Department of Biochemistry

The Department of Biochemistry is dedicated to discovering the fundamental mechanisms of biological processes, bridging these discoveries with clinical applications to improve human health, and training the next generation of biomedical scientists. Our investigators are leaders in applying advanced approaches in structural biology, mass spectrometry, chemical biology, cell biology, and genetics to thematic areas like DNA and RNA metabolism, cell division, enzymology, molecular cancer biology, signaling, toxicology, and metabolism. We are united in seeking molecular answers to biomedical questions. 

The Department has 26 primary investigator-track faculty and another ~50 secondary, educator, and research-track faculty. An exceptional group of graduate, medical, and undergraduate students and large cohort of post-doctoral fellows train in our laboratories supported by over $30M in funding. 

As one of four basic science departments in the School of Medicine Basic Sciences, Biochemistry benefits from being affiliated with a large medical center and medical school as well as Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and Connected Computing. Our unique structure allows us to strategically invest in infrastructure, initiatives, and people to fulfill our missions of research, education, and service. 

Biochemistry investigators have received major awards including election to the National Academy of Sciences, and a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (Stanley Cohen, 1986). Our culture of excellence, collaboration, innovation, rigor, dedication, inclusiveness, ambition, kindness, and resiliency facilitates high impact research, education, and service. – David Cortez, Chair 

We invite queries regarding graduate studies, postdoctoral training, and faculty positions.

A recent article about the Biochemistry Department can be found here.