The Biochemistry Graduate Program offers advanced education in the principles and practice of macromolecular chemistry, mechanism, and structure. All aspects of this program are aimed at the question: how do macromolecules work? How do proteins, membranes, nucleic acids, and high-order complexes of these enormous molecules use physical-chemical principles to act in the enormous variety of contexts that underlie biological function? Faculty participating in this program share the conviction that the coherent operation of living cells, and its disruption in disease, must ultimately be understood in terms of the chemistry and physics of biological macromolecules.

Students in this program are trained for careers in basic biochemical research through:

• a rigorous curriculum of formal courses emphasizing macromolecular structure and function
• four laboratory rotations during the first academic year
• intensive thesis research in laboratories operating on the edge of discovery
• practice in conveying scientific information via expository writing and public speaking
• specialized informal seminars, discussion-groups, and journal-clubs

An interactive, informal spirit pervades the Life Science programs at Brandeis. Students may choose research-labs from all Life Science faculty regardless of departmental affiliation. Since most research groups are small, faculty maintain close interactions with students, and collaborations among laboratories are common. Biochemistry Ph.D. students can also opt to supplement their training by participating in the IGERT, Quantitative Biology, or Macromolecular Structure and Mechanism cross-disciplinary programs.