The Duke-NUS PhD programme in Integrated Biology and Medicine provides training in translational bioscience, covering a broad spectrum of disciplines including cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology, and health policy. During the first semester students complete a core course entitled “Molecules to Medicines” where they learn fundamentals in biomedical research, while simultaneously conducting three laboratory rotations. Subsequently, students choose a thesis mentor and complete their advanced training in one of five specialty tracks:

Cancer and Stem Cell Biology

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders

Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders

Health Services and Systems Research

The degree, which will take on average 4 to 5 years to complete, culminates with the development of a written thesis and a successful oral dissertation defense.

Like the Duke-NUS MD programme, the PhD core course incorporates a novel education strategy which rapidly transitions students to a mode of learning better suited for a lifelong career in biomedical research. From the first week in the program, students are introduced to scientific literature searches, evaluation and critique of seminal scientific papers. The core curriculum is delivered in a small group collaborative learning environment that reinforces critical thinking and public debate.