The GPILS Summer Bridge Course is an intensive, interactive course covering a) essential principles of cellular biochemistry and physiology and b) the fundamental job skills that every successful biomedical researcher must master. 
The course is designed to assist students from widely varied academic backgrounds with the transition to graduate level study in the biomedical sciences.
The course is divided into six sections: 1) The Physics and Chemistry of Cell Biology; 2) Physical Interactions of Biological Molecules; 3) How Proteins Perform Work (Enzymatic Reactions); 4) The Storage and Transmission of Biological Information; 5) How Cells Communicate; and 6) How Research Gets Done.
Each session begins with an introductory lecture on the topic of the day, but the bulk of the time will be taken up with interactive discussion, group study, individual and group presentations, problem analysis, and the development of scientific writing skills. The course schedule is flexible enough to allow any topics or areas identified as especially problematic to be given extra attention. Through these approaches, students become comfortable with essential biochemical/physiological principles and mechanisms and the fundamental methods and language of modern biomedical research. This enables students to get the most from the GPILS Core Course in the fall, setting them firmly on the path to success in their doctoral research.
Incoming students are not required to participate in the summer bridge program but many choose to take advantage of it.
For additional information on the Summer Bridge Program:
Dr. Robert Koos
Professor, UMB
rkoos@umaryland.edu
410-706-8033
Dr. Mauricio Bustos
Associate Professor, UMBC
bustos@umbc.edu
410-455-2769
Rachael Holmes
Academic Coordinator, UMB
rholmes@som.umaryland.edu
410-706-6042