The Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics graduate program seeks to recruit highly motivated students and equip them with the skills that will be needed to recognize and solve the major problems in biomedical science in the coming decades. A major goal in our research enterprise aims to understand the molecular, structural, and energetic principles that govern function and behavior at the organismal level. Major advances in analytical biochemistry in the past decade have led to an explosion of information regarding the parts list that comprise cells, underscoring the richness and complexity of living systems. We seek to deliver a generation of scientists equipped with the skill set to unravel this complexity at the mechanistic level. Our program therefore aims to instill a conceptual framework for how life works from a molecular perspective and to facilitate acquisition of a solid understanding of the principles that govern the structure, function, and energetics of biological macromolecules together with an appreciation of the methods and analytical tools used to address biological questions at a variety of scales. To that end, our program serves to train an important cadre of students whose interests bridge the physical and biological sciences. To realize these goals, the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology has built a faculty and created courses and workshops that span a broad research agenda and bring to bear capabilities that encompass a wide range of biophysical and biochemical systems and techniques. In addition, our research and training program is powerfully enriched by our interactions with an array of cross-divisional institutes and programs (Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The Chemistry and Biology Interface Training Program, and the Biophysics Training Program). Modular workshops comprise another unique feature of our program. These currently include X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, Molecular Dynamics Simulation, and Proposal Writing.
