The Department offers a wide variety of courses for graduate students studying in the life sciences. The research expertise of the faculty spans the areas from cell biology, metabolism, and molecular biology to physical biochemistry/structural biology. Current research interests include viral protease inhibitors, viral RNA replication, bioenergetics and proton translocation, X-chromosome structure and function, cytoskeletal assembly and dynamics, enzyme mechanism and control, chromatin structure, gene expression and regulation, mitochondrial biogenesis and evolution, the genetics of inherited disease, nutrient membrane transporters, protein site-directed mutagenesis, ribosome structure and function, signal transduction, structural biology and dynamics of macromolecules, protein-nucleic acid interactions, transgenic animal models, and virus crystal structure. Prospective graduate students should have adequate training in chemistry and biology. Minor deficiencies may be made up immediately after entering graduate school. Previous undergraduate experience in a research laboratory is highly recommended. Doctoral students are required to take a core IDP course in fall term of their first year; and beginning in spring term, students take advanced classes in areas of interest. Specific advanced-level courses may be recommended by the student’s supervisory chair and committee. The following courses are open to all graduate students and advanced undergraduates. Additional courses are listed in the Advanced Concentration in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology section under Medical Sciences.