Gastrointestinal Sciences - PhD

Doctoral students in the Gastrointestinal Sciences program gain a deep understanding of normal digestive function, including the mechanisms responsible for dysfunction and the development of disease. Students work with highly-skilled scientists on research into illnesses such as inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis/Crohn’s Disease), irritable bowel disease, and bacterial (such as clostridium difficile) or parasitic (helminthes and giardiasis) infections. The wide range of program specializations reflects the diversity of research interests and disciplinary strengths of our faculty and students.

Students participate in journal clubs, research groups, interdisciplinary training and professional development activities.

Completing this program

• Courses: Topics may include gastrointestinal physiology and others.
• Research Ethics: Students are required to attend Research Integrity Day sessions in the first year of their program.
• Sex & Gender Module: Students are required to complete one of the CIHR sex and gender online training modules found at discoversexandgender.ca in the first year of their program.
• Candidacy: Students will complete both oral and written candidacy exams.
• Seminar: Students will regularly attend the Snyder Graduate Program Seminar Series.
• Research proposal: Students must defend a written research proposal to their supervisory committee.
• Thesis: Students will be required to submit and defend an original research thesis.

Specializations

• Physiology
• Biochemistry
• Molecular Biology
• Pharmacology
• Immunology
• Immunopharmacology
• Microbiology
• Nutrition
• Parasitology
• Pathology
• Epidemiology
• Host-Pathogen Interactions

Pharmaceutical industry – researcher, project manager; academia, including post-doctoral research; government, consulting, public health.

A PhD in gastrointestinal sciences is usually considered a final degree; many graduates pursue post-doctoral research.