The goal of the program is to ensure that each student acquires the skills necessary for a successful career as a scientist. To this end students are evaluated at several stages to assess their progress in developing scientific and communication skills. In addition to an individual research mentor, students also select a thesis/dissertation committee of three to five faculty members whose task is to assist the student in his/her progress towards becoming a successful scientist.

Ph.D. students take two formal examinations at the end of the first and second year, respectively. The Qualifying Exam I (QEI) tests the candidate's breadth of knowledge in the core areas of Biochemistry, Cell Biology, and Molecular Biology. The Qualifying Exam II (QEII) tests the candidate's depth of knowledge in his/her chosen area of specialization as well as the candidate's ability to write and defend a research proposal.

In addition to formal course work, the emphasis is on intensive laboratory research that culminates in successful completion of a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation. Thesis/dissertation research consists of full time research on a project within the mentor's area of interest. In addition to carrying out experiments to answer specific questions, the student learns and is expected to critically evaluate the relevant scientific literature. A written thesis/dissertation is prepared that describes the experimental work and the results obtained and interprets them in the context of what is already known in the specific research area. Finally, the candidate presents an open seminar based on his/her research and defends the thesis/dissertation work in a closed meeting of the thesis/dissertation Committee.