The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology traces its origins to the Chemistry Department and subsequent Department of Biochemistry; a remarkable history of more than 180 years. Research activities of the faculty serve as a training ground for graduate students, college undergraduates, medical students, high school students, and teachers who are seeking a meaningful experience in laboratory-based studies.
Areas of research strength in the department include Nucleic Acids Biochemistry, Protein and Peptide Biochemistry, the Biochemistry of Protein Modifications, Cancer Mechanisms, Cancer Immunology, Cancer Stem Cells, Cancer Biology, and Drug Discovery. Graduate training in the department draws on the tools of genetics, cell biology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, biophysics, computer science and a number of other disciplines.
Supplementing the interdisciplinary training environment in the department are state-of-the-art instrumentation facilities, a seminar program that invites 15-20 outside speakers per year, including the annual Adrouny Lectureship by an invited distinguished scientist, and a number of collaborative activities involving research groups at Tulane, the University of New Orleans (UNO), Xavier University, the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) - New Orleans, the Ochsner Cancer Center, and other national or international institutions.
