Program
USask’s Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology offers research-focused Master of Science (M.Sc.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs, where students receive advanced training and mentorship from experts in areas such as:
- Cellular and molecular biology of eukaryotes
- Microbial genetics and physiology
- Virology
- Immunology
- Vaccinology
- Enzymes
- Metabolic pathways
- The synthesis structure and function of proteins and nucleic acids
Quick facts
-
Expected Length Thesis-based Course-based M.Sc. 2 years Ph.D. 4 years - Degree requirements
- Class delivery in-person
- Supervisor approval recommended before applying
- Deadlines and admission details below
Access industry-leading research facilities that drive discovery
USask Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology graduate students have access to cutting-edge research facilities including Western College of Veterinary Medicine, the Canadian Light Source, and the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization and International Vaccine Centre.
Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology M.Sc. and Ph.D. research areas
Key research areas include:
- Analytical biochemistry
- Cell biochemistry
- Cell biology and cancer
- Enzymes and metabolism
- Host-pathogen interactions
- Immunology
- Molecular genetics/Microbial physiology
- Molecular virology
- Nucleic acids and gene expression
- Plant biochemistry
- Protein structure and molecular mechanism
- Tumor Biology/Immunology
While at the University of Saskatchewan, you will have access to state of the art facilities and research centers including:
- Canadian Light Source, Canada's only synchrotron
- Saskatchewan Centre for Cyclotron Sciences (SCCS)
- Saskatchewan Cancer agency
- Core Mass Spectrometry Facility
- Saskatchewan Structural Sciences Centre
- National Research Council Plant Biotechnology Institute
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization – International Vaccine Centre (VIDO)
- Western College of Veterinary Medicine
The Department selects graduate students from a wide pool of applicants, including honours students at USask and candidates from across Canada and abroad with degrees in biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, or related fields. Most students begin in the M.Sc. program and may transfer to the Ph.D. stream in their second year, based on strong academic performance, research progress, and successful completion of the Candidacy Assessment.
Research supervisors
Before applying, we recommend contacting a potential supervisor whose research areas align with your interests. Share your academic background and research goals. If they are accepting students, they will instruct you to begin a formal application.
| Name | Research areas |
|---|---|
| Trypanosome Major Surface Proteases , DNA damage dependent stress responses in E. coli | |
| Natural killer cells, immunoglobulin-like receptors, immunogenetics, cytomegalovirus immune evasion | |
| Cancer, Tumor microenvironment, 3D tumor models, Drug Resistance | |
| HIV restriction factors, DNA deaminases, mutagenesis, enzyme mechanisms | |
| Mycobacterial virulence factors, TB host-pathogen interactions and aerobiology, Anti-TB vaccines and therapies, Animal models of TB | |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis, infection biology, antibiotics, persistence, 3D microtissue models, single-cell imaging | |
| Antimicrobial resistance, cell division, sexually transmitted infections, international health, molecular technologies for microbial diagnostics | |
| Interactions between proteins and small molecules, mapping contacts of drugs and their protein targets, regulating enzymes for therapeutic use | |
| Nutrigenomics, Molecular Geontology, Genome Organization | |
| Development of animal models and vaccines for emerging viruses; Structure-based coronavirus vaccine design | |
| Molecular mechanisms that determine cancer invasiveness and metastasis | |
| Cancer-associated proteins, antibody production, synthetic antibodies | |
| Biochemistry and Molecular Biological studies of the Lyme Disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi | |
| Viral Immunology, HIV-1, Humanized mice, Interferon-alpha | |
| Molecular genetic regulation of cellular copper homeostasis | |
| Breast tumor kinase (BRK) and two other BRK family members, FRK and SRMS | |
| Structure, function and inhibitory studies on key proteins involved in DNA repair and in D-alanylation of teichoic acids in Gram-positive bacteria | |
| Flagellum secretion system in Helicobacter pylori, and chromatin modifying systems in higher eukaryotes | |
| Vaccine Development, Prion Diseases, Kinome Analysis, Infectious Disease | |
| Antibody-Secreting Cells (aka plasma cells), Hematopoiesis, Autoimmunity, Inflammation Aging, Gene Expression | |
| Microbe-host interactions: molecules in symbiosis and pathogenesis, Plasmid-encoded biosynthetic gene clusters, bacterially produced small molecules | |
| Host-pathogen interactions, nutritional immunity, molecular genetics, bacteriology, transitional metal homeostasis | |
| Acyltransferase, triglyceride, lipid droplet, obesity, diabetes | |
| Vaccine formulation, mucosal immunology, mRNA vaccines, subunit vaccines, adjuvants, animal models, particle engineering, molecular imaging | |
| Molecular microbiology, molecular genetics, and bacteriology | |
| Molecular virology, virus-host interactions, innate immune response | |
| Molecular genetics, pathogenic microbiology, tick-pathogen transmission, animal models, Lyme disease, vaccine development | |
| Plant cell cycle regulation | |
| Salmonella transmission and virulence, gene expression associated with Salmonella biofilm information, Salmonella vaccine development | |
| HCV interaction with the host miRNA machinery | |
| Cancer, genome stability, DNA repair, helicase | |
| Mechanisms of action of genotoxic chemicals and cellular responses to DNA damage. |
Tuition and funding
Funding
Admission is restricted to students for which there is available funding. Funding is generally through scholarships, grant funds, and departmental teaching assistantships.
Graduate students at USask can receive funding from a variety of sources to support their graduate education.
Tuition and fees
Thesis or project-based master's program
Graduate students in a thesis or project-based program pay tuition three times a year for as long as they are enrolled in their program.
| Term | Canadian students | International students |
|---|---|---|
| September 1 - December 31, 2025 | ||
| January 1 - April 30, 2026 | ||
| May 1 - August 31, 2026 | ||
| Total per academic year |
Student fees
In addition to tuition above, students also pay fees for programs like health and dental insurance, a bus pass, and other campus services. The amount you need to pay depends on if you are taking classes full time or part time, and if you are on campus or not. The table below assumes you are on campus full-time.
| Fall 2025 | Winter 2026 | Spring 2026 | Summer 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student fees | $578.45 CAD | $804.73 CAD | $36.75 CAD | $36.75 CAD |
Doctoral program
Doctoral students pay tuition three times a year for as long as they are enrolled in their program. Both international and domestic Ph.D. students pay the same rate.
| Term | |
|---|---|
| September 1 - December 31, 2025 | $1,812.00 CAD |
| January 1 - April 30, 2026 | $1,812.00 CAD |
| May 1 - August 31, 2026 | $1,812.00 CAD |
| Total per academic year | $5,436.00 CAD |
Student fees
In addition to tuition above, students also pay fees for programs like health and dental insurance, a bus pass, and other campus services. The amount you need to pay depends on if you are taking classes full time or part time, and if you are on campus or not. The table below assumes you are on campus full-time.
| Fall 2025 | Winter 2026 | Spring 2026 | Summer 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student fees | $578.45 CAD | $804.73 CAD | $36.75 CAD | $36.75 CAD |
Admission requirements
- Language Proficiency Requirements: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English.
- A minimum overall TOEFL score of 90 is required with a minimum score of 20 in each area, or a minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum score of 6.5 in each area, or another approved test as outlined in the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Academic Policies.
- Acumulative weighted average of at least a 75% (USask grade system equivalent) in the last two years of study (i.e. 60 credit units). Students with a lower average may be accepted under exceptional circumstances.
- A four-year honours degree, or equivalent, from a recognized college or university in an academic discipline relevant to the proposed field of study.
- Language Proficiency Requirements: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English.
- A minimum overall TOEFL score of 90 is required with a minimum score of 20 in each area, or a minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum score of 6.5 in each area, or another approved test as outlined in the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Academic Policies.
- A master's degree, or equivalent, from a recognized university in a relevant academic discipline
- A cumulative weighted average of at least a 80% (USask grade system equivalent) in the last two years of study (i.e. coursework required in master's program).
Application process and deadlines
Deadlines and important dates
There is no set deadline for applying to this program. Applications are accepted continuously, with intakes available for the September, January, and May terms.
Submit an online application
International Students - Review federal international study permit policies before you apply. We do not anticipate that the implementation of the PAL process will limit graduate enrollment at USask.
Before beginning your online application, be sure that you have carefully reviewed all program information and admission requirements on this page.
During the application, you'll be asked for:
- Personal information such as your name, address, etc.
- Contact information of your three referees
- For your letters of recommendation, two of your referees must be academic contacts, and the third may be academic or professional
- Your complete academic history from all previous post-secondary institutions
The application takes about 30 minutes to complete. You may save your application and return to it later.
At the end of the application, you will need to pay a non-refundable application fee: $125 for domestic students and $145 for international students. Your application will not be processed until payment is received.
Submit required documents
Once you've submitted your online application, you will have access to upload your required documents, and provide the contact information for your references. To do this, go to the "Supplemental Items & Documents" tab in your application.
Preliminary Statement of Marks
- Once you have submitted your application for admission and paid the application fee, you will be required to upload unofficial PDF copies of your academic transcript(s) from each post-secondary institution attended. This requirement will appear as Preliminary Statement of Marks or Additional Prelim. Statement under admission requirements on your Application Summary when you check your application status.
- The uploaded transcript can be an unofficial copy of the transcript issued by the university or college and must include a grading key/legend.
- All pages of a transcript must be uploaded as a single PDF document.
- Uploaded transcripts will be considered unofficial or preliminary. Official copies of your transcripts will be required only for applicants offered admission. This requirement will appear as Post-secondary Transcript under admission requirements on your Application Summary when you check your application status.
- Transcripts in languages other than English must be accompanied by a certified translation.
For students who are required to provide proof of English proficiency:
- Completing a relevant test with the appropriate score is required before the application deadline.
- Tests are valid for 24 months after the testing date and must be valid at the beginning of the student's first term of registration in the graduate program.
- Applicants will be required to upload a PDF copy of any required language test score. Uploaded test scores will be considered unofficial or preliminary.
Contact
Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology
107 Wiggins Road
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5
Graduate Chair
Dr. Scot Stone
Email: scot.stone@usask.ca
Graduate Administrator
Peggy Naughton
Email: bmi.grad@usask.ca
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology
Learn more about the academic unit offering this program - Program and Course Catalogue
To view official admission and program requirements