524 Scaife Hall

412-648-8957

http://www.mbsb.pitt.edu

MBSBinfo@medschool.pitt.edu

The Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology (MBSB) Graduate Program is a joint University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University Program. This interdisciplinary program provides training at the interfaces of biology, chemistry, physics, and other traditional disciplines. The program offers diverse, yet integrated research experiences, aimed at unraveling and explaining biological phenomena and processes in atomic and molecular detail in order to elucidate fundamental biological principles as well as to provide mechanistic insights into specific diseases. MBSB faculty conduct research in various areas and tackle questions such as: How do proteins fold and can we prevent misfolding? Can we design proteins with novel functions? How does the coordinated interaction between proteins and nucleic acids lead to cellular differentiation and the formation of an organism? How do macromolecules assemble into molecular machines or viruses and how do they operate? How do signals traverse membranes? How can we interfere with viral functions and protein misfolding that lead to disease? The curriculum stresses a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach to learning and research in modern molecular biophysics and structural biology. Unique to this program is the opportunity to train across traditional boundaries, including explicit support for research projects involving more than one Ph.D. advisor. Students benefit from active participation and mentoring by prominent internationally renowned faculty. Specifically designed courses and extensive laboratory research provide in-depth training in state-of-the-art methodologies such as high-field solution and solid-state NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy, and computational molecular biology.