Degree Options
Modern biological research is interdisciplinary and the MSP program is firmly committed to working across a wide range of disciplines. Our program encompasses diverse disciplines, including pharmacology, molecular biology, structural biology, biochemistry, genetics, cell biology, physiology, chemistry, toxicology, microbiology, neuroscience, and others. This cross-discipline approach provides our graduates with numerous possibilities for rewarding careers in research. In addition to our core curriculum MSP students have the option to choose from two degree specialties - Chemical Biology or Toxicology.
Chemical biology
Chemical biology spans the fields of chemistry and biology using chemical tools to study and manipulate of biological systems. While classical biochemistry seeks to understand the macromolecular structure and function for important enzymes and receptors, chemical biology utilizes chemical principals to modulate entire biological systems to both understand their biology and to create new therapeutics. Emory is host to the Emory Chemical Biology Discovery Center (ECBDC) (link to http://www.pharm.emory.edu/ECBDC/) who’s mission is to discover novel chemical leads targeted to disease related proteins for research tools and therapeutics, and to train the next generation of drug discovery scientists. The ECBDC is part of the National Cancer Institute’s Chemical Biology Consortium and provides a robust platform for high-throughput biology, drug screening and drug development.
Students in the Chemical Biology curriculum will take classes in Drug Discovery and at least one graduate level elective offered by the Department of Chemistry.