Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UMass Amherst

Elizabeth Vierling elected to the National Academy of Sciences
The NAS provides independent, objective advice to the nation on matters related to science and technology.
Department News
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Amy Springer named 2023-24 ADVANCE Faculty Fellow
Amy is one of 49 faculty members from across campus who will partner with UMass ADVANCE to promote gender and racial equity for faculty at UMass Amherst. Faculty Fellows provide recommendations and feedback to the team about ADVANCE programming and liaise with their departments to promote the ADVANCE program. -
Alice Cheung and Hen-Ming Wu receive four-year, $1.5 million NIH grant
The Cheung/Wu lab will use this grant to continue their long-standing research on the basic mechanisms behind how flowering plants produce seeds. Understanding reproduction in flowering plants, the source of grains and almost all vegetable and fruit crops, is critical for ensuring global nutritional needs and food security. -
8 BMB Majors Earn Certification on ASBMB Exam
The UMass Amherst BMB program is accredited by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), which gives our majors the opportunity to take an exam and have their degree certified to demonstrate competitiveness against peers from across the nation. -
Sibongile Mafu receives four-year, $625,000 NSF grant to untangle the chemical diversity of legumes
Legumes are a vital part of our world’s food system, and their popularity continues to grow as more people seek out plant-based protein sources. The Mafu lab's research on Medicago truncatula will help improve its resilience and agricultural productivity to meet the growing demand. -
Li-Jun Ma receives 2023-24 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award
The prestigious Fulbright Program allows faculty, administrators, and researchers in the U.S. to teach, conduct research, and carry out professional projects around the world. Li-Jun will work with researchers in Serbia to address an emerging apple rot disease. -
Sibongile Mafu named 2023-24 Lilly Fellows for Teaching Excellence
Awarded by the UMass Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), the Lilly Fellowship for Teaching Excellence enables promising early-career faculty to expand their expertise in teaching while pursuing the teaching and scholarly activity expected of faculty at a major research university.
Advising
Meet with a BMB Peer Advisor!
BMB Peer Advisors are upperclassmen majoring in Biochemistry who are able to answer and resolve general advising questions. Boula, Anish, CeCe, Nandini, and Tiffany are available to meet with undergraduates throughout the semester. Ask them about:
- Degree requirements for BMB
- Course prerequisites
- Advanced Electives
- How to get into a research lab
- Choices for Gen Ed classes
- Use of SPIRE

Explore Our Department
Award-winning teaching, research opportunities, and interdisciplinary programs in a diverse, inclusive community of excellence.