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Carnegie Mellon University - Mellon College of Science

Carnegie Mellon University - Mellon College of Science

Carnegie Mellon University - Mellon College of Science

Introduction

Carnegie Mellon comprises a dynamic academic research community where innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration have been traditions for nearly a century. Consistently ranked one of the nation's top private research institutions, Carnegie Mellon's internationally recognized programs within its undergraduate colleges and graduate schools encompass the areas of science, engineering, technology, management, liberal arts, and fine arts.

The Mellon College of Science (MCS) is home to four departments: Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Mathematical Sciences, and Physics, and many programs and research centers that cross disciplines.

Welcome to Biological Sciences

The Department of Biological Sciences is based in the Mellon College of Science, which also houses the Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics departments. The Biological Sciences department provides students with rigorous training in Biology, while building a strong foundation in all of the natural sciences. Our students study biology at the macro and micro scales, focusing on five core areas:

  • genetics and molecular biology
  • biochemistry and biophysics
  • cell and developmental biology
  • neuroscience
  • computational biology

While gaining intellectual breadth and depth in these areas, students supplement their science training by incorporating several courses of their choice available from other departments across campus.

Molecular Biology and Genetics

Several groups in the Department of Biological Sciences study the structure and expression of genes. Many faculty also use genetics and molecular biology as primary tools to investigate a wide variety of biological processes, including intracellular trafficking of proteins, cell death, tissue morphogenesis, tumorigenesis, cell signaling, transcriptional network, and ribosome assembly. Emphasis is placed on interdisciplinary approaches, including developing new techniques in microscopy, NMR, X-ray crystallography, genomics, proteomics, and mass spectrometry. Carnegie Mellon groups meet regularly with other research groups in Pittsburgh who are interested in prokaryotic biology, RNA biology, or yeast genetics.

Developmental Biology

Cell and developmental biologists in the Department of Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon investigate how cells perform a wide variety of functions, both in isolation and as part of complex tissues, and examine how they develop the capability to perform those functions. Using powerful tools, many of them discovered and developed at Carnegie Mellon, research groups tackle topics such as membrane formation, cell motility, repair of pattern defects, fate determination, and cell death. Students training in these areas have the opportunity to work with exceptionally talented scientists, to participate in interdisciplinary projects, to attend a wealth of relevant seminars and meetings, and to interact with the larger cell and developmental biology community in Pittsburgh.

Cell Biolog

Cell and developmental biologists in the Department of Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon investigate how cells perform a wide variety of functions, both in isolation and as part of complex tissues, and examine how they develop the capability to perform those functions. Using powerful tools, many of them discovered and developed at Carnegie Mellon, research groups tackle topics such as membrane formation, cell motility, repair of pattern defects, fate determination, and cell death. Students training in these areas have the opportunity to work with exceptionally talented scientists, to participate in interdisciplinary projects, to attend a wealth of relevant seminars and meetings, and to interact with the larger cell and developmental biology community in Pittsburgh.

Neuroscience

Neuroscience in Pittsburgh is renowned for its large and diverse community of neuroscientists working at all levels of analysis to understand the function and disorders of the nervous system. The neuroscientists in the Department of Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon are a highly collaborative group who seek to create an exceptionally interactive environment in which to do research and to train students and postdoctoral fellows. This group participates in the Department's growing graduate and undergraduate programs and takes advantage of the larger neuroscience community in Pittsburgh through access to excellent seminar series, many journal clubs, extensive coursework options, unparalleled local expertise, and possibilities for collaboration. Graduate students in the Department of Biological Sciences interested in neuroscience typically become members of the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition (CNBC), the main offices of which are located in the Mellon Institute near the Biology Department.

Microbiology

Microbiologists in the Department of Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon investigate microorganisms at a molecular level. Students training in this area have the opportunity to work with exceptionally talented scientists, to participate in interdisciplinary projects, to attend a wealth of relevant seminars and meetings, and to interact with the larger biology community in Pittsburgh.

Biochemistry and Biophysics

A large number of faculty in the Department of Biological Sciences are actively engaged in interdisciplinary research directed at solving biological problems at the molecular level using modern biochemical, biophysical, and computational techniques. State-of-the-art facilities include a research center dedicated to the development of new imaging technologies (MBIC), high-field solution, solid-state, and imaging NMR spectrometers, mass spectrometers, titration calorimeter, and stopped-flow optical and fluorescence spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction facilities. Research laboratories at Carnegie Mellon enjoy a close relationship with the biophysics and structural biology program at the University of Pittsburgh and benefit from the world-class computational facilities provided by the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSC).

Genomics

Several groups in the Department of Biological Sciences study the genome, applying recombinant DNA, DNA sequencing methods, and bioinformatics. Students training in this area have the opportunity to work with exceptionally talented scientists, to participate in interdisciplinary projects, to attend a wealth of relevant seminars and meetings, and to interact with the larger biology community in Pittsburgh.

Computational Biology

Computational biology is one of the most rapidly growing research areas in modern biology. Research in computational biology in the Department of Biological Sciences is carried out by faculty members who make this their primary research area as well as experimental biologists who collaborate with computational scientists from other departments at Carnegie Mellon.

Welcome to Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh is home to over 86,000 students from 10 colleges and universities. Pittsburgh was ranked as one of the top U.S. cities for millennials.

Some 177,000 people work in Pittsburgh's tech-related industries, and their ranks continue to grow as the city tops lists for jobs. Networking opportunities, small business accelerators, and an innovative community make the city appealing to entrepreneurs, especially recent graduates.

Pittsburgh is emerging as a tech and culture hub that The Washington Post praises for its "world-class art museums and colorful neighborhoods."

Robotics and software engineering lead the way. The city is home to Google, Uber, and Apple offices and a budding ecosystem of tech startups including Duolingo, Modcloth, and 4Moms, all of which have CMU roots.

Hollywood of the East

From the zombie cult classic "Night of the Living Dead" by CMU alumnus George Romero to the Oscar-nominated "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood," Pittsburgh — and CMU's campus is a hotbed for film production, with more than 50 movies shot in the region in the last decade.

A Green City

The Steel City has become known for its green living. Pittsburgh has more trees per square mile than any other U.S. city, 1,700 acres of city parks, and is bike-friendly. The city also has one of the world’s largest concentrations of certified "green" buildings, including the Phipps Conservatory.

Food in The 'Burgh

Pittsburgh’s traditional fare of Polish pierogies and sandwiches topped with french fries is making room for chefs to feed off new opportunities and garner national attention.

Food trucks, craft beer, locally roasted coffee, farm-to-table dinners, organic and vegan options, and cuisine from far corners of the world — there is something for everyone.

Accreditation & State Approvals

Accreditation

Carnegie Mellon University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), 3624 Market Street, 2nd Floor West, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

State Approvals

Carnegie Mellon University is licensed to operate in the states listed below. Individuals may contact the relevant agency for more information or information about how to file a complaint.

Virtual Open House

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Locations

  • Pittsburgh

    Forbes Avenue,5000, 15213, Pittsburgh

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