The Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology is a multidisciplinary unit for research, graduate education, and professional training in the broad areas of Toxicology and Cancer Biology. The program was founded in 1969 in the Graduate School, as one of nation’s first Ph.D. programs in Toxicology and moved to College of Medicine (COM) in 2004. Our education mission is to provide students with an education in Toxicology and Cancer Biology that is based on an understanding of biochemistry, physiology, molecular/cell biology, genetics and metabolism. This is coupled with in-depth research experience on the mechanisms by which specific agents induce toxicity, and/or the basic cellular processes that cause cancer and other diseases. Many faculty and students are closely aligned with the Markey Cancer Center and have access to a wide range of resources and facilities that are available.
The department is housed in the Health Sciences Research Building and the Healthy Kentucky Research Building in the Medical Center and is within easy walking distance of all major research units and colleges. Excellent research support facilities are available, including transgenic mouse, macromolecular structure, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, proteomics, genomics, and metabolomics.
Our department consists of tenured/tenure track Core Faculty with a primary appointment in Toxicology and Cancer Biology, and is enhanced by faculty who have Joint Appointments in the department, but whose primary appointments are in Departments and Colleges across the University. The Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology has graduated more than 150 PhDs in Toxicology who have gone on to careers in academia, government, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and in the pharmaceutical and chemical industry.
For more information please visit https://toxicology.med.uky.edu/tox-graduate-research-masters-degree
Admission Requirements
Applicants must meet the following requirements for admission to the University of Kentucky Graduate School and the Toxicology and Cancer Biology program.
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A minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
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A Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score is not required.
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For international applicants, the minimum acceptable TOFEL score is 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based), or 79 (internet-based). The minimum IELTS score is 6.5.
More information on how to apply can be found here https://toxicology.med.uky.edu/graduate-program
Degree Requirements
Complete 20 hours of Core Courses:
- IBS 601 BIOMOLECULES AND METABOLISM (3)
- IBS 602 MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND GENETICS (3)
- IBS 603 CELL BIOLOGY AND SIGNALING (3)
- TOX 509 ENVIRONMENTAL AND REGULATORY TOXICOLOGY (2)
- TOX 600 ETHICS IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH (1)
- TOX 680 MOLECULAR TOXICOLOGY AND CARCINOGENESIS (3)
- IBS 611 PRACTICAL STATISTICS (2)
- TOX 770 TOXICOLOGY AND CANCER BIOLOGY SEMINAR (4 semesters X 1 credit) (4)
Plan A (Thesis) Minimum Hours Requirement: Complete a minimum of 30 hours of graduate courses to include and submission of a Laboratory Research Thesis.
Plan B (non-thesis) Minimum Hours Requirement: Earn a minimum of 30 hours of graduate courses and a written paper.
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