Molecular Biology

Students in the Molecular Biosciences Program have opportunities for study and research over a broad range of problems in microbial genetics ranging from the molecular mechanisms of recombination, gene expression, and cellular functions in bacteria, bacteriophages and fungi to the study of environmental microbiology.

Students interested in studying microbial genetics can choose to affiliate with the Rutgers/UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Joint Programs in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, or the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Programs in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology or Molecular Genetics and Microbiology.

Research investigations involving E.coli, Salmonella and other prokaryotic systems include:

• Cellular Adaptation to Stresses
• Bacterial Retroelements
• Development-Specific Gene Expression
• Bacterial Signal Ttransduction
• Antibiotic Resistance
• Transcription Initiation and Activation
• RNA Polymerases
• Anaerobic Metabolisim of Environmental Pollutants
• Microbial Systematics

Fundamental problems concerning the molecular genetics of yeast and other eukaryotic microorganisms include:

• Gene Regulation
• Chromatin Structure and Epigenetic Inheritance
• Transcriptional Regulation
• mRNA Stability Regulation
• Regulation of Cell Cycle
• Meiosis and Sporulation
• Retrotransposons
• DNA Repair
• Chromosome Stability

For further information on faculty research in microbial genetics, explore this web site using search tool on the home page with keywords: Saccharomyces, yeast, E. coli, or one of the research descriptions listed above.