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Biological Sciences ~ CMBG Specialization in Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics 
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Students interested in the basic biology of the cell, and the understanding of information transfer within the cell, should choose this major. Courses cut across organismal disciplines by covering the genetics, the molecular biology, and the cell biology of microbes, insects, plants, and animals.
This specialization area is interdepartmental in that all of the Biological Sciences Departments offer courses that contribute to the upper level program of the major. The administration of the major, including the advising of students in CMBG will be coordinated by the Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics.
This area combines Cell Biology, Genetics, and Molecular Biology,
Cell biology is the study of cells and their processes. 
It
mainly focuses on eucaryotic cells with an emphasis on the internal working
of the cells and the interactions between cells. Cell biology is a fundamental
part of many biological disciplines including, but not limited to; developmental
biology, neurobiology, immunology, cancer biology, aging and disease states.
Genetics is one of the oldest and broadest fields in biology. All aspects of biology have a genetic component. Modern genetics deals with the evolution, transmission, and expression, of heritable traits, and includes the analysis of DNA sequence data which is used to help answer basic questions of biology (Genomics). Genetic techniques are used by molecular biologists, cell biologists, and ecologists in the quest to understand the hereditary basis of biological processes.
Molecular biology is concerned with the interactions of biological
molecules and the cellular processes that result from these interactions.
Molecular biology is comprised of the techniques and approaches used to
understand cellular processes at the molecular level. In combines and draws
from the related fields of biochemistry, genetics, biophysics, and cell
biology.
Topics in Cell, Molecular Biology and Genetics are at the cutting edge
of modern biological research. The disciplines are combined into one specialization
due to their inter relatedness and overlap. An understanding of one, by
necessity, requires some understanding of the other two. The combined areas
are being used to understand disease, design cures and preventative measures,
develop improved plant, animal, and bacterial species, and further
our knowledge of the most basic understandings of how cells function and
communicate with each other. Studies in these combined areas
have brought about the Biotechnology revolution and the new field
of Genomics. Students in this specialization area will
find many opportunities for employment and career development in academia,
industry, government, medicine, law, and biotechnology.
- CMBG suggested course plan
- CMBG work sheet
- Biological Sciences Program
