Welcome. As a Cell & Molecular Biology major, you learn that great biological advances (vaccine development, gene editing, cancer treatments, aging) emerge from insight of how life happens at the cellular and molecular level. We prepare you to lead the next generation of research with a solid grounding in basic biological and chemical principles and foundational skills required for basic and applied laboratory work.
Bachelors of Science (BS) in Cell & Molecular Biology
Cell & Molecular Biology at ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥
Virtually all biological opportunities pose specific questions that must be answered at the cell and molecular biology level. To know why cancer occurs or why organisms age, you must first understand what changes and interactions at the cell and molecular level of organization are involved. At ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥, you’ll learn basic biological and chemical principles, such as cellular respiration and photosynthesis, transport processes, and DNA replication, and build foundational skills in your first year. After these introductory courses, you’ll more deeply explore subjects such as genetics, biotechnology, cell biology, and microbiology.
¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ biology faculty will be your academic advisors—this has real benefits as you build your individual maps for degree completion (particularly when adding other majors or minors to the plan), make decisions about career plans, or seek information on internship opportunities. Â
The Bachelors of Science in Cell and Molecular Biology program prepares you for careers in medicine, biomedical research, biotechnology, pharmacy, healthcare, teaching, and other professions requiring a strong foundation in cellular and molecular processes. This major also prepares students for graduate study in fields such as cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, microbiology, pharmacology, and biochemistry.
Top Employers
$84,400
The median annual wage for microbiologists in May 2020.
1.66 million
People employed by U.S. biotechnology firms
#1
California leads the nation in Life Science employment, companies and venture capital. Chicago, Philadelphia, New Jersey and Pittsburgh all rank in the top 15.
BS in Cell & Molecular Biology Program Highlights
Academic or Industry Career
The latest survey of PhD science students around the world shows that most continue to aspire to careers in academia despite a growing global demand for talent in life science industry. The survey shows that pursuit of academia jobs (56%) leads industry (28%), medical (11%), government (10%) and non-profit (7%). Many scientists shift focus from academic to industry careers. One compares the two this way: “When you are a PhD or a postdoc, you often work on your own and perceive your project as one of the most important things in your life. In industry, you work as part of a team, so it’s helpful to look at the bigger picture and focus on what it will take for the company to succeed.â€
Spotlight
The Cleveland Clinic (a global research and medical center) invites ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ students to conduct original research alongside world-renown biomedical researchers. You will conduct experiments, collect data, and present your work at ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥â€™s Academic Discovery Day and, in some cases, at regional or national conferences. Students receive a $3,600 stipend for the 10-week summer program.
Featured Faculty
“As a Cell and Molecular Biology major, you will learn a variety of great skills—nucleic acid and protein techniques, data analysis, analytical reading of scientific literature, etc.—that you can use to improve the lives of others through health care (e.g. medicine, dentistry, genetic counseling) and research. For example, the rapid development of multiple safe and highly effective vaccines to prevent Covid-19 came about thanks to decades of research in cell and molecular biology and related fields.â€
—Dr. Jim Lissemore, PhD, Professor of Biology
Featured Course
BL 2130 Genetics
Understand the basic principles of inheritance at the molecular, cellular, organismal, and population levels. Study DNA as the genetic code of all organisms, how it is replicated and transferred, how it controls phenotypic traits of organisms, and how changes in the DNA sequence result in variation within populations of species, ultimately leading to evolutionary change.
Notable Alum
Dan Krane, Biology ‘85
Status: Interim Dean, Wright State University-Lake Campus. Founder, Forensic Bioinformatics Currently: I am probably best known for my work as a forensic DNA profiling expert (I’ve testified in 120 criminal trials since 1991 in 27 different states, many federal courts and courts martial, as well as in Australia, Northern Ireland and England; my research has been cited by the US Supreme Court; my consulting company’s web site is www.bioforensics.com). I am currently serving as the interim dean of Wright State’s Lake Campus and also serve as the entrepreneur-in-residence for the Ohio Department of Higher Education. I’m the lead author on the best selling undergraduate textbook on bioinformatics — Fundamental Concepts of Bioinformatics. JCU Experience: While at JCU I had a double major in Biology and in Chemistry. I was the Sports Editor for the Carroll News for three years and spent one year as the editor-in-chief. I had a radio show (Polka Time) on WUJC for all four years at JCU and also worked as a guard at the pool.
What inspired your future? It is fair to say that I learned as much if not more with those out-of-class experiences as I did in the classes that I took. Faculty at JCU in Biology and Chemistry left a great impression on me and I find myself trying to model them as I interact with students in my classes today.
Cell and Molecular Biology Alumni Across The Region
¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ alumni live, work, teach and support communities throughout the region from Northeast Ohio to Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit, Columbus, Buffalo, Rochester, Pittsburgh, New York City, Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia.