Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Message from the Chair
Michael B. Mathews, Ph. D.
Chair and Professor
What is the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology?
The department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology is a basic science department at New Jersey Medical School (NJMS). NJMS is a school within the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ). Its faculty and graduate students are also members of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS), the branch of UMDNJ responsible for graduate science education. Our fundamental premise is that human disease, normal physiological functioning and the biosphere as a whole, can best be approached via an understanding of the basic mechanistic features of cellular biochemistry and molecular biology.
Where are we located?
The department occupies about 20,000 square feet of space in the Medical Science Building of NJMS in the University Heights section of Newark, a city of nearly 400,000 people in close proximity to New York City. Many Scientific and educational opportunities are available in the NY/NJ metropolitan area, as well as cultural, entertainment and sports activities. the New Jersey suburbs, countryside and seashore are nearby while the mountainous couintry of western New Jersey , eastern Pennsylvania and New York are easily accesible, providing numerous year-round recreational opportunities.
What is our Mission?
We have two principal missions: teaching and research. We teach biochemistry and molecular biology to medical students at NJMS and to dental students at the adjacent UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental School. In 2004, the NJMS course for medical students was integrated into a new Molecular and Genetic Medicine course coordinated by the department. Graduate students are offered a spectrum of courses leading to PhD and MSc degrees. Our graduate teaching programs are closely aligned with the research programs of our faculty, which cover a broad range of biomedical investigations. Students train in research concepts and techniques, and actively participate in research in a laboratory of their choice.
Post Graduate Study
Our department is also committed to training postdoctoral fellows for careers in research, teaching and industry. As members of the department, postdocs have access to well-equipped laboratories and a wide variety of lectures and courses. They regularly participate in numerous departmental and program events such as journal clubs and research seminars, as well as local and international research conferences and symposia. The proximity of many pharmaceutical and biotech companies offers a unique environment and set of opportunities.
What kind of research do we do?
Nearly 100 people in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, including more than 20 faculty members, are involved in biomedical research. We are dedicated to basic and applied research in biochemistry, molecular virology, cell biology and molecular genetics. Department faculty members are well funded for their research through both extramural grants (from the National Institutes of Health, American Heart Association, NJ Commission on Cancer Research, etc.) and from intramural sources. For a closer look at the research topics, please review the project descriptions of individual faculty members.
What are the facilities for research?
The department's laboratories are equipped with the latest research equipment, including mass spectrometers, state-of-the-art graphics workstations for molecular modeling, and other computing and information retrieval systems. Core facilities include those for microscopy, DNA and peptide synthesis and sequencing, protein analysis, and transgenic animal work, providing for virtually any experimental approach. The George F. Smith Library of UMDNJ contains about 90,000 volumes and subscribes to approximately 2,500 journals, in addition to providing access to online bibliographic retrieval systems for literature searches. A Scientific Data Processing Center providing numerous computing services is located on campus.
Prospects for the future?
The department has expanded over the last decade with the recruitment of faculty members in areas that complement our pre-existing strengths. We continue to be strong advocates for basic research while at the same time forging productive interactions with our clinical colleagues.
We hope you find our Web site describing departmental activities both useful and interesting.