Changing the research point (Very critical to me)

[Mohammad Ayoub]

Hi everyone !

 

My name is Mohammad Ayoub, a fresh graduate from Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Egypt. (B.Sc./major in Biotechnology).

I have a deep interest to make research on Cancer Biology field. Honestly, I haven't any research experience in this field. All I have is a continuous reading papers on various topics about Tumor suppressor genes and cell cycle control.

My question is, What's my opportunities to get accepted (for masters/PhD) from a principal investigator from a high ranked university like MIT, Stanford ...etc! "my undergraduate GPA is 3.7 (for all 4 years) and 3.9 (for last 2 years of my Bachelor), if that might help!"

Your opinion is very important for me.

[Mohammad Ayoub]

any help ??

[Eigen]

I would say with zero research experience in the area, your chance of getting accepted for a PhD at all, much less at a top ranked school, is pretty low. 

 

That said, it depends on what you mean by no research experience in the area. Do you have research experience in a related area that will transfer? Similar techniques, etc?

[Mohammad Ayoub]

Yes very similar techniques ... my research experience in plant molecular biology. I used to deal with PCR and its various techniques (rtPCR...etc), Blotting techniques, nucleic acid isolation, Gel Electrophoresis, ELISA, cell and tissue culture techniques... and many others.
But I had never being involved in cancer research which I plan to do in the future!

[Eigen]

Then you don't really have no research experience in the area, and you should be fine. 

[maggiemay]

If it makes you feel any better, I was told by the dean of admissions to a molecular and biomedical program, that they dont care what techniques you know or what you did in the past as "anybody can be taught how to do a PCR", but admissions committees want to see that you are "passionate and want to do science".