Dept of MCB, Harvard U: Graduate Programs

The Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) at Harvard University offers a diverse range of research, laboratory, and course offerings for doctoral students interested in expanding their education beyond the traditional boundaries of biological research. By offering three highly interdisciplinary graduate training programs within the HILS consortium, we provide an extensive network of laboratories for students to consider for scientific training and future collaborations. While maintaining our own identity as a world-class center for biological research, our Program provides innovative intellectual and physical resources as well as active interdepartmental association with the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology. Interdisciplinary centers such as Center for Brain Sciences, Center for Systems Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, and the Harvard-MIT Broad Institute, provide additional opportunities for collaborative work and training. This interactive and cross-disciplinary environment, together with an atmosphere filled with enthusiasm and passion for scientific discovery, makes Harvard MCB a uniquely exciting place for doing research and training of graduate students

Credited as the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States, Harvard University is known throughout the world for its high standards and unmatched facilities for the cultivation of learning. The Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology is located on Harvard University's Cambridge campus, just across the Charles River from Boston. Cambridge and Boston offer a wealth of cultural and academic resources and Harvard Square reflects a culturally diverse, multiethnic community.

The Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology represents interdisciplinary researchers and laboratories with strengths in the areas of Biochemistry and Biophysics; Cell and Developmental Biology; Genetics, Genomics, and Molecular Evolution; and Molecular and Systems Neuroscience.

Our graduate students are encouraged to network across the disciplines through interdisciplinary laboratory rotations, lecture series, and a variety of academic offerings. The Department offers a robust seminar series program, including the Interdisciplinary Faculty Seminar Series, where first-year students are introduced to research at MCB and its adjoining departments. In addition, students participate jointly in creating the seminar series for their respective training programs.

Upon admission to the Ph.D. Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, students enter one of three training programs (MCCB, GGTP, or EPB). These three tracks are described in detail below.

Programs of Study >>