Ph.D. program in Clinical/Bioanalytical Chemistry

The Ph.D. program in Clinical/Bioanalytical Chemistry is offered jointly by Cleveland State University and the Lerner Research Institute of The Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF). The program is also affiliated with the Rammelkamp Center for Education and Research of the MetroHealth Medical Center of Cleveland.

This unique program attracts students from all over the world. Clinical/Bioanalytical Chemistry applies the knowledge of chemistry and, in particular, chemical analysis to the study of the origins and diagnoses of diseases. Graduates of this Ph.D. program are employed in many clinical- bioanalytical settings. They become directors of clinical laboratories and research scientists in biomedical and biotechnology fields, in invitro diagnostics, in reference and analytical laboratories, in academic institutions, and in many other settings.

Because of the concentration of chemical, medical, and related industries and institutions in the Cleveland area, many graduates of this program have found fulfilling positions locally. Others have selected employment outside of the Cleveland area, including employment outside of the United States.

Chemists with advanced degrees generally have a variety of career opportunities, and Cleveland State graduates are no exception. The program has outstanding faculty with whom students conduct their dissertation research. Students have the opportunity to do research with faculty and research scientists at Cleveland State, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and other medical centers.

The program has more than fifty faculty members who have a broad range of research interests in disease mechanism and diagnosis, bioanalytical chemistry, biomedicine, and molecular biology. State-of-the-art facilities and advanced bioanalytical technologies are available to students in the program, including (but not limited to) mass spectrometry (including MALDI-TOF and LC-ESI-triple quadruple MS, LC-ESI-ion- trap MS), HPLC, conventional and capillary electrophoresis, immunoassays, ultracentrifugation, NMR, EPR, FTIR, absorption spectroscopy, spectrofluorometry, X-ray crystallography, molecular biology techniques, and computational chemistry and chemical imaging techniques.

Clinical Chemistry Specialization:

The doctoral degree with a Clinical Chemistry Specialization is an internationally recognized program that examines the origins, mechanisms, and diagnosis of disease. Students who complete the program may obtain certification from the American Board of Clinical Chemistry after appropriate work experience and upon successful completion of the certification examination.

The Clinical Chemistry Ph.D. specialization is also an option within the Molecular Medicine Ph.D. specialization for students in both programs. It is the responsibility of the Director of the Clinical Chemistry program to certify that doctoral students in the clinical chemistry specialization have completed the necessary course and research requirements for professional certification.

All recipients of the Ph.D. degree with clinical chemistry specialization are strongly urged to take, following graduation, the examination offered for certification by the American Board of Clinical Chemistry. 

Molecular Medicine Ph.D. Program:

Depending on their research interests, applicants to the Ph.D. program may wish to consider participation in the Cellular and Molecular Medicine Specialization, an interdisciplinary initiative linking the resources of the three Cleveland State/ Cleveland Clinic joint Ph.D. programs: Regulatory Biology, Clinical-Bioanalytical Chemistry, and Applied Biomedical Engineering. Together, these units provide unparalleled opportunities for faculty, students, and staff.

The Cellular and Molecular Medicine Specialization is not an independent academic program and does not replace existing doctoral programs. Students must fulfill the requirements for their Ph.D program. The Cellular and Molecular Medicine Specialization forms a logical interface to coordinate collective efforts of existing programs in four ways:

1. by creating a significant presence in the challenging and exciting new area of Cellular and Molecular Medicine;
2. by establishing a critical mass of researchers around a topic of national scientific and applied medical interest;
3. by realizing the commitment of Cleveland State and CCF in their long-standing collaboration to become major contributors in biomedical engineering and biomedical technology; and
4. by expanding the existing doctoral programs beyond their present state of development.

As part of its contribution to these efforts, the Cellular and Molecular Medicine Specialization makes available several graduate assistantships to allow outstanding candidates to concentrate on their research for two years.