Graduate Programs

Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS)

Yale University offers integrated and interdisciplinary opportunities for graduate study under the newly organized Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS). Students entering the BBS program can take courses, participate in laboratory rotations, and perform thesis research with any of the more than 200 faculty members in the biological sciences at Yale, located at the School of Medicine or nearby “Science Hill” ends of campus. The faculty members and students of the BBS program are organized into moderately sized, interest-based tracks to ensure individualized attention and maximize scientific interactions. Prospective students apply to the track that best matches their interests, although there is complete freedom to work with faculty members in any track or to switch tracks after arrival at Yale. 

Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry (MB&B)

The Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry (MB&B) department at Yale is designed to prepare students for careers as independent investigators in the broad area of molecular and structural biology. The faculty members have diverse interests and are drawn from several departments, including Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Genetics.

Current areas of research include:

  • control of the cell cycle and animal development
  • structure, function, and folding of proteins and nucleic acids
  • catalytic RNAs and RNA processing
  • signal transduction in plants and mammals
  • structural organization of membranes
  • mechanisms of transcription, replication, transposition, and recombination
  • cell motility
  • molecular immunology
  • regulation of metabolism
  • application of advanced computational methods to the study of macromolecules
Researchers in the MB&B department are unified by a common desire to understand biological phenomena at the molecular level through the use of genetic, biochemical, or biophysical approaches.