Molecular Biology
is the convergence of concepts, theories
and techniques, that were developed over
most of the last century, including the
concept of macromolecules, the
biochemical and biophysical techniques
that allowed their analysis, the theory
and techniques of genetics, and their
application to bacterial and viral
biology, and to eukaryotic cell biology,
allowing the definition of the concept
of the gene, and of the flow of
information in biological systems.
With the
sequencing of whole genomes, including
the sequence of the human genome, and
with the development of new technologies
to analyze the expression of hundreds or
thousands of genes simultaneously in a
specific cell type, molecular biology is
rising to the challenge of unraveling
some of the more complex problems in
biology and medicine: the mechanisms of
higher neural activity including memory,
the mechanisms that regulate embryonic
and fetal development, the nature of
stem cells, the process of cell
differentiation, and the nature and
mechanisms of cancer and aging.
A degree
in Molecular Biology can lead to a
career in teaching, scientific research,
and /or biotechnology. A degree in
Molecular Biology can also complement a
medical degree for a career in medical
research, or can lead to careers in
patent law, consumer advocacy, and
scientific journalism when complemented
by the corresponding training. Whatever
the field you choose, these careers
bring attached the reward and
responsibilities coming with scientific
discovery, the training of young
scientists, and the social and economic
impact of both science and technology.
The
Molecular Biology Graduate Program at
Loyola has 32 faculty members working in
diverse aspects of the biomedical
sciences using molecular biology
approaches. With faculty from almost
every major department at the Medical
Center, research areas under
investigation include cancer biology,
cardiovascular disease, neurobiology,
microbiology, and immunology, thus
giving graduate students an extremely
wide range of opportunities for research
training. These faculty members are
housed in modern laboratories and core
facilities, and are externally funded by NIH, NSF or other federal and
non-federal funding agencies like DOD,
American Cancer Society, Leukemia
Society of America or the American Heart
Association.
Manuel O.
Diaz, M.D.
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