BRB 9th Floor, School of Medicine
Phone: 216.368.5961
Program email: sybb@case.edu

Degree: Master of Science (MS)
Field of Study: Systems Biology and Bioinformatics

Program Overview

Do you want to convert big data into understandable models that just might change the world? With a graduate degree in systems biology and bioinformatics, you can combine your love of math, statistics, computers and biology to develop computational models with which to provide new insight and understanding of big data, leading to big discoveries in both laboratory and clinical settings.

Data science is the convergence of data engineering, math, statistics, advanced computing, the scientific method and subject-matter expertise. It involves the collection, management and transformation of "big data" into actionable information that can answer some of the world's most pressing problems. Yet there is a distinct need for data science experts who can efficiently interpret data into information that is useful for strategic decision-making. It is the goal of the Systems Biology and Bioinformatics program to produce the scientists that are needed to assist in extracting meaning from the burgeoning biological 'omics field. 

‌The SYBB program offers a multidisciplinary training program personally customized to the student leading to an MS or PhD. The program draws training faculty (currently over 55 trainers) from more than 12 departments and 6 schools across the CWRU campus and Cleveland Metropolitan area, ensuring students in the program acquire the core competencies needed to succeed in the bioinformatics analysis of biological big data.

The SYBB participating departments and centers include:

• Biochemistry
• Biology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine
• Center for Proteomics and Bioinformatics
• Center for Systems Immunology
• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
• Genetics and Genome Sciences
• Mathematics
• Nutrition
• Pathology
• Pharmacology
• Physiology and Biophysics
• Population and Quantitative Health Sciences
• RNA Center

Program Competencies

The specific academic requirements of the SYBB Program are intended to provide students with a required core curriculum in Systems Biology and a set of electives designed both to assure minimum competencies in Fundamental Core Competencies and equip them for their particular thesis research discipline. Each trainee will be guided in their customized course of study by a mentoring committee to ensure the completion of training in the program competencies as well as maintenance of a focus on molecular systems theory. These competencies include:

• Evaluation of the scientific discovery process and of the role of bioinformatics in it in detail, including data generation steps and understanding biology
• Application of computational and statistical methods appropriate to solve a given scientific problem
• Construction of software systems of varying complexity based on design and development principles
• Effective teamwork to accomplish a common scientific goal
• Building knowledge in local and global impact of bioinformatics and systems biology on individuals, organizations, and society
• Effective communication of bioinformatics and systems biology problems to a range of audiences, including, but not limited to, other bioinformatics professionals.

Graduate Policies

For graduate policies and procedures, please review the School of Graduate Studies section of the General Bulletin.

Program Requirements

Masters Degree Plan A Summary

The minimum requirements for the master’s degree under Plan A are 21 credit hours of course work plus a thesis equivalent to at least 9 credit hours of registration for 30 credit hours total. These must include SYBB 501 , and a minimum of 9 credit hours of SYBB 651. Additional required courses for the Translational Bioinformatics and Molecular and Computational Biology tracks are SYBB 459 and SYBB 555. The curriculum plan must be approved by the program steering committee and include appropriate coverage of the core competencies in genes and proteins, bioinformatics, and quantitative modeling and analysis. At least 18 credit hours of course work, in addition to thesis hours, must be at the 400-level or higher.

Each student must prepare an individual thesis that must conform to regulations concerning format, quality, and time of submission as established by the dean of graduate studies as well as conforming to the SYBB program guidelines. For completion of master’s degrees under Plan A, an oral examination (defense) of the master’s thesis is required, where the examination is conducted by a committee of at least three members of the university faculty.

Masters Degree Plan B Summary

The minimum requirements for the master’s degree under Plan B are 30 credit hours of coursework (with at least 18 credit hours of course work at the 400-level or higher) and a written comprehensive examination or major project with report to be administered and evaluated by the program steering committee. The coursework must include SYBB 501. Additional required courses for the Translational Bioinformatics and Molecular and Computational Biology tracks are SYBB 459 and SYBB 555. The curriculum plan must be approved by the program steering committee and include appropriate coverage of the core competencies in genes and proteins, bioinformatics, and quantitative modeling and analysis.

Required Core Courses

a

9 credit hours for Plan A students, 0 credit hours for Plan B student.

Elective Courses

Genes and Proteins Courses

Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Courses 

Quantitative Analysis and Modeling

Part-time Systems Biology and Bioinformatics MS program

The program in systems biology and bioinformatics offers a flexible curriculum with a minimal number of required classes (SYBB 501), SYBB 459, SYBB 555 are the only required classes); the majority of classes taken toward the MS are tailored to the student's research interests and thesis project. This flexibility enables students that are interested in pursuing the MS on a part-time basis to maximize employee tuition benefits. A CWRU employee (or spouse) has a total of 15 credit hours/year (6 per semester and 3 per summer session) with which to pursue a degree. Taking only this number will net a part-time student an MS in 5 semesters and 2 summer sessions; not taking a class during the summer sessions will result in taking 6 semesters to get the MS; and if a student were to take a single class a semester, it would take 11 semesters to reach the requisite number of classes needed for the MS.

Concentration Requirements

The Case Western Reserve University graduate program in Systems Biology and Bioinformatics has two tracks:

Translational Bioinformatics

The track in Translational Bioinformatics poises students to work at the interface of applied ‘omics research and clinical medicine. From integrating genomic and functional genomic data into electronic medical records, to developing meta-analysis tools for communicating genomic risk to patients to utilizing this data in personalized medicine. Students trained in the Translational Bioinformatics track work to integrate bioinformatics tools and technologies into clinical workflows. Graduates of this training track will find ample opportunities within industry and, as genomics enters the clinical arena, within hospitals, as well.

Molecular and Computational Biology

The track in Molecular and Computational Biology embraces the pursuit of basic science research, employing the application and development of computational approaches to address difficult questions derived from today’s “Big data” derived from ‘omics approaches. This track equips students in the acquisition of experimental data utilizing approaches including proteomics, metabolomics, genomics and structural biology and extends this work with interpretation provided by computational analysis. Graduates of this training track will find ample opportunities within the pharmaceutical industry, contract research organizations as well as more traditional academic career paths.

Sample Plan of Study

Molecular and Computational Biology Track