Research
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Research
The Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology has twenty-eight faculty members whose research addresses the question of how information in DNA is packaged, read, and interpreted in living cells, how those cells are built may be regenerated, and how cells work together to comprise an organism.
Research in this area of biology represents the largest and most active scientific enterprise in human history, with hundreds of thousands of researchers engaged around the world, making discoveries with instant application to human health and the environment. Our department is recognized as among the world leaders in this extremely large enterprise.
At Santa Cruz, we collaborate in research and educational programs with our colleagues in the Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Physics, Biomolecular Engineering in the School of Engineering and Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology.
The Molecular Biology section studies how cells package, maintain, regulate, and decode genomic information, with a focus on the macromolecular polymers essential to life: DNA, RNA, and protein. Our research explores information flow across various organisms, from viruses, animals, and fungi to humans in various states of health and disease, and we leverage powerful and cutting-edge techniques, from single molecule structural work to genomic-scale studies. Our work has dual goals: to reveal the inner workings of cellular information flow, and to leverage such knowledge to improve human health and to benefit society.
Faculty in the Cell and Developmental Biology section work on processes and substances that create and maintain the structure and function of cells, govern cell behaviors such as division, migration, differentiation, and regulate cell-cell interactions in complex tissues and organs under normal development and disease contexts. The answers to their questions hold the key to controlling cancer and degenerative diseases.
The neuroscience faculty at UC Santa Cruz form a dynamic and interdisciplinary group investigating the development, organization, and function of the nervous system. Their research spans multiple levels of analysis—from genes and molecules to neural circuits and behavior—and incorporates a wide range of model systems and cutting-edge approaches, from genomics to live imaging in vivo imaging. Together, this group is committed to uncovering fundamental principles of brain function and advancing knowledge relevant to neurological and psychiatric disorders.
The Immunology section investigates the fundamental mechanisms of immune-related diseases and the host-microbe interface. Our groups specialize in innate and adaptive immunity, as well as key viral pathogens including influenza, astroviruses, and HIV. We leverage multidisciplinary approaches spanning the core expertise of the Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology Department. Our ultimate goal is to identify pathways that can be targeted in novel next-generation therapeutics to combat or eradicate pathogens that pose a global threat.
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Want to work with us?
Browse current postdoctoral, specialist, project scientist, and lecturer positions. The department supports a vigorous postdoctoral research community, with fellows advancing to permanent positions in academia, industry, and government.
Inquiries about additional postdoc opportunities should be directed to individual faculty sponsors.
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Department of Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology
Staff Directory | (831) 459-4986
Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00am – 12:00pm & 1:00pm – 5:00pm
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Private investment is crucial to advance the science of medicine at UC Santa Cruz. Faculty and students in the Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology are exploring the molecular foundations of human disease and translating basic discoveries into medical advances.