100 years biochemical sciences tutorial

Department of Molecular
and Cellular Biology

About us

Our Science 

We research and teach how the collective behavior of molecules and cells forms the basis of life. We are driven by a passion for discovery and value collaborative approaches to scientific inquiry, where connections between people fuel interdisciplinary science and break boundaries across varied experimental systems. Against a backdrop of cutting-edge biological research, we work as a team of educators and mentors to inspire and train the next generation of scientists and global citizens. 

 Our Community 

At the core of the MCB department is a commitment to foster an environment in which all individuals have the opportunity to thrive. It is our shared responsibility to create an inclusive culture, where we support and respect each other as colleagues. We embrace a diverse range of perspectives, expertise, identities, experiences, talents, and abilities. By continually strengthening this foundation of investing in the well-being of our people, we enable our community’s growth and pursuit of the creative and innovative approaches that underlie scientific excellence. 

Our Guiding Principles

We hold ourselves and the community accountable to the following set of values: 

Respect
We foster a safe and supportive environment where everyone is treated with respect and dignity and is able to work towards their aspirations. 

Engagement
We encourage difficult conversations about racial, gender, structural and other inequities in our labs, institutions, and society.We listen actively and openly and seek to continually learn from one another during these respectful and open dialogues. 

Action
We take active steps to diversify our community demographics, promote equitable practices, and eliminate systemic racism and other inequities in our departmental structures. 

Support
We prioritize the well-being of our community members and create avenues of support for all, with a particular focus on the needs of Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, first generation students, people from underprivileged backgrounds, and other community members underrepresented in the scientific community.We prioritize diversity, inclusion, and belonging work, advocate for it at all levels and actively include it in all departmental discussions.  

Integrity 

We carry out our work responsibly and ethically, recognizing that our own choices are reflections of both ourselves and our community. As a department, we are committed to building institutional accountability and transparency in our decision-making processes.  

Our research

Latest News

Nao Uchida

Naoshige Uchida to Lead MCB as New Department Chair

After nearly two decades at Harvard, neuroscientist Naoshige Uchida is preparing to take on a new role: chair of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB). Uchida, […]

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(l to r) Fuming Yang, Stephen G. Turney, Daniel R. Berger, Elisa C. Pavarino, Yuelong Wu, Yaron Meirovitch, Marta Montero-Crespo, Richard L. Schalek, Juan-Carlos Tapia, Ryan Draft, and Jeff Lichtman

Two Decades in the Making: New Study Reveals How Brain Function Shapes Its Own Structure

After nearly 20 years of meticulous research, a team of Harvard scientists has published findings in Nature Neuroscience (PDF) that fundamentally challenge how we think about brain development. […]

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Ruoyu (Roy) Chen and Matthew Capek

MCB Postdoctoral Researchers Matthew Capek and Ruoyu Chen Awarded Jane Coffin Childs Fellowships

Two MCB postdoctoral researchers, Matthew Capek and Ruoyu (Roy) Chen, have been awarded prestigious fellowships from the Jane Coffin Childs Fund for Medical Research, one of the nation’s […]

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Vanessa Frelih

Neuroