一些实验室正在采取分子和结构方法来研究原核和真核系统中的关键代谢酶和寡聚蛋白复合物。这些方法包括蛋白质工程，酶动力学研究，X射线晶体学和蛋白质复合物组成分析，以确定参与多种细胞过程（例如基因表达，运动性和中央代谢）的关键酶的功能和调控。生物科学研究生课程旨在通过提供广泛的理论背景和对科学方法的严格性的赞赏，来培养能够教授和指导独立研究的实验科学家。该计划提供适合于学术界，工业界和政府部门工作的现代生物学方面的出色培训，并为学生提供使用现代生物技术各个领域研究分子，细胞，组织，器官，系统和生物体功能的研究经
The Department of Biological Sciences offers a rigorous and intellectually driven PhD program that aspires to train scientists suited for careers in research and teaching. Students are trained to achieve academic excellence by triggering their innate curiosity and by gaining an appreciation for the rigor of the scientific method. This program provides excellent training in modern biology suitable for careers in academia, industry, and government.<br><br>Our graduate program in biological sciences offers unique opportunities for rigorous training in an intellectually driven and multidisciplinary research program. Students can select from our diverse research portfolio spanning Cell and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Developmental Biology, Neuroscience, Microbiology, Ecology, Environmental Biology, Evolutionary Biology and Physiology. Our graduates find success in careers across Academia, Industry, and Government. The major endeavor of any student is the research that culminates in a dissertation or thesis. This research must be original and meet the highest standards of quality and thoroughness. The breadth of the department provides a diversity of research fields from which to choose.<br><br>To help in determining the best fit of student and mentor, first-year students do three laboratory rotations. During the rotations, students are temporary members of the laboratories whose research appears to be of greatest interest to them. Before the end of the student's second semester, an advisor who guides both research and selection of coursework is chosen by mutual agreement between faculty and student. The relatively small size of the research groups in this department allows students to interact closely with the faculty. Manuscripts arising from dissertation research are published in highly-respected peer reviewed journals.<br><br>Several labs are taking molecular and structural approaches to study key metabolic enzymes and oligomeric protein complexes in prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems. These approaches include protein engineering, enzyme kinetic studies, X-ray crystallography and protein complex composition analysis to determine the function and regulation of key enzymes involved in diverse cellular processes such as gene expression, motility and central metabolism.