Life Inspiring

At the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology

We seek answers to fundamental questions about how organisms work and the many implications for life. Through a rich culture of collaboration, we drive new discoveries in human health and empower students with the critical and analytical skills needed for successful careers.

MCB News

Joe and Gilberto stand together in the lab.
Wind-chill out! Researchers discover how flow stresses out bacterial pathogens
Residents of northern states are familiar with the concept and reality of windchill. With the combination of strong winds and the chilly weather, we become more sensitive; it feels colder than the registered temperature. Researchers from the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology at the...
Stefanie Eben looks up at the camera with a smile. She is standing next to an anaerobic chamber.
Researchers shed new light on how copper poisons microbes
For years, copper has been used ubiquitously in health care to stave off bacterial infections—from doorknobs in hospital rooms to catheters and IUDs—and yet how the element does so is unclear. In a new publication in Molecular Microbiology, researchers from the University of Illinois...

Illustration of an instrumented tissue mimic
Illinois to co-lead new CZ Biohub in Chicago
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has been chosen to lead the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago – a new biomedical hub – along with the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. The three-university team was selected to lead the new biomedical...
nelson_erik210604-lbs-07-b_1080.jpg
“A milestone in my career”
Several days following the Federal Drug Administration’s approval of a new cancer drug, Erik Nelson was still processing the news. “It hasn’t sunk in yet that this is actually happening,” he said from his breast cancer research lab in...
Group photo of University of Illinois scientists who are receiving the HHMI research funding for influenza research
University of Illinois scientists win $9.5 million to study emerging pathogens
Aquatic birds, especially ducks, can carry influenza viruses but they don’t often become severely ill, leading scientists to wonder how their immune systems act as a reservoir for a highly infectious and pathogenic virus, but the birds remain relatively unharmed. Additionally, could the immune...
Microbiology professor Cari Vanderpool and PhD student Sabrina Abdulla
New role of small RNAs in Salmonella infections uncovered
Salmonella are food-borne pathogens that infect millions of people a year. To do so, these bacteria depend on a complex network of genes and gene products that allow them to sense environmental conditions. In a new paper, researchers have investigated the role of small RNAs that help ...
Diana Brown cheers on the volleyball court.
Diana Brown Named 2023 Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award Recipient
Illinois setter Diana Brown was named one of two recipients for the Big Ten Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award, the conference office announced Wednesday. Brown, who majored in molecular and cellular biology, was...
Undergraduate and graduate students participants and mentors with the Merit Program Professional Network Class gather at a year-end celebration in the Illini Union in December 2022.
MCB celebrates students who participated in new Merit Mentoring & Professional Network course
The Merit Program for Emerging Scholars at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers academic communities of support for incoming students who have been historically underrepresented in STEM majors. Thanks to new funding from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Student Success...
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Innovative education

Our mission is to empower students. In MCB you will receive a rigorous education and you can tailor a curriculum according to your passions. Our alumni have become physicians, researchers at top-tier institutions, and business leaders. They've launched biotechnology start-ups and founded free healthcare clinics. They are changing the world. You can, too.

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A community of collaborators

Impactful research

We are at the forefront of life-changing biomedical research. Combatting infectious diseases like the novel coronavirus and influenza. Uncovering insights into neurological and metabolic disorders. Developing new treatments for diseases such as breast cancer. New and exciting research programs are being developed in neuroscience, immunology, microbial sciences, developmental biology, mechanobiology, and much more. Faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduates are all part of the MCB research community.

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Commitment to diversity, equity & inclusion

Diversity within the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology drives the innovation that keeps our research at the forefront of scientific discovery. However, we recognize that societal, academic, and structural barriers have often kept talented individuals out of our community. We are committed to eliminating these barriers and supporting students and scientists of all backgrounds.

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