植物分子，细胞和发育生物学着眼于植物功能的微观方面。集中精力的许多职业都基于对基本细胞功能的研究，以及有效评估这些功能的研究技术。在此浓度下，高度重视化学，分子生物物理学和植物生理学。这种关注解决了所有其他植物研究基础的植物功能根源。例如，该领域涉及细胞功能的内部运作，这对于希望通过提高细胞过程效率来增加作物产量的植物育种者非常感兴趣。该领域的主题的其他示例包括植物细胞分化，树木中木质部的功能以及细胞中各种蛋白质和膜的化学组成。
Plant molecular, cellular, and developmental biology focuses on the microscopic aspects of plant function. Many of the careers stemming from this concentration are based in research into basic cellular functions and research techniques to effectively assess those functions. There is a high emphasis on chemistry, molecular biophysics , and plant physiology in this concentration. This concentration addresses the root of plant functions that underlie all other studies of plants. For example, this field deals with the inner workings of cellular function which is of great interest to plant breeders looking to increase crop yield by increasing the efficiency of cellular processes. Additional examples of topic in this field include, plant cell differentiation, the functioning of the xylem in trees, and the chemical composition of various proteins and membranes in the cell.