About Us
Welcome from the Director
Welcome to our website! As the name of our program suggests, the Biochemistry, Cell and Developmental Biology (BCDB) graduate program is a multidisciplinary program where students and faculty participate in a diverse scope of scientific research ranging from structural biology to translational research. One hallmark of the BCDB program (and Emory University in general) is the collaborative nature of research and education that helps cross traditional barriers leading to new approaches and breakthroughs in biological and biomedical research. Our close proximity to the Winship Cancer Institute, Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory Vaccine Center, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides additional opportunities and resources for training, collaborations and other interactions.
The BCDB program is selective and most of our successful applicants have had laboratory research experience prior to entering graduate school. The transition to graduate school is facilitated by our annual BCDB Retreat at a resort in the north Georgia mountains that provides an informal and beautiful setting for students, faculty and program alumni to get together to talk about science, careers and other topics of interest. We have an innovative coursework program anchored by the Foundations course which provides a small group format where first year students interact directly with most of the faculty in the program and where topics are guided by the primary scientific literature. Our graduates are also well known for the quality of their research seminars and teaching as a result of our training throughout the program in public speaking. Preparation for your future profession goes on throughout your time in graduate school through our Professionalization Workshops, Career Workshops and Individual Development Program.
We have been continuously supported by a training grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) for over two decades and many of our students have been successful in competing for their own individual training grants. BCDB alumni have gone on to successful careers in academic, industry, and government research, as well as science writing, science public policy, patent law, and related fields. We attribute the success of our program to the high caliber of students we recruit into our program and our focus on training students beyond the basic concepts in relevant disciplines, including how to develop a research strategy, improving critical thinking skills, and formulating and testing optimal hypotheses.
The Emory campus is located close to downtown Atlanta in a very safe, wooded neighborhood that allows for access by car, public transportation, bike, or walking. Several Atlanta neighborhoods including Little Five Points, Midtown, Inman Park and Downtown are only 10-15 minutes away by car, enabling easy access to restaurants, music venues, parks, museums and ball games.
