What is Molecular Cell Biology, Genetics and Development?
Cell biology, molecular biology, and genetics are central to virtually all pursuits in the biological and biomedical sciences. These fields have been energized by the wealth of information emerging from the many ongoing genomics projects in mammals and other organisms. Once new genes are identified, the activities of encoded proteins can be determined at the cellular level to understand their functions, interactions, and biological significance. Our Program Faculty in the MCGD Track investigate a broad array of topics, and research projects often combine several approaches. For example, some faculty use methods in molecular and cellular biology to study development, while others combine biochemistry and genetics to investigate the molecular basis of human disease. The experimental systems used span the evolutionary spectrum, from viruses and bacteria, to unicellular eukaryotes (yeast), simple metazoan systems (Drosophila, C. elegans), plants (Arabidopsis, maize, rice), cultured vertebr
