Graduate Program in Bionutrition
Faculty involved in the Bionutrition Graduate Program have research interest in micro- and macronutrients, bone and muscle physiology, cancer biology and metabolic regulation, atherosclerosis, diabetes and obesity. The goal of this program is to prepare students for a professional research career in academia, government or industry in the field of molecular and biochemical nutrition.
Faculty
| Emily Ho, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor Principal Investigator-Linus Pauling Institute |
| Urszula Iwaniec, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor |
| Donald B. Jump, Ph.D. | Professor, Director of the Bionutrition Laboratory Principal Investigator-Linus Pauling Institute |
| Maret G. Traber, Ph.D. | Professor Principal Investigator-Linus Pauling Institute |
| Russell Turner , Ph.D. | Professor Director of the Bone Research Laboratory |
| Jeffrey Widrick, Ph.D. | Associate Professor |
Course requirements
Formal Course Work. The University requires at least 108 course credits beyond the Baccalaureate level and a minimum B (3.0) average in all course work. Course requirements are determined by the student's Graduate Committee in consultation with the student at the Program of Study meeting. The student's Program of Study will be based upon core course requirements established by the department and the individual student's needs, taking into account previous academic background, research interests, and professional goals. Selection of courses should reflect the student's need for breadth of knowledge in nutrition and depth of knowledge in the field of specialization. The student is encouraged to have both a major and minor program of study. For example, major program, Bionutrition; minor program, exercise physiology. This mechanism enables the student to customize their graduate program while meeting specific Departmental and University requirements.
Students entering the Bionutrition Graduate Program Option (BGP) are expected to have a minimal proficiency in: general chemistry with lab, organic chemistry with lab, biochemistry with lab, anatomy or physiology with lab, microbiology with lab, introductory statistics and human nutrition equivalent to NFM 417, 418, 419. If not, students add these courses to their Program of Study.
Competence Course Requirements, equivalent to:| NFM 517-518 | Nutrition |
| Z 530-532 | Physiology |
| BB 550 - 552 | General biochemistry |
| ST 511-513 | Methods of data analysis or equivalent graduate level statistics |
| MCB 554 | Genome organization, structure and maintenance |
| MCB 555 | Genome expression and regulation |
| MB 302 & 303 | Microbiology and lab |
Core course requirements (minimum of 61 credits):
| NFM 550 | Nutritional Status (4 crs.) |
| NFM 617 | Metabolic Interrelationships I: contemporary issues in micronutrients and human health (3 crs.) |
| NFM 618 | Metabolic Interrelationships II: contemporary issues in macronutrients and human health (3 crs.) |
| NFM 6XX | Advances in Human Nutrition (3 credits/quarter), 3 quarters are required (9 credits overall) |
| XXX 500-600 | Elective course(s) 3-4 crs. |
| NFM 607 | Seminar (at least 3 credits, 3 presentations are required) |
| NFM 603 | Dissertation (at least 36 credits are required) |
NFM 550, 617, 618, 6XX must be satisfactorily completed (a grade of B or better) before taking the Departmental Comprehensive Preliminary Exam.
Tentative Course Sequence for students entering the program without prior training in biochemistry or nutrition:
Year 1- BB 550, 551, 552
- NFM 517 & 518
- MCB 554 & 555
The student forms their graduate committee, schedules the Program of Study meeting and submits the Program of Study report to the Graduate School.
Year 2- St 511-513
- NFM 550, 617, 618, 6XX, 607
Complete the Preliminary Oral Exam before starting Year 3:
Elective courses at the 500-600 (3-4 crs.)
Year 3- *NFM 607
*The student is strongly recommended to actively participate in NFM 607, Seminar, throughout his/her graduate career.
Year 4 Research NFM 603 (at least 36)
Defend the dissertation.
Selecting a Major Advisor
Students are strongly encouraged to select a major advisor by the end of their 1st year in the program. If a major advisor has not been selected by the time the student arrived at OSU (first term), the student is encouraged to contact faculty for research rotations in their labs (NFM 501). If a major advisor has not been selected by the end of the first year, he/she will be directed to investigate additional opportunities within the department or to withdraw from graduate training in the program.
