Chemical Biology at Berkeley

Abstract

C hemical Biology has transformed the curriculum and student composition of the Department of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley). The rapid growth in this area has been fueled by the steadily increasing number of young scientists who seek to apply chemical reasoning, synthetic techniques, and quantitative analysis to the study of biomolecules and the cellular contexts in which they reside. To a significant extent, these interests have been inspired by the growth of the biotechnology industry, and over the years several members of Berkeley’s Chemistry Advisory Board have suggested that individuals with both chemical and biological experience will be in increasing demand. As further evidence for this need, many Bay Area companies have been providing generous financial backing to support these interdisciplinary training efforts in our department. Equally important has been the growth of chemical biology research throughout the academic community, which has offered an expanded set of opportunities for advanced study and future academic employment for students who emerge with this type of pedigree. As the popularity of this scientific area grew, however, it quickly became clear that new programswould be needed to train students broadly in chemistry and biologywithout compromising scientific rigor. To answer this call, UC Berkeley has integrated new training opportunities and instructional approaches into both the graduate and undergraduate chemistry curricula. What has emerged is a vibrant chemical biology community that has invigorated the Berkeley Chemistry Program and initiated numerous collaborations among a diverse set of research groups. The Berkeley Chemical Biology Graduate Program. This effort began with the development of a Chemical Biology Graduate Program (CBGP), which was designed to expand the set of research opportunities that are available for students with these interdisciplinary interests. The participants are selected from the graduate admissions pools of four departments: molecular and cell biology (MCB); chemistry; chemical engineering; and bioengineering. At this time the current students are from MCB and chemistry. The CBGP does not offer a degree in chemical biology but is designed to enhance the program of the student’s home department. Students from MCB, for example, meet both the requirements of CBGP and of MCB. Students in chemistry who join the CBGP still take their Ph.D. qualifying exams in the sameway as other chemistry students. A key aspect of this program has been the incorporation of research rotations for all participants. Througha series of three10week rotations, the CBGP students gain hands-on experience that can solidify their ideas about the type of research that is personally the most rewarding. The students are strongly encouraged to explore a broad set of options before ultimately selecting a thesis laboratory for the remainder of their stay at Berkeley. As a result of this opportunity, many students have selected a laboratory that they might not have even considered under other circumstances. In 2001, a pilot rotation program began for three students in the Chemistry Graduate Program. The department covered a sig*Corresponding author, francis@cchem.berkeley.edu.