The emphasis of the graduate program is on research and research training in the areas of molecular and cell biology, cellular regulation and endocrinology, electrophysiology and biophysics, whole animal physiology and pathophysiology, and genetics. However, the training experience is applicable across a wide range of future career options. Students obtain a general background in physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetics through coursework and laboratory exercises. Students usually join MP&B after spending two semesters in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program or Quantitative and Chemical Biology graduate program, where they are encouraged to rotate freely among various research laboratories in order to select a particular research area and thesis adviser for dissertation research.
Research areas available to students in MP&B include a broad range of multidisciplinary topics spanning the breadth of modern physiology. Students will apply diverse cutting-edge techniques to address major questions in the field. Major themes in the department include:
- Hormonal and developmental aspects of gene control at the molecular level, with emphasis on single-cell analyses and the roles of DNA–protein interactions.
- Cellular aspects of hormonal and immunological regulation of biological process involving glucose, fatty acid and ion transport, as well as the mechanism of action of hormonal second messengers such as cAMP, cGMP, and calcium.
- Hormonal regulation of metabolism in whole animal models.
- Neuroendocrine and neurobehavioral studies of energy homeostasis and drug addiction.
- Biophysical and structural analysis of membrane protein function, with a focus on the regulation of synaptic transmission.
- Examination of the genetic basis of neurological and metabolic disorders.
Departmental research programs have strong relevance to a range of human diseases, including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disorders, cancer, nutritional deficiencies, developmental abnormalities, and addiction.