Molecular & Cellular Biology Research Areas

Developmental Biology studies the genetic and molecular control of how organisms form. By studying simple model systems such as fruit flies, nematodes, and mice, we can infer how similar genes work in humans, which allows us to better understand the causes of human genetic disorders.

Neuroscience is a broad discipline that seeks to understand how the nervous system forms and functions throughout the life of an organism. Again, studies in simple systems allow us to understand how the brain works in humans, and to shed light on the underlying defects behind autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Microbial Sciences is the study of bacteria, viruses, and single-celled eukaryotes such as yeast. This includes the genetics of bacterial pathogenesis, microbial communities in the gut and other systems.

Cell Structure and Function delves into the inner workings of single cells, to understand the molecular basis of how cells form and function. The discipline of cell biology was founded, in part, by our desire to understand and find cures for cancer.

Genetics, Genomics, and Bioinformatics are multidisciplinary threads that link many of the MCB subdisciplines. We use genetic approaches to study muscle development and nervous system function; genomic approaches to understand how cells change through time; and bioinformatic tools to show how gene expression changes under defined conditions.