Department of Molecular
and Cellular Biology

About us

Our Science 

We research and teach how the collective behavior of molecules and cells forms the basis of life. We are driven by a passion for discovery and value collaborative approaches to scientific inquiry, where connections between people fuel interdisciplinary science and break boundaries across varied experimental systems. Against a backdrop of cutting-edge biological research, we work as a team of educators and mentors to inspire and train the next generation of scientists and global citizens. 

 Our Community 

At the core of the MCB department is a commitment to foster an environment in which all individuals have the opportunity to thrive. It is our shared responsibility to create an inclusive culture, where we support and respect each other as colleagues. We embrace a diverse range of perspectives, expertise, identities, experiences, talents, and abilities. By continually strengthening this foundation of investing in the well-being of our people, we enable our community’s growth and pursuit of the creative and innovative approaches that underlie scientific excellence. 

Our Guiding Principles

We hold ourselves and the community accountable to the following set of values: 

Respect
We foster a safe and supportive environment where everyone is treated with respect and dignity and is able to work towards their aspirations. 

Engagement
We encourage difficult conversations about racial, gender, structural and other inequities in our labs, institutions, and society.We listen actively and openly and seek to continually learn from one another during these respectful and open dialogues. 

Action
We take active steps to diversify our community demographics, promote equitable practices, and eliminate systemic racism and other inequities in our departmental structures. 

Support
We prioritize the well-being of our community members and create avenues of support for all, with a particular focus on the needs of Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, first generation students, people from underprivileged backgrounds, and other community members underrepresented in the scientific community.We prioritize diversity, inclusion, and belonging work, advocate for it at all levels and actively include it in all departmental discussions.  

Integrity 

We carry out our work responsibly and ethically, recognizing that our own choices are reflections of both ourselves and our community. As a department, we are committed to building institutional accountability and transparency in our decision-making processes.  

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIROur research

Latest News

Jillian Amaral

Staff Spotlight: Jillian Amaral – From Science Enthusiast to MCB Librarian

Jillian Amaral‘s journey to becoming the MCB Reference, Collections, and Instruction Librarian is a testament to her passion for science and her dedication to helping others navigate the […]

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(l to r) Andrew Murray, Kibum Park, Ibrahim Sabbarini, Dvir Reif, Vlad Denic, and Eugene Shakhnovich

How a Novel Chaperone Drives Folding of an Essential Protein at Its Inception

Lurking in our genomes are thousands of uncharacterized protein-coding genes. Even more genes can be included in this uncharacterized category if we were to exclude general one- or […]

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(l to r) María Luisa Gil-Marqués, Adnan K. Syed, Rich Losick, Rishika Baral, and Niels Bradshaw

MCB’s Richard Losick Publishes Final Research Paper, Concluding Six Decades of Microbiology Breakthroughs

After nearly six decades of groundbreaking work in molecular biology, Richard Losick, the Maria Moors Cabot Research Professor of Biology, has published his final research paper in the […]

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An axon (blue) follows a spiny dendrite of a pyramidal neuron (green) in the human cerebral cortex, making many synaptic contacts with it along the way (visualized in yellow). - Such strong multi-synaptic connections between particular pairs of neurons were one of the major findings reported in the Lichtman lab's paper on human cortex.

Lichtman Lab’s Collaborative Work Honored with 2024 Good Tech Award

A groundbreaking paper co-authored by the lab of MCB’s Jeff Lichtman has been named a recipient of the 2024 Good Tech Awards by The New York Times. This […]

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Upcoming Events

Special Seminar: Sven Dorkenwald, Ph.D. (Allen Institute, University of…

  • 12pm - Thursday Feb 13, 2025
  • Northwest Building, 52 Oxford St, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

Presidents’ Day

  • 12am - Monday Feb 17, 2025