Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program

The Duke University Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program (ITEHP) provides students with the theoretical and practical bases for research and teaching in toxicology. This interdepartmental program brings together graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty members from a variety of scientific disciplines to address toxicological and associated environbmental health problems from their molecular basis to clinical and environmental consequences. The ITEHP includes participation of faculty members from the Departments of Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Chemistry, Neurobiology, Pathology, Pharmacology, and the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences including the Duke Marine Laboratory. Among the principal areas of concentration in the program are neurotoxicology and neurological disease, epigenetics, genetic toxicology, cancer, developmental toxicology and children's health, environmental exposure and toxicology, and pulmonary toxicology and disease. Duke faculty members have a variety of collaborative research efforts and student rotations are available with scientists at the nearby laboratories of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the CIIT Centers for Health Research, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Application to the program can be made in two ways. If your primary interest is Toxicology, then you may apply for admission directly through the Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program, indicating "Toxicology" as your primary admitting unit on the standard graduate school application. Students admitted directly into the Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program affiliate with a department depending upon their choice of research mentor. Students with a primary interest in a departmentally based field may also apply to the Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program by indicating "Toxicology" as the secondary field on the graduate school application. The primary field should indicate the specific graduate department in Arts and Sciences, the School of Medicine, or the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences. There is no difference in the eventual degree granted through either mechanism; both routes result in a PhD granted by a specific department, with certification in Toxicology. It is expected that most students will have a strong undergraduate preparation in mathematics and the physical and biological sciences with demonstrated excellence of performance as judged by grades in coursework and letters of recommendation from former instructors. Each student in the program will take a series of courses in toxicology and environmental health as well as courses specified by his or her department. A student will be expected to choose a dissertation advisor in his or her department at least by the end of the first two semesters in the program and will normally be expected to begin dissertation research during the third semester in residence. Upon satisfactorily completing all degree requirements in the program and in the department, students will be jointly recommended for the PhD degree.

Students are offered admission to the program with fellowship support based on rank among all applicants. Students may be awarded a Toxicology and Environmental Health fellowship or may be accepted into the Toxicology and Environmental Health Program with support from departmental funds. For each entering year, approximately four full fellowships (tuition, fees and stipend) are awarded to Toxicology graduate school applicants. Please note that Toxicology and Environmental Health fellowships are restricted to U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Non-U.S. citizens who are interested in the Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program will need to apply and request funding directly through a participating department. Applicants must have a bachelor's degree with a strong foundation in mathematics and the biological and physical sciences. Applicants must submit scores on the GRE general test, transcripts, and letters of recommendation. It is expected that course work and research experience will vary among applicants but that the applicant's academic credentials will be sufficient to ensure successful completion of the degree.

Further information may be obtained from the Program Manager, Duke University, Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina, 27708; telephone (919) 613-8078; e-mail: toxicology@duke.edu

2008-09 Bulletin of the Duke University Graduate School

2008-09 Bulletin of the
Duke University Graduate School