

3. The examination is open only to the committee members and the student.

4. All members of the committee must be present during the entire examination.

5. Each member of the committee must sign the Report on the Oral Qualifying Examination form,

indicating his/her presence during the examination, and record a decision of “pass” or “not

pass”. You may obtain this form from the SAO.

6. The student will not be advanced to candidacy if more than one member votes “not passed”.

7. If a majority of the committee so recommends, the Oral Qualifying Examination may be

repeated once within 6 months.

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E. Advancement to Candidacy

Upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examination, students will be advanced to

candidacy. Students who fail either the written or oral aspect of this Qualifying Exam must retake the

examination within six months. The student is automatically billed for the doctoral advancement to

candidacy fee ($90.00) at the time advancement occurs.

F. FINAL ORAL EXAMINATION (DEFENSE OF THE DISSERTATION)

A final oral presentation and defense of the student’s Ph.D. dissertation to members of the doctoral

committee is required for completion of the degree. The Ph.D. dissertation should be an original body of

work performed by the Candidate. The purpose of the dissertation is to demonstrate ability for

independent investigation and proficiency in the field. As a general guideline, it is expected that by the time of

graduation, CMP students will have completed significant work, suitable for the publication of at least one first author

paper in a high quality, peer-reviewed journal. Ultimately, however, it is up to the Doctoral Committee to determine

whether the student’s progress merits award of the Ph.D.

The official UCLA Thesis and Dissertation Formatting and Filing Guide contains established

criteria for uniformity in the format of theses and dissertations. The regulations included in it supersede

any style manual instructions regarding format. It also includes information on filing dates and

procedures, registration of copyright, and guidelines for submission. The guide can be found at

http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/library/degreeinfo.htm

Staff from the UCLA Graduate Division will present information on University regulations governing

manuscript preparation and completion of degree requirements. Students who plan to file a thesis or

dissertation during the quarter are encouraged to attend. Visit the link at

http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/library/thesismtg.htm for important dates, locations, and deadlines.

A final copy of the dissertation should be submitted to the Doctoral Committee no less than one week

before the scheduled doctoral defense date. After the examination, all necessary changes to the

manuscript should be made within two weeks.

http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/library/thesismtg.htm

21

TIME TO DEGREE POLICY

The general expectation is that students will make sufficient progress to earn the Ph.D. degree within five

years from entry into UCLA ACCESS to completion of all CMP Graduate Program requirements.

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal

University Policy: A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons.

The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by

the Academic Senate to remain in good standing. Other examples include failure of examinations, lack

of timely progress toward the degree, and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students

(those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon

recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing termination of graduate students,

including the appeal procedure, are outlined in the graduate division publication “Standards and

Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA”. (See: www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/library/spfgs.pdf)

Additional CMP Graduate Program Policy: Failure of the qualifying examination twice leads to disqualification. Failure to convene annual meetings

and complete the required Annual Student Progress Report in a timely fashion will result in official

reevaluation of the student's status, dismissal, or a recommendation for transfer to another mentor's

laboratory. The student may appeal by letter to the Graduate Executive Committee. Mentors and

students are responsible for ensuring that these requirements are fulfilled. Each stage of the student's

progress will be monitored yearly and recorded in the student's file.

The Master’s Degree

The Master of Science degree may be awarded only in special cases to students who were admitted into

the doctoral program, have advanced to candidacy, and are unable to complete the full Ph.D. curriculum.

Further details on the M.S. degree in these instances can be obtained from the Graduate Program

Director. The department does not admit students whose sole objective is the Master’s degree.

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III.

CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY GRADUATE PROGRAM

REQUIREMENTS FOR MSTP AND STAR STUDENTS

Outline of Cellular and Molecular Pathology Graduate Program Requirements for MSTP

and STAR Students

Cellular and Molecular Pathology Program Requirements

23

OUTLINE OF CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY

GRADUATE PROGRAM FOR MSTP AND STAR STUDENTS

YEAR 1

Complete Course Requirements

Nominate Doctoral Committee (by 12/1)

Convene First Committee Meeting - present PhD

proposal and set timeline for Oral Qualifying

Exam (by 6/1)

YEAR 2

Complete Written and Oral Qualifying Exam

(a.k.a. Second Committee meeting by 6/1)

Advance to Candidacy

YEAR 3

Convene Third Committee Meeting - present

research update/progress (by 6/1)

YEAR 4

Write Dissertation

Complete Final Oral Exam (by mid-Spring

Quarter; see Graduate Division deadline)

File Dissertation

24

CMP PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS FOR MSTP AND STAR STUDENTS

CMP graduate students who enter into the program through the MSTP or STAR programs undertake a

program of study similar to those who enter via UCLA ACCESS. For example, the requirement for

annual committee meetings, the written and oral examination, and laboratory research are identical for all

students. However, there are two distinctions for MSTP and STAR students.

The first is that the required coursework differs. MSTP and STAR students must complete two advanced

general didactic courses (4 - 6 units) and one of the following options:

a. two 298 (or equivalent) seminar courses (2 units), or

b. an advanced didactic course in the area of specialization (4-6 units), and one 298 (or equivalent)

seminar course (2 units)

The second major difference is that MSTP and STAR students are not required to serve as Teaching

Assistants.

25

IV.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Graduate Student Travel Awards

Other Support for Continuing Students

26

GRADUATE STUDENT TRAVEL AWARDS

The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Research Committee will review requests from

graduate students for up to $1000 in travel support to attend scientific meetings at which they are

presenting work. Students are eligible to receive up to two Travel Awards during their graduate

program career, based on pre-trip approval..

In order to be eligible to receive travel award and other program funding, all program requirements, including annual

committee meetings, completion of the written and oral examination, and advancement to candidacy, must be completed on

schedule.

If you wish to be considered for this travel award, please complete an Application for CMP Graduate

Student Travel Award and have it approved by your faculty research mentor prior to your trip.

Return the completed form to:

Dept. of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Research Committee

c/o Doug Smoot, Graduate Program Student Affairs Officer

1P-171 CHS

Mailcode: 173216

The Application for CMP Graduate Student Travel Award as well as the other departmental forms

mentioned in this manual may be downloaded from the CMP Graduate Program website at

http://pathology.ucla.edu/workfiles/CMP/applicationTravelAward.doc.

OTHER SUPPORT FOR CONTINUING STUDENTS

Please visit the Graduate Division website for a comprehensive list of financial support opportunities:

http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/asis/stusup/index.html

http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/asis/stusup/index.html

27

V.

FORMS

Graduate Division Forms

CMP Graduate Program Forms

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GRADUATE DIVISION FORMS

The following Graduate Division forms are available online at http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/forms.asp.

1. Nomination of Doctoral Committee (including regulations)

2. Reconstitution of Doctoral Committee (including instructions)

3. Filing Fee Application

CMP GRADUATE PROGRAM FORMS

CMP Graduate Program forms are available at http://www.pathology.ucla.edu/cmp-phd. Navigate to

the “Curriculum” page, and you will see the links under the ”Links to CMP Forms” heading.

1. Report of Annual Committee Meeting

2. Annual Student Progress Report

3. Application for CMP Graduate Student Travel Award

4. CMP Graduate Student Final Information Sheet

http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/forms.asp

http://www.pathology.ucla.edu/cmp-phd

THE DEPARTMENT OF PATHOLOGY AND …pathology.ucla.edu/workfiles/CMP/GradStudentManual_13-14.pdf2 September 1, 2013 Dear New and Continuing Graduate Students: On behalf of the faculty

Documents