About – Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology

Welcome to the Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology Department!

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Research with Direct Application to Human Health

This is an extraordinary time to be involved in biomedical research. New technologies are rapidly changing our understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of life, with dramatic implications for how we treat human disease. Members of the Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, along with affiliated faculty in the departments of Biomolecular Engineering, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology, and Physics, are participating in an extraordinary revolution in biomedical science.

MCD faculty members are recognized as among the world leaders in their fields. For example, Professor Harry Noller’s research group determined the structure of the ribosome at 5.5 Å resolution using X-ray crystallography—a major achievement that has provided key insights concerning the mechanism of protein synthesis. Professor Lindsay Hinck recently discovered an unanticipated role for the neural guidance molecule, netrin-1, in mammary gland development. And Professor Manny Ares and his coworkers have developed microarrays capable of monitoring alternative RNA splicing on a genome-wide scale. In fact, according to the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI), MCD investigators are among the most highly cited researchers in their fields. During the last three years, we have averaged over $11 million dollars a year in research funding. As individuals, our faculty members have received numerous honors and awards—from selection to the National Academy of Sciences to prestigious recognition of new investigators. Importantly, our research is frequently collaborative in nature, and we are enthusiastic contributors to multidisciplinary organizations that cross departmental, divisional and university boundaries—including UCSC’s internationally recognized Center for the Molecular Biology of RNA, the Institute for the Biology of Stem Cells (IBSC), and the California Institute for Quantitative Biology.

A broad spectrum of cutting-edge research tools are being employed to tackle problems in key areas that include: the structural and functional role of RNA in regulation of gene expression; chromatin biology and epigenetic control of genes; the cell biology of the cytoskeleton and the cell cycle; decisions controlling embryogenesis and organ development; and developmental neurobiology. The insights generated by this basic research enable new strategies for treatments of aging disorders, birth defects, neurological diseases, cancer, and other human ailments. The department offers a spectrum of courses that reflect the exciting new developments and directions in these fields and trains students to participate in these exciting fields.

Learn more about research in the MCD Biology Department

Educational Programs and Training

MCD offers outstanding graduate and undergraduate training programs. The Department grants both masters and Ph.D. degrees, with an emphasis on the latter, in collaboration with the interdisciplinary graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences and Engineering (PBSE). Graduate training is supported by an NIH T32 training grant, the NIH Initiative for Minority Student Development, and the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine. Graduate trainees have long played a major role in our research efforts. For example, one student, Jim Kent, was critical to the assembly of the first draft sequence of the human genome – one of the major achievements of modern biology.

We also provide a foundation for one of the largest undergraduate programs on campus, with four undergraduate degrees averaging over 7,000 enrollments annually. Two majors are among the most popular majors on campus: Biology BS and Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology BS. Importantly, we have long emphasized the importance of undergraduate research opportunities in faculty labs, and these experiences often open the door to a life-time in science. We are particularly strong advocates of programs that promote careers for underrepresented minorities, and feature some of the nation’s most highly regarded programs, such as Minority Access to Research Careers/Minority Biomedical Research.

Explore our Undergraduate Programs

Explore our Graduate Programs

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

The Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCD) embraces the UCSC Principles of Community. The MCD Diversity Committee is composed of 12 MCD community members who have a unified mission of creating and promoting a fair and equitable working environment for all students, postdoctoral researchers, staff, and faculty. We have volunteered to be members of this committee as we share a passion for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts (DEI). We are especially focused on implementing and advocating for the recommendations centered on core issues of undergraduate and graduate training, faculty, accountability, seminars, and hiring that emerged from the MCD division working groups during 2020.

We will routinely seek input from the broader community to help guide us in how best to serve our community. As part of our goal to foster a transparent and open environment within MCD, we meet biweekly to discuss important DEI issues and host monthly “conversations for change” gatherings in which all members of the MCD department are welcome to attend and connect with each other.

We are energized and determined to work hard for our community. Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

Submit feedback & suggestions to MCD DEI Committee

We are here to help

Department of Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology
Staff Directory | (831) 459-4986
Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00am – 12:00pm & 1:00pm – 5:00pm

Support Us

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.

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