Microbiology, molecular biology and biochemistry

The 78-credit Ph.D. in microbiology, molecular biology and biochemistry is designed around your research interests and career goals. You’ll develop an individualized graduate program in consultation with your major professor and graduate committee, building broad knowledge of the molecular life sciences while developing in-depth expertise in a specialized area of microbiology, molecular biology or biochemistry. Your coursework and independent study support the central focus of the program: conducting original, laboratory-based research and advancing knowledge in your field.

View the online microbiology, molecular biology and biochemistry graduate handbook

Explore this program in the University Catalog

Related clubs

• Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA)
• U of I Environmental Club 

Beginning Fall 2026, Ph.D. students appointed as Teaching Assistants will receive an annual support package that includes:

• Base stipend: $23,368.80 for the 9-month academic year
• Tuition and fees:  Out-of-state tuition is waived, and the university covers resident tuition and mandatory fees (currently $5,408 per semester)
• Health insurance: Student Health Insurance Program premiums (currently ~$2,200) fully covered
• Summer support: An additional scholarship of $5,000–$8,000, depending on funding availability
• This brings the total annual support to approximately $41,384

University of Idaho is committed to making graduate education accessible and helping students navigate the cost of earning an advanced degree. In addition to financial aid and scholarship opportunities, many graduate students receive funding through assistantships, research opportunities and other forms of academic support.

Here are a few key resources to help you understand graduate tuition, funding opportunities and available financial support::

• Submit your FAFSA: Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step to accessing federal, state and institutional financial aid.
• Estimate your cost of attendance: Use U of I’s Cost Calculator to estimate tuition and other expenses associated with earning your degree.
• View a breakdown of tuition and fees: Visit the Student Accounts page to explore current tuition rates, fees and detailed cost information based on your program, residency status and enrollment level.
• Explore scholarships and graduate funding opportunities: Graduate students may qualify for scholarships, fellowships and other funding opportunities based on academic achievement, area of study and professional experience.  
• Learn about assistantships: Many graduate programs offer Research Assistantships (RAs), Teaching Assistantships (TAs) or Graduate Assistantships (GAs), which may provide tuition support, stipends and valuable professional experience. Assistantship availability and funding levels vary by program and department.  
• Connect with your program: Some graduate funding opportunities are coordinated directly through academic departments or faculty research projects. Prospective students are encouraged to review department funding information and speak with program representatives about available opportunities.  

If you have questions about financial aid, scholarships or graduate funding, U of I’s experienced financial aid counselors and graduate program staff can help you explore options and make informed financial decisions throughout the admissions process.  

View financial aid resources 

Recognized STEM Program

This program is recognized as a STEM program by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and may be eligible for the 24-month STEM optional practical training extension for international students.

Learn more about STEM approved CIP/degree codes

Have questions about the program, research opportunities or the graduate student experience? Connect with our program team for personalized guidance about curriculum, faculty mentorship, application requirements and graduate funding opportunities. 

Biological Sciences department contact: 
Diana Mitchell
dmitchell@uidaho.edu

For questions related to admissions, application materials, transcripts or enrollment steps, contact Graduate Admissions: 

Graduate Admissions contact:
graduateadmissions@uidaho.edu
208-885-4001

Interested in research areas or finding a faculty mentor? Explore faculty expertise, research interests and advising opportunities on the department’s faculty page. 

Find Department of Biological Sciences faculty advisor contacts.

Applicants for the Ph.D. in microbiology, molecular biology and biochemistry must meet the following degree-specific admission requirements:

Program availability:

• Semester intake: Fall
  • Open to international applicants
• Deadlines: December 1 for priority consideration
• Start dates: View the academic calendar to see start and end dates

University requirements:

• Education level: Bachelor's degree in a similar or related field from an accredited or recognized institution (earned or expected before the start of the graduate program)
  • Transcripts for all post-secondary education will be required. Unofficial transcripts may be used for initial admission review. Official transcripts sent by the issuing institution(s) will be required if admitted. View more information on the Graduate Admissions page. 
• GPA: 3.0 (Applicants with a lower undergraduate GPA who have relevant professional experience in the field, have already earned a graduate degree, or have completed graduate-level credits may still be considered for admission with approval from the academic program.)
• GRE: Not required
• Letters of recommendation: Three
• Resume
• Statement of purpose
• Other requirements: Indicate faculty members you would like to work with in your statement of purpose
• Valid picture ID (required to verify students’ identity and will be kept confidential)
• English proficiency (for applicants whose education was completed in countries where English is not an official language).
  • Accepted tests: TOEFL: 4.5, IELTS: 6.5, Duolingo: 115, PTE-A: 58. (TOEFL 5.0 or equivalent required for teaching assistantship) Learn what qualifies as proof of English proficiency.  
• Application Fee: $50 

Application and admission process:

Applications are submitted online and are specific to the program and term selected. Applicants seeking admission to multiple programs must submit a separate application for each program.

