GEMS (Genetics with Eukaryotic Model Systems) is a monthly multi-lab meeting physically based at the University of Maryland, College Park and devoted to the use of genetic approaches in Drosophila, C. elegans or Arabidopsis to study problems in development, signal transduction and gene expression. The group includes researchers affiliated with the Departments of Biology and Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics in the College of Life Sciences and the Centers for Biosystems Research (CBR) and Advanced Research in Biotechnology (CARB) in the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute (UMBI).

Students interested in graduate training in molecular genetics can pursue a Ph.D. with any of the GEMs laboratories through the Dept. of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics (CBMG) graduate program. Although the faculty research interests in this program span the broad discipline of the molecular, cellular, and developmental biology of viral, prokaryotic, and eukaryotic organisms, the CBMG graduate program is divided into five specializations, including Genetics and Genomics, Cell and Developmental Biology and Plant Biology.

The graduate programs in CBMG offer advanced education resulting in the M. S. and Ph. D. degrees. The Ph.D. degree, which involves independent and creative scholarly research resulting in an original dissertation, is typically completed within 4 to 6 years. Students interested in joining the department are encouraged to contact the CBMG Graduate Office, any GEMS faculty, or the graduate director, for application materials.

In addition to CBMG, GEMS faculty are affiliated with Graduate Programs in Molecular and Cell Biology (MOCB); Behavior, Ecology, Evolution and Systematics (BEES) and Biology.

Graduate students who present in GEMS can obtain course credit as CBMG699T. Interested students should contact Steve Mount (smount@umd.edu).

The following relevant courses are among the relevant offerings:

BSCI 410 Molecular Genetics (3 credits)
BSCI 411 Plant Genetics and Molecular Biology (3)
BSCI 415 Plant Biotechnology (2)
BSCI 428S Bioinformatics in Genomics and Evolution (3)
CBMG688F Special Topics: Gene Expression (2)
CBMG688I Special Topics: Advanced Genetics (2)
CBMG688N Special Topics: Bioinformatics (2)
CBMG688T Special Topics: Developmental Biology (2)

College of Life Sciences:     Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics    Biology      Entomology          BEES      MOCB       College of Agriculture and Natural Resources    ANSC
CBCB      UMBI:     CBR    CARB          Howard University