Graduate Programs - USA
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES
The Biomedical Physics Division of the Department of Radiological Sciences, UCLA, offers a graduate program in the Biophysics subspeciality leading to M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. The curriculum includes various courses in radiochemistry, radiopharmaceutical chemistry and radionuclide production. In addition related courses are offered on the theory and practice of positron emission tomography and tracer kinetic modeling. The basic courses offered through the Departments of Chemistry, Physics, Pharmacology, Molecular Biology, etc, are also available.

The goal of the Biophysics program is to educate students in the basic sciences pertaining to the theory and application of tracer kinetics, radiolabeled compounds and imaging for the study of the chemical basis of human physiology.

Resources available include a 22-MeV multiple particle cyclotron and a 11-MeV negative ion cyclotron with adjoining hot cells, computer-based gamma spectroscopy systems, and chemistry and research labs, five well- equipped chemistry/biochemistry labs with HPLC systems, amino acid analyzers, radioactivity counting systems, a full complement of spectrophotometers and laboratory computer system, and two animal labs for isolated organ and autoradiography studies including C-14 and H-3 handling and counting and rat, cat and monkey models for brain research. Related instrument available includes multiple-nuclei NMR, MS and GC-MS extensive computer systems including a VAX 11/780 and seven PDP/11's. A 45-MeV cyclotron and complete radiochemistry lab is also available in the adjacent V.A. Hospital.

Faculty interests and areas of specialization in the Chemistry Section are as follows: Jorge R. Barrio, Ph.D., Professor, organ metabolism and neurotransmitter biochemistry with radiopharmaceuticals labeled with short- lived positron-emitters; N. Satyamurthy, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, radionuclide production, halogenation of substrate analogs, drug-synthesis and mechanisms, and automatic synthetic techniques.

Research Assistantships from private and Federal research grants are available for qualified students.
For additional information contact:
Jorge R. Barrio, Ph.D.
University of California
Department of Radiological Sciences
Biomedical Physical Division
Los Angeles, CA 90024
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