Before submitting an application, applicants must provide personal and academic information from all post-secondary institutions attended, recommender information, required program-specific materials and their intended program and start term.

Applicants seeking admission to the Ph.D. are encouraged to identify and contact a potential faculty advisor or major professor during the application process. Early identification of an advisor can help ensure that a faculty member in the applicant’s area of interest has capacity to supervise the student and appropriate research opportunities are available. Applicants should consult the College of Science website to identify faculty whose research aligns with their academic and research interests.

Applications are reviewed for admission by the academic program. Only complete applications, including required letters of recommendation and payment of the application fee, will be forwarded for evaluation and admission decision. Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete their applications early to allow sufficient time for a thorough review.

International students seeking F-1 or J-1 visas must provide financial documentation demonstrating their ability to cover the cost of attendance. This documentation is required only after admission. 

Visit Graduate Admissions to learn more and start your application. 

Tanya Miura, Department Chair and Professor

• Pathogenesis of respiratory viral infections
• Respiratory viral coinfections
• Immune response to viral pathogens

Onesmo Balemba, Professor

• Gut microbiome and diabetes
• Gastrointestinal diabetic neuropathy
• Diabetic gut movement disorders
• Identification of non-additive antinociceptive molecules

Jim Bull, Professor

Virus evolution

• Vaccine design
• Bacteriophages
• Mathematical modeling

Ginger Carney, Professor and Dean

• Neurogenetics
• Behavioral genetics
• Small RNA biology
• Adipose tissue signaling
• Reproductive biology

Elizabeth (Lee) Ann Fortunato, Professor

• Human cytomegalovirus host/pathogen interactions
• Congenital infections
• Herpesvirus-induced birth defects
• Organoid and 3d cell culture modeling of viral pathogenesis

Nicole Grieshaber, Research Associate Professor

• Chlamydia developmental cycle regulation
• Bacterial histone-like proteins
• Small RNA regulatory networks
• Molecular pathogenesis of bacteria

Scott Grieshaber, Professor

• Host pathogen interactions
• Intracellular bacterial parasites
• Microbiology
• Chlamydia

Luke J. Harmon, Professor

• Phylogenetic comparative methods
• Adaptive radiation and diversification
• Macroevolutionary dynamics
• Computational evolutionary biology

Paul Hohenlohe, Professor and Director, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program

• Evolutionary genetics
• Conservation genomics
• Jill L. Johnson, Professor
• Molecular chaperones in protein folding
• Hsp90 molecular chaperone function

Adam G. Jones, Distinguished Professor

• Evolutionary biology
• Genomics
• Bioinformatics

Shirley Luckhart, Professor and Co-director, Institute for Health in the Human Ecosystem

• Malaria parasite transmission biology
• Mosquito and mammalian immunology
• Arthropod-borne infectious diseases
• Host-parasite-vector interactions

Nora Céspedex Martínez, Research Assistant Professor

• Malaria – vaccine development, immune responses, pathogenesis and transmission

Christopher Marx, Professor

• Experimental evolution of microbes
• Evolution of metabolic networks
• Microbial physiology and ecology
• Systems and quantitative biology

Diana Mitchell, Associate Professor

• Retinal development and regeneration
• Neuro-immune interactions in retina
• Microglia and Müller glia biology
• Innate immunology and phagocytosis

James J. Nagler, Professor and Director, Center for Research on Invasive Species

• Conservation physiology of fish and invertebrates
• Emphasis on reproductive and thermal biology

Scott Nuismer, Professor

• Theoretical evolutionary biology
• Coevolution and species interactions
• Mathematical modeling of disease
• Viral spillover and emergence

Christine Parent, Professor

• Evolutionary biology on islands
• Speciation and adaptive radiation
• Galápagos land snail evolution
• Experimental evolution and modeling

Barrie Robison, Professor and Director, Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Sciences

• Evolutionary and behavioral genomics
• Genetic architecture of traits
• Fisheries biology and domestication
• Science-based video game design

Paul Rowley, Associate Professor and Assistant Director, Institute for Modeling Collaboration and Innovation

• Mechanisms of anti-fungal “killer” toxins
• Mycovirus and killer toxin discovery
• Fungal pathways to anti-fungal resistance

Deborah L. Stenkamp, Professor

• Vertebrate retinal development
• Zebrafish models of disease
• Photoreceptor differentiation and regeneration
• Molecular mechanisms of vision

John “Jack” M. Sullivan, Professor

• Phylogenetic theory and methods
• Speciation/introgression genomics in chipmunks
• Predictive phytogeography with machine learning

Klas Udekwu, Assistant Professor

• Microbial population biology
• Pharmacodynamics, ecology and evolution of genotypic and phenotypic antimicrobial resistance
• Mathematical and experimental modeling of bug/drug interactions
• Built environment microbiology

Holly A. Wichman, Distinguished Professor

• Experimental evolution with viruses
• Evolutionary theory and genomics
• Bacteriophage biology and evolution
• Transposable element evolution