In 1993, faculty members in the Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and Molecular and Cellular Biology (BMCB) formed a joint doctoral graduate program to provide students with broader training and a wider choice of research laboratories to choose for their dissertation. There are currently over 60 faculty members in the BMCB Graduate Program, including faculty representing 18 departments or interdisciplinary programs in addition to MCB and Biochemistry. Applicants to either Biochemistry or Molecular and Cellular Biology are considered jointly by the BMCB committee. Students entering either program enroll in one of three tracks (Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, or Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology).

Applicants for admission should be prepared in chemistry (including at least one semester of physical chemistry for the Biochemistry or the Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology tracks), physics, and mathematics in addition to biology. Scores on the general test of the Graduate Record Examination must be submitted. Applicants must communicate directly with the department regarding other admission requirements. Application files for admission to the programs should be complete by January 1 to insure consideration, but late applications may be considered. All students who are accepted into the program receive full financial assistance (stipends, fees, and health insurance).

The department will only admit graduate students into the BMCB program whose stated objective is the Doctor of Philosophy. Students are expected to specialize in areas of interest to the faculty. These include regulation of gene expression, neurobiology of simple systems, cytoskeletal function and control of cell movements, cell cycle control, structure and function of nucleic acids, plant developmental and molecular biology, invertebrate developmental genetics, evolution of developmental processes, and yeast molecular biology. A listing of the faculty of the department and their research interests can be obtained from the web page or department on request.