The Dissertation
MD/PhD
Qualifying Exam
The qualifying exam consists of a five-page grant proposal outlining the candidate’s thesis plan. Students deliver a 20-minute oral presentation of the proposal, followed by a one to two hour question and answer session with a three-person faculty committee.
Thesis Committee & Committee Meetings
Once the qualifying exam is complete, students form a thesis committee of three faculty members. The members are responsible for evaluating research progress. Meetings are held every six months at minimum, with additional sessions scheduled based on the pace and direction of the research.
The Dissertation
The graduate dissertation is the all-encompassing document describing original research carried out by the PhD student. The historical background, the scientific context of the experiments, and the data are presented and discussed extensively in the dissertation. It is expected that the research carried out to generate the dissertation will also result in published papers in recognized scientific journals, for which the student is the first author. Each chapter should indicate which publications (if any) are represented by the described work. At least one first-authored manuscript should be submitted for publication before a student may defend the dissertation. If a manuscript is not yet accepted for publication, a submitted draft must be appended to the dissertation, even if this draft ultimately requires additional experimental results. The manuscript should be written in the style of a specific (indicated) journal. A co-first-authorship paper meets the requirement.
Dual Degree Diploma and Ceremony
When MD/PhD students successfully complete the requirements for their PhD degrees, they will receive a formal letter from the registrar. This will provide them with documentation, should they need it prior to graduation. MD/PhD students will attend one graduation, at the time they complete their MD degree. They will receive two diplomas during the graduation ceremony.
List of Theses
| Grad Year | Student | Dissertation Title | Mentor |
| 2026 | Rachel Josselsohn | Sensing Blood Production with Erythromyeloblastic Islands: A Potential Role for IRF5 | Lionel Blanc |
| Vahag Kechejian | Lineage dependency mechanisms of the transcription factor SOX10 in melanoma | Christopher Vakoc | |
| Benjamin Spielman | The Role of Microglia in a Mouse Model of Maternal Anti-Caspr2 Antibody- Induced Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) | Lior Brimberg | |
| Alec Xiang | Identifying The Roles of Circulating Factors and Extracellular Vesicles in the Blood-Brain Barrier Dysfunction of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus | Betty Diamond | |
| 2025 | Zarina Brune | New Functions for Old Factors: The identification of novel transcriptional, translational, and metabolic roles for IRF5 in CD4 T cells | Betsy Barnes |
| Julia Delenko | Investigating Decidualization Defects Associated with Endometriosis Reveals Insights into Disease Pathogenesis and Therapies | Christine N Metz | |
| Joshua M Glynn | Gut Microbiome and the Brain Substrate for Spatial Cognition | Patricio T Huerta, | |
| Mark Mizrahi | Treatment-oriented Mechanistic Insights Into Microglial Activation and Neuroprotection inNeuropsychiatric Lupus | Betty Diamond | |
| 2024 | Andrea Rommal | Structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging investigation of the Parkinson’s Desease-related pattern. | David Eidelberg |
| Matt Rice | The Identification of STK25 as a Regulator of TLR Signaling and Immunological Homeostasis | Betsey Barnes | |
| Julia Su | Effects of in utero exposure to CASPR2 autoantibodies on neurodevelopment and Autism Spectrum Disorder | Betty Diamond | |
| 2023 | John Eun | Acute and latent effects of anesthesia in transgenic models of tauopathy | Jeremy Koppel |
| Muhammad Shoaib | Examining metabolic and lipid dysfunction in plasma as a function of cardiac arrest pathophysiology facilitated the development of a novel treatment approach using lysophosphatidylcholine | Lance Becker |