Welcome to MCB!

The MCB mission is to teach and do research on the molecular and biochemical underpinnings of life itself. Our teaching and research combine experimental and computational approaches to understand how molecules interact to build cells, how cells interact to build organisms, and how evolutionary forces act upon molecules and organisms to produce the diversity of life that we enjoy on the earth today. We study a broad array of problems, including chromosome dynamics, genome architecture, aging, neuroscience, developmental and evolutionary biology, microbial science, RNA science, and how genotype translates to phenotype. To tackle these problems we employ a diverse set of approaches, including biochemistry, genetics, genomics, computation, single molecule biophysics, cutting edge microscopy, and x-ray crystallography. Our experimental systems are equally varied, ranging from bacteria and yeast, to Drosophila, C. elegans, zebrafish, Xenopus, mouse, human cell culture systems, and synthetic systems.


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MCB PhD Program

Click here for information on the MCB PhD program and how to apply!

MCB at work

MCB Faculty Research

Learn about the diverse research activities of MCB faculty.

Professor John Tower proposes that good can come from instability in biological systems in new theory paper!

MCB News

Click here to read the latest MCB news!

Seminars on the University Park Campus

MCB Seminars and other Bioscience Seminars

Click here to see who’s coming and where they will be speaking!

Let’s get organized!

MCB Graduate Student Organizations

MCB graduate students are an active bunch … click here to learn about student organizations and how to get involved!

DEI organizations

DEI at MCB and USC

MCB is committed to diversity, equality, and inclusion in all aspects of our community.

A founding father of MCB tells its origin story

The History of MCB

Featured Faculty

Each month MCB will highlight two of our faculty members with short articles about their life and their research. This month we feature two MCB faculty who use the same web-footed creature to study very different problems!

Frog ‘egg juice’ may teach us ways to build a cell.

What can frog eggs tell us about human cancers?

Department Office

Tina Robinson

Graduate Program Manager

Paloma Saenz

For inquiries about undergraduate courses taught by MCB faculty

Christa Bancroft