As Altman reached adulthood, the family's financial situation had become secure enough that he was able to pursue a college education. He went to the United States to study physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. While at MIT, he was a member of the ice hockey team. After achieving his bachelor's degree from MIT in 1960, Altman spent 18 months as a graduate student in physics at Columbia University. Due to personal concerns and the lack of opportunity for beginning graduate students to participate in laboratory work, he left the program without completing the degree. Some months later, he enrolled as a graduate student in biophysics at the University of Colorado Medical Center. His project was a study of the effects of acridines on the replication of bacteriophage T4 DNA. He received his Ph.D. in biophysics from the University of Colorado in 1967 with thesis advisor Leonard Lerman; Lerman went in 1967 to Vanderbilt University, where Altman worked briefly as a researcher in molecular biology before leaving for Harvard.
as altman reached adulthood the family's financial situation had become secure enough that he was able to pursue a college education he went to the united states to study physics at the massachusetts institute of technology while at mit he was a member of the ice hockey team after achieving his bachelor's degree from mit in 1960 altman spent 18 months as a graduate student in physics at columbia university due to personal concerns and the lack of opportunity for beginning graduate students to participate in laboratory work he left the program without completing the degree some months later he enrolled as a graduate student in biophysics at the university of colorado medical center his project was a study of the effects of acridines on the replication of bacteriophage t4 dna he received his phd in biophysics from the university of colorado in 1967 with thesis advisor leonard lerman; lerman went in 1967 to vanderbilt university where altman worked briefly as a researcher in molecular biology before leaving for harvard