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Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

233 S. 10th Street
Bluemle Life Sciences Building
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Support SKMC Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Faculty in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology are responsible for major areas of the education of graduate students in the Jefferson College of Life Sciences and of medical students in the Sidney Kimmel Medical College.

The Department hosts the PhD Program in Biochemistry, Structural and Molecular Biology. The program is directed by Philip Wedegaertner, PhD, and the Department’s faculty play an active role in it. Department faculty also participate in the following PhD programs: Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Genetics, Genomics & Cancer Biology; Immunology & Microbial Pathogenesis; Molecular Physiology & Translational Medicine; and Neuroscience.

The Department is the administrative home of the T32 Training Program in Cellular, Biochemical & Molecular Sciences. More information can be found on the CBMS T32 Webpage.

An understanding of biochemistry and molecular biology is an important foundation for students in several of the natural sciences and health sciences. Accordingly, Department faculty direct the following:

  • Biochemistry Thread. Molecular biology, cell biology, clinical laboratory methods, genetics, metabolism, and nutrition. This thread spans all 4 years of medical school, but the majority is taught in the first 2 years. Faculty from this department teach about 75% of this thread. Thread director: Charles Scott, PhD.
  • Case-Based Learning. Several department faculty facilitate groups of 10 medical students in Phase 1 of the JeffMD curriculum who examine weekly clinical cases (4 h/week).
  • Pandemic Preparedness. Two-week intensive, asynchronous course for 4th year medical students reviewing public health, hospital systems, evidence-based medicine, vaccines and therapeutics responses to COVID-19, and applying them to emerging diseases with pandemic potential. Course Director: Charles Scott, PhD.
  • Evidence-Based Approaches to Metabolic Diseases. Two-week intensive, asynchronous course for 4th year medical students using knowledge of biochemical pathways and evidence-based medicine to diagnose rare and common diseases of metabolism, and develop and evaluate effective interventions. Course Director: Charles Scott, PhD.

(Course descriptions can be found in the JCLS Catalog.)

  • Foundations in Biomedical Sciences (GC 550). This is a joint course for all students entering a Jefferson College of Life Sciences graduate program.  BMB faculty teach 36% of course content. Course director: Le Ma, PhD.
  • Profiles in Research (GC 570). This course provides overviews of the research programs of preceptors in JCLS PhD programs. Course director: Fadia Ibrahim, PhD.
  • Genetic Information Transfer (BI 525). This course is focused on the most up-to-date knowledge of the central dogma of molecular biology and is required for all first-year JCLS PhD students. Course director: Ya-Ming Hou, PhD.
  • Cell Signaling (GC 665). This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of signal transduction mechanisms. Course co-director: Philip Wedegaertner, PhD.
  • Advanced Topics in Genome Regulation, Maintenance and Repair (BI 613). This course explores the role of the genome and of DNA replication & repair in human disease. Course co-directors: Marco Trizzino, PhD.; Richard Pomerantz, PhD.
  • Macromolecular Structure (PR 613). This course deals with the forces that guide the folding of macromolecules, and with modern experimental methods to probe macromolecular structure, function, and reactivity. Course director: Lin Guo, PhD.

Faculty Honors

Department faculty take their teaching obligations seriously; since 2012, they have received the following honors: Jefferson College of Life Sciences Fredric Rieders Faculty Prize in Graduate Education; Jefferson College of Life Sciences Yun Yen and Sophie Yen Faculty Award for Distinguished Training in Translational Research; Jefferson College of Pharmacy AACP Teacher of the Year Award; Sidney Kimmel Medical College Dean's Award for Excellence in Education; Sidney Kimmel Medical College Freshman Class Faculty Award; Sidney Kimmel Medical College Thomas J. Nasca, MD Award for Distinguished Teaching and Dedication to Student Medical Education; Jefferson College of Life Sciences Alumni Association Honorary Lifetime Membership Award; Sidney Kimmel Medical College Recipient of Portrait Painting; Sidney Kimmel Medical College Career Educator Award.

 

Trainee Awards

Since 2011, trainees in Department labs have received the following awards: American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Postdoc Travel Award, American Society for Cell Biology Postdoc Travel Award, Jefferson Postdoctoral Research Symposium Presentation Award, Jefferson College of Life Sciences Fredric Rieders Family Renaissance Foundation Graduate Student Recognition Award, Jefferson Sigma Xi Poster Award, Sigma Xi Grants-in-aid of Research, American Society for Cell Biology Graduate Student Travel Award, American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Graduate Student Travel Award and Dolores C. Shockley Prize, FASEB Howard Garrison Advocacy Fellowship, NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual Fellowship (F31) Award, NCI Predoctoral to postdoctoral transition award (F99/K00).

Teaching Opportunities

If you are at Jefferson and have an interest in obtaining teaching experience or assuming teaching responsibility, regardless of whether you are a graduate student, post-doc, instructor, research associate, or faculty member, please send an e-mail to Charles.Scott@jefferson.edu. There are often opportunities with tutoring and reviewing, and occasionally also with teaching post-baccalaureate students, Masters students, graduate students, or medical students. The course director with whom you work will mentor and coach you.

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