Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Systems Biology

The CSB PhD program aims to produce scientists who will form part of the next generation of independent researchers in cell, molecular and systems biology, and become future high-level teachers, frontier-expanders, and decision-makers in these fields of inquiry. In keeping with this, PhD graduates are expected to emerge from the program as independent and autonomous scientists, producing a written thesis that describes original research that stands as a testimony to their ability to generate publishable, stand-alone contributions to the peer-reviewed scientific literature. As part of their training, PhD students will acquire skills in the communication of scientific research (including teaching skills), and acquire broad-based knowledge of the theory and practice underpinning their chosen field. The Ph.D. is a four- or five-year program for students entering with an M.Sc. or B.Sc. degree respectively. Promising students may seek to transfer into the Ph.D. program from the M.Sc. program after 12 months of study. All students must pass an appraisal examination within 20 months into the program.
The Department of CSB is strongly committed to providing excellent graduate programs that train and mentor students in the fields of Cell, Molecular and Systems Biology. The Department of CSB fulfills this commitment by maintaining and enhancing a world-class research, learning and training environment to ensure successful, rigorous, and internationally-recognised graduate education and research. In keeping with the interdisciplinary nature of the fields in the CSB graduate programs, exposure to a breadth of research areas and approaches are a key component of the graduate programs. Graduate students in CSB use state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge approaches throughout their graduate program. This includes participating in the best of functional genomics, genetics, metabolomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, computational biology, cell biology, developmental biology, molecular biology, and physiology research.

Transfer from the CSB MSc Program: Students may reclassify from the MSc program after 12 months of study. Students must reclassify between the 12th and 20th month of their MSc program.
Following completion of an MSc: Applicants applying from an MSc degree program or equivalent from a recognized university must have an average of A- in their MSc program.
Direct entry from BSc: Students with an exceptional record in a BSc program (minimally, University of Toronto A- average or equivalent) may apply to be considered for direct admission into the PhD program.
A one-page statement describing your interest in Cell and Systems Biology, your goals, and your reasons for choosing this department for graduate studies. Include a list of names of potential supervisors and areas of research in which you are interested.
A current copy of your r'sum or CV.
Three letters of reference are required. These letters should be submitted electrically by the referees, who will automatically be emailed instructions when the student sumibts an online application and has paid the application fee. Reference letters can be mailed to the department, however, we strongly recommend that referees submit the letters online.
Scanned copies of academic transcripts form each university attended.
GRE scores are optional for applicants without a degree from a Canadian university. GRE scores are used for reference purposes and there are no minimum scores required.


IELTS - Minimum required score 7.0 (Academic) with at least 6.5 for each component.
TOEFL IBT - Overall Score - 93, Writing and Speaking- 22, TOEFL Paper-based Test - Overall Score 580, TWE: 5