Molecular & Cellular Biology

The MCB program offers interdisciplinary graduate training in molecular and cellular biology at UMass Amherst.

There are usually about 75 students working toward doctoral degrees and 10 students pursuing master's degrees in the MCB program. The strengths of the program are the breadth of its faculty's research interests, the interdisciplinary nature of its training, and the close mentoring and individual attention MCB students receive. Tom Maresca, Professor of Biology, is the program's Director; Meg Stratton, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, is the program's Associate Director.

Explore diverse labs through first-year rotations, then join a tight-knit community of ~100 faculty spanning departments.

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Research Areas

MCB students complete three 6–7 week lab rotations across fall and winter term, salary-covered with no TA duties, joining a dissertation lab before their second semester begins. Explore the research areas below:

Biological Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics

Research in this group focuses on the molecular mechanisms driving biological processes from individual molecular folding to signaling pathways within cells.

Cellular and Developmental Biology

Research in this group focuses on the molecular processes underlying cellular function and embryonic development, including how disease disrupts these processes.

Biomedicine

Researchers in this cluster use a variety of research tools and models, including in vitro cellular systems, primary cultures of tissues and stem cells, transplantation, genetically modified animals, and human specimens.

"The UMass MCB PhD program provided a lively, interdisciplinary environment in which I was able to gain expertise across a wide range of research techniques and scientific approaches, while also intentionally investing in the skills needed to thrive beyond the lab - including public speaking, scientific communication, and networking. Most important to me, MCB fosters a supportive community where mentorship and collaboration are prioritized alongside scientific rigor. This reflects the program’s broader commitment to developing not only capable scientists, but also thoughtful colleagues and communicators."

Katherine (Katie) Rickelton, Ph.D. in Molecular & Cellular Biology ('25)
Postdoctoral Fellow in Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University

Upcoming MCB Seminars & Events

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Requirements

Academic Requirements MCB Requirements

In the news

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Lillian Fritz-Laylin Named a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator

Fritz-Laylin lab was among 26 labs to be awarded the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigator Program. Her lab develops genetic tools to study the cytoskeletal biology of historically neglected lineages, focusing on organisms that occupy pivotal evolutionary positions, exhibit remarkable cytoskeletal biology, and are important for human health and global ecology.