Info for Current VT Students
The genomics revolution in molecular biology has created many new and exciting ways to collect data on the scale of the entire genome. These new technologies have created vast quantities of data that can only be handled, analyzed and interpreted with the help of concepts, algorithms and software tools applied specifically to these biological data sets. This is the domain of bioinformatics.
But to understand the physiology of a living cell, we must also know how these interactions play out in time and space as the cell moves around, feeds, grows, divides, differentiates and eventually dies. These dynamic properties of the networks that control cellular functions are the domain of mathematical modeling in systems biology.
Research Experience in Systems Biology
(SYSB 4065-4066)
Are you looking for research opportunities to satisfy your SYSB 4065-4066 graduation requirements? Check out the current list of Core & Affiliated Faculty to learn more about their research and find their contact information. Explore here a list of selected research publications that include contributions from systems biology students.
Course Offerings
For information on courses offered in Systems Biology, please refer to the course catalog.
- SYSB 2024 Fundamentals of Systems Biology
- SYSB 2034 Mathematical Methods in Systems Biology
- SYSB 3035; SYSB 3036 Genomics and Bioinformatics
- SYSB 3115; SYSB 3116 Network Dynamics and Cell Physiology
- SYSB 4024 Careers and Professionalism in Systems Biology
- SYSB 4065; SYSB 4066 Research Experience in Systems Biology
- SYSB 4114 Applied Models of Gene Regulatory Networks
- SYSB 4224 Big Data Analysis Methods in Systems Biology
Scholarships
The Academy of Integrated Science offers the Alice and Luther Hamlett Scholarship to AIS majors, including CMDA, Nanomedicine, Nanoscience, and Systems Biology, each academic year. Students in one of these four majors are automatically considered for these scholarships and there is nothing additional you need to do for consideration. Students who are awarded one of these scholarships will be notified.
We also encourage students to apply for the general scholarships via Scholarship Central through the Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid each year.
SYSB Progress Towards Degree Requirements
The Systems Biology degree program closely adheres to the University’s Policy 91, which is designed to make sure students stay on track for their chosen major and continue to make progress during their time at Virginia Tech. See below for the progress towards degree requirements for the Systems Biology major. This can also be found on your checksheet.
- Upon having completed 72 credit hours (including transfer, AP, advanced standing, credit by examination, course withdrawal) students must have completed the following courses with a grade of C- or better in two or fewer attempts (including attempts that were withdrawn):
- BIOL 1105-1106
- BIOL 1115-1116
- BIOL 2004
- CHEM 1035-1036
- CHEM 1045-1046
- CHEM 2535
- MATH 1225-1226
- MATH 2114
- PHYS 2205-2206
- PHYS 2215-2216.
- This also applies to acceptable substitutions.
Systems Biology Major Requirements
Checksheets list the requirements a student must fulfill in order to obtain a degree in their intended major and degree program. On these you will find required courses, GPA requirements, and more. Flowcharts of coursework are a visual tool to help a student understand how their coursework will flow overtime in a typical four-year graduation time frame (excluding general education requirements).
For more information, please visit the Registrar’s Checksheet page.
Systems Biology Minor
Any student from any major may add the Systems Biology minor. For information on how to add or drop the minor, please visit our AIS Change of Major/Minor webpage. For an updated minor checksheet, please visit the Registrar’s Checksheet page.