Institute for Biosciences, Bioinformatics, & Biotechnology

• Introduction
• Administration
• Faculty
• Course Work
• Graduate Programs
  • New Professional Studies: Forensic Biosciences,M.S.
  • New Professional Studies: Bioinformatics,M.S.
  • New Professioanl Studies: Biotechnology,M.S.

IB3 represents a model approach to integrate basic and applied research in the setting of a modern university, with an expanded scope of interactions in the surrounding community. This unique environment comprises four floors of approximately 100,000 square feet, for the joint research and teaching efforts of the institute and the American Type Culture Collection. The first floor of IB3 opened with the first Prince William Campus building (Prince William I) in September 1997, and houses molecular biology and biochemistry labs, computer labs, cold rooms, and instrument rooms, as well as faculty offices. The second building (Prince William II) opened in October 1998.

Laboratory facilities at IB3 provide an excellent environment for teaching, training, and research. The IB3 computer facilities include more than 60 SGI workstations, including a four-processor Onyx, 18 Octanes, and more than 40 O2's. An SGI Origin 200 provides more than 65 GB of high-availability RAID disk storage. Other computational resources include SUN SparcStations, Macs and PCs. All IB3 computers are connected via a high-speed (100 MB/sec) Ethernet LAN. Teaching facilities include three computer classrooms equipped with SGI workstations and support classes in which students and instructors have access to high-end computational resources, including advanced bioinformatics, visualization, and data-mining software. High-speed Internet connections permit interactive distance learning and access to remote databases. Three wet labs for teaching and training are supported by adjacent computer labs, lecture rooms, prep labs, and equipment labs, including four ABI 377 and two ABI 310 automated DNA analyzers.

IB3 serves as a state-of-the-art, multiuser organization for education, research, and development in molecular biosciences and bioinformatics; fosters advancement of the biosciences-based industry through scientific collaborations; offers expertise and technical service to the scientific community; and contributes to Northern Virginia's economic strength through educational programs at the undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate, and professional levels.

Up-to-date education and training program information can obtained through the World Wide Web at www.gmu.edu or by contacting Debbie Grippaudo at (703) 993-8449 or by email at debbieg@ib3.gmu.edu.

Administration

Faculty

Course Work

IB3 offers all course work designated IB3 in the "Course Descriptions" chapter of this catalog.

Graduate Programs

IB3 offers three master's degree tracks in the New Professional Studies program in forensic biosciences, bioinformatics, and biotechnology.

Each of the tracks requires a minimum of 30 credit hours. Five core courses (MNPS 700, 702, 703, 704 and IB3 550) are required of all tracks. In addition to the minimum 30 credit hours, all students are required to take or have met the requirements of CHEM 663-664 Advanced Biochemistry (6credits). The course titles and credit distributions follow.

New Professional Studies: Forensic Biosciences, M.S.

New Professional Studies: Bioinformatics, M.S.

New Professional Studies: Biotechnology, M.S.