Program of Study

As an interdisciplinary program, CBM has implemented a focused, but flexible curriculum and requires students to obtain knowledge of fundamental principles in biology, computational science, and mathematics to ensure competency within these disciplines.

COURSEWORK

Students must complete at least 4 courses in year 1. If you are interested in taking a course that is not listed below, please contact CBM Associate Director, Dr. Ekta Khurana for approval.

CBM Required Coursework

Additional Requirements

Approved Core-Level Coursework

Approved Electives

Cornell Tech

Cornell-Ithaca

Rockefeller University

For more information about RU classes, please download the course catalog (pdf file).

Weill Cornell Medicine

THESIS YEARS

If a student selects a thesis mentor at Weill Cornell or Sloan Kettering, they join the Weill Cornell Graduate School, a partnership with Sloan Kettering Institute; if thesis research is to be conducted at The Rockefeller University, student joins the David Rockefeller Graduate Program in Bioscience.  When a student selects a thesis mentor in Cornell Ithaca, they are affiliated with the Computational Biology Field.  Regardless of where the student is based, all are considered trainees in the CBM program.

Admissions to Candidacy Exam (NYC and Ithaca)

Deadline: June 30 of 2nd year
NYC-based students will write and defend a thesis proposal for their Admission to Candidacy Examination (ACE); Ithaca-based students will complete their A Exam. These exams must be successfully completed and registered according to the guidelines of the graduate school in which the student is matriculated. Originals of all required forms must be filed with the appropriate graduate school, and duplicates must be filed with the CBM office.

Thesis Committee Meetings

Thesis Committee meetings are required at least every 9 months in Years 3 and 4, then at least every 6 months in Year 5 and beyond; thesis committee reports must be filed with CBM and the graduate school in which the student is enrolled.

LAB ROTATIONS

Prior to choosing a thesis laboratory, students complete research rotations with faculty of their choosing. These rotations provide the student the opportunity to experience a range of thesis research options and thereby enable an informed thesis laboratory decision.

Students must complete at least 3 rotations (in Ithaca and/or NYC) in their first 12 months in the program (beginning in July). Dates may be modified after consultation with CBM Co-Directors.

Find out more in the Timeline.

PROGRAM SYMPOSIUM

A student-organized retreat is held off-site every summer to bring together students from the three institutions. The 2-day event features a keynote speaker (selected and invited by students), alumni panel, oral presentations and a poster session. Student and faculty sessions are scheduled to discuss any changes to program structure and other suggestions to improve the overall training experience. In addition, the event provides students with time for recreational activities and other social events.

Previous Symposiums

2020

Location: Virtual Symposium
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Gad A. Getz, Director, Cancer Genome Computational Analysis and Institute Member, Broad Institute

2019

Location: Crystal Springs Resort, Hamburg, NJ
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Tal Nawy, Senior Program Manager, Dana Pe’er Lab, MSK
CBM Alumni Speakers: Dr. Julie Yang and Dr. Lauren Fairchild

2018

Location: Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz, NY
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Tuuli Lappalainen, Columbia University, New York Genome Center
CBM Alumni Speakers: Dr. Kaitlyn Gayvert and Dr. Kelson Zawack

2017

Location: Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz, NY
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Sam Globus, Director of Scientific Operations, Celmatix
CBM Alumni Speakers: Dr. Nyasha Chambwe and Dr. Byron Roberts
Job Search Panel (CBM recent graduates): Dr. Neel Madhukar and Dr. Priyanka Vijay