Male Researcher in White Lab Coat and Goggles Examining a Vial.

Basic Biomedical Sciences

Put yourself at the forefront of research and discovery in medicine through a graduate degree in basic biomedical sciences. Gain an interdisciplinary foundation and robust research experiences as you begin your career in biomedical research. 

Make a difference through biomedical research

Biomedical sciences bridges science and health care, producing meaningful research that promotes human health and expands your understanding and treatment of disease. By pursuing a graduate degree in basic biomedical sciences, you will gain the interdisciplinary foundation you need for a career in biomedical research.

As a basic biomedical sciences student in the USD Sanford School of Medicine, you will experience a hands-on and specialized education that prepares you to become a biomedical scientist. Our program prioritizes laboratory investigation and original research opportunities, providing you with access to robust facilities that help you find the answers to your questions. Here you'll find passionate and expert faculty who serve as research mentors while also actively producing their own research. This is an important part of our program, as we want you to access enhanced learning experiences and set yourself up for success pursuing a residency match.

Our students have gone on to become toxicologists, doctors, epidemiologists, laboratory technicians and professors, among other careers in research and medicine. With notable funding opportunities, well-established research centers and close interaction between faculty and students, USD provides a robust and enriching education in basic biomedical sciences.

Become a biomedical scientist who has the experience, knowledge and connections necessary to thrive by studying basic biomedical sciences at USD.

 

Degrees & Offerings

Basic Biomedical Sciences (M.S.)

Master's
  Vermillion Main Campus

Through the M.S. in basic biomedical sciences program, you'll gain an interdisciplinary graduate education in a variety of basic biomedical science areas. The program stresses laboratory investigation and original research under the direction of a faculty member, as well as flexibility and individual choice as you develop a program of study that fits your unique interests. You may select between the Plan A (thesis) or Plan B (non-thesis) programs of study.

View Admissions Requirements

Basic Biomedical Sciences (Ph.D.)

Doctorate
  Vermillion Main Campus

Pursue an interdisciplinary graduate education to begin your career in biomedical research. You can choose to specialize in cancer biology, cardiovascular biology, infectious diseases, molecular biology and genetics, neuroscience or physiology and pharmacology.

View Admissions Requirements

Program Details

Graduate

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Department

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Graduate Admissions

Known for Excellence

With qualities like small class sizes, specialized programs and incredible student opportunities, USD is not your typical university. What makes us unique is what makes your education exceptional.

STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

As a student at USD, the opportunities available to you extend beyond the classroom. Explore your interests, find your community and experience your education to the fullest extent through the following opportunities.

Gain valuable, real-world professional experience while enjoying paid employment and discounted tuition rates as a graduate student at USD. The affordability you gain through graduate assistantships and fellowships will equip you with valuable, professional-level skills that will set you apart after graduation. 

Stipend

In the basic biomedical sciences program, admitted students in research track programs are eligible to receive a fellowship stipend and reduced tuition. Recipients must work full time towards degree completion. Stipend is also contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

  • The Ph.D. Research Graduate Assistantship stipend is currently $28,084 for the first full year ($2,340 per month)
  • The M.S. Plan A Research Graduate Assistantship stipend is currently $14,042 annually ($1,170 monthly)

Tuition Reduction

  • Fellows with resident student status receive an additional reduction in tuition and fees on top of the resident student tuition reduction (student portion = $4,893 annually for 21 credit hours).
  • Fellows with non-resident student status receive a 62% reduction in tuition and fees (student portion = $5,601 annually for 21 credit hours).
  • Credit hour tuition and fee details are listed on the USD tuition and fees page.
  • You may be asked to assist faculty in some teaching, but this typically is limited to fewer than 20 hours per year.

If you do not receive an assistantship within the department, you may apply for an assistantship outside of your academic program or within support offices at USD. For more information and to apply for a graduate assistantship, visit the Graduate Assistantship webpage.

Learn More

At USD, our graduate students are actively pursuing unique research and presenting at local and national conferences exploring innovative areas of interest to them. Additional research and grant opportunities include:

Research and Creative Scholarship Opportunities

Each semester students may apply for grants through the USD Graduate School, faculty and students pursue research in virtually all academic departments on campus, and in many cases, it is a required portion of a graduate degree program.

Learn More

IdeaFest

IdeaFest is an annual event celebrating student research, creative scholarship and academic engagement. Undergraduate and graduate students in all disciplines present their work in oral and poster presentations, live performances, readings, exhibits and displays.

Learn More

Departments & Facilities

Explore the departments, facilities and centers that contribute to your education in basic biomedical sciences.
Students Inside the Parry Center.

Parry Center

The Parry Center for Clinical Skills & Simulation is a state-of-the-art learning environment that allows collaboration among students and safely simulates real-patient experiences.

Faculty & Staff

Get to know the faculty and staff in the Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences. Our faculty are experts in their field, specializing in cancer biology, cardiovascular, entomology, human genetics, infectious disease, microbiology, and neuroscience among other areas.
Bio Image for Faculty Member William Mayhan

William Mayhan

Dean, Basic Biomedical Science/Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Daniel Bird

Daniel Bird

Assoc Dean, Basic Biomed Sciences/Associate Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Michelle Baack

Michelle Baack

Chair, Pediatrics/Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Keith Hansen

Keith Hansen

Chair, OB/GYN
Bio Image for Faculty Member Timothy Soundy

Timothy Soundy

Chair, Psychiatry
Bio Image for Faculty Member Denise Arrick

Denise Arrick

Co-Dir BDP/Instructor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Edward Bagu

Edward Bagu

Assistant Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Lee Baugh

Lee Baugh

Associate Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Maria Bell

Maria Bell

Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Pam Bernard

Pam Bernard

Accounting Assistant
Bio Image for Faculty Member Sara Bird

Sara Bird

Mgr, USD Body Donation Prog
Bio Image for Faculty Member Brian Burrell

Brian Burrell

Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Indra Chandrasekar

Indra Chandrasekar

Assistant Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member William Chen

William Chen

Assistant Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Bruce Cuevas

Bruce Cuevas

Associate Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Luci Drapeau

Luci Drapeau

BRIN Tribal College Coord
Bio Image for Faculty Member Donis Drappeau

Donis Drappeau

Crd, Diversity & Pipeline Prog
Bio Image for Faculty Member Scott Druecker

Scott Druecker

Assistant Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Erik Ehli

Erik Ehli

Associate Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Randy Faustino

Randy Faustino

Assistant Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Xuesheng Feng

Xuesheng Feng

Clinical Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Kevin Francis

Kevin Francis

Assistant Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Jessica Freeling

Jessica Freeling

Dir, Physiology Research Core
Bio Image for Faculty Member Taylor Soderling

Taylor Soderling

Assistant Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Barb Goodman

Barb Goodman

Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Kurt Griffin

Kurt Griffin

Associate Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Victor Huber

Victor Huber

Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Michael Kareta

Michael Kareta

Associate Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Joyce Keifer

Joyce Keifer

Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Curtis Kost

Curtis Kost Jr.

Associate Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Damon LeaderCharge

Damon LeaderCharge

Director of Tribal Outreach
Bio Image for Faculty Member Lance Lee

Lance Lee

Associate Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Yi-Fan Li

Yi-Fan Li

Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Kaijie Ma

Kaijie Ma

Research Associate III
Bio Image for Faculty Member Lisa McFadden

Lisa McFadden

Associate Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Pasquale Manzerra

Pasquale Manzerra

Assist Dean, Med Student Affairs/Associate Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Gerald McGraw

Gerald McGraw Jr

Assistant Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Mike Olson

Mike Olson

Fabrication Technician
Bio Image for Faculty Member Scott Pattison

Scott Pattison

Assistant Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member David Pearce

David Pearce

Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Wendy Pederson

Wendy Pederson

Graduate & Educ Manager
Bio Image for Faculty Member Diane Penfield

Diane Penfield

Grants Accountant
Bio Image for Faculty Member Jose Pietri

Jose Pietri

Assistant Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member LouisJan Pilaz

LouisJan Pilaz

Assistant Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Steven Powell

Steven Powell

Associate Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Luye Qin

Luye Qin

Assistant Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Patrick Ronan

Patrick Ronan

Associate Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Kyle Roux

Kyle Roux

Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Jackie Rubida

Jackie Rubida

BBS Personnel Assistant
Bio Image for Faculty Member Alexei Savinov

Alexei Savinov

Associate Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Arun Singh

Arun Singh

Assistant Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member William Spanos

William Spanos

Associate Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Kameswaran Surendran

Kameswaran Surendran

Associate Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Jianning Tao

Jianning Tao

Assistant Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Paola Vermeer

Paola Vermeer

Assistant Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Xuejun Wang

Xuejun Wang

Director/Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Hongmin Wang

Hongmin Wang

Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Jill Weimer

Jill Weimer

Professor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Hong Zheng

Hong Zheng

Associate Professor
Male Researcher in White Lab Coat and Goggles Adding Powder to Beaker.

Hands-on Learning Through Cutting-edge Research

As a community of researchers and scientists, we know that hands-on experience in research facilities is crucial for your career preparation. Our division is home to several state-of-the-art facilities that allow you to gain experience with industry technology and find answers to your questions. Whether you want to study biochemistry, immunology, neuroscience, pharmacology, cancer biology, cellular biology or another area of the biomedical sciences, you'll find the support and resources to engage in relevant research and launch your career.

Student in Research Lab with Mentor.

Mentorship Unlocks Opportunity

Enhance your learning experience through research opportunities and improve your chance at getting a residency match. More than half of the faculty members in our division are actively engaged in scholarly and research activities, and they are committed to bringing students into that experience.


Surprisingly Affordable

Whether you’ve recently completed your undergraduate degree, or you want to kick your career up a notch, graduate school is the next logical step. The good news is there is funding for both online and on-campus students to get you through your program. 
GA (Resident*)
Resident
Online
Non-Resident
Tuition (1 cr.)
180.3
340.15
470.45
654.05
GAF Fee (1 cr.)
55.3
55.3
0
55.3
Total

More About Tuition & Fees

Tuition rates are subject to change and may vary depending on the program or department. Visit the Graduate Tuition & Costs page for more information.

* Graduate Assistant (GA) rates are available for resident, non-resident and online students.

** Resident rates may be available to you through the SD Advantage, Child of Alumni or Western Regional Graduate Program. To see if you quality, visit usd.edu/grad-tuition.

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