The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology department does not have its own graduate program. However, students interested in earning a PhD can apply for admission to any of several interdepartmental programs and pursue thesis research with faculty in our department. These programs have been formed by faculty whose research interests unite them. Most of the programs are stand-alone and accept applicants from outside UMass, while one, the Chemistry-Biology Interface Program, is a subsidiary, accepting students who are already enrolled in a UMass graduate program and giving them an additional affiliation.
Please visit the websites linked below to learn more about each specific program. To apply, visit the Graduate School website.
Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) Graduate Program
The MCB Graduate Program is an interdepartmental graduate program with participating faculty members at UMass Amherst, Amherst College, Smith College, and Mount Holyoke College. MCB faculty study a wide range of biological research problems using strategies, techniques, and systems that span the molecular life sciences.
The MCB Program is structured to help you achieve your research goals while you become well-versed in many aspects of science. It offers an exciting combination of focus and breadth.
Plant Biology (PB) Graduate Program
In the Plant Biology (PB) Graduate Program, faculty conduct intensive research in the plant sciences in areas including evolution, ecology, development, genetics, physiology, and cellular and molecular biology. They emphasize multidisciplinary approaches ranging from practical to theoretical.
Neuroscience and Behavior (NSB) Graduate Program
The Neuroscience and Behavior (NSB) Graduate Program is an interdisciplinary program offering PhD training and research in cellular neuroscience, brain function and behavior, and animal learning and behavior. Participating departments include Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Psychology, Computer Science, Entomology, Exercise Science, Microbiology, and Veterinary and Animal Sciences.
Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (OEB) Graduate Program
The Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (OEB) Graduate Program is an interdepartmental graduate program focusing on the structure, function, diversity, and evolution of organisms. Research focuses on organisms and their functional biology, ecology, or the evolution and diversification of life.
Chemistry-Biology Interface (CBI) Training Program
The Chemistry-Biology Interface (CBI) Training Program is a subsidiary program to which students can apply after acceptance to one of five graduate programs at UMass. CBI bridges the "two cultures" of chemistry and biology, and brings the synthetic, mechanistic, and analytical powers of chemistry together with the new and exciting fields of biology, such as drug design, membrane function, molecular recognition, organelle assembly, and structure-function relationships in biological macromolecules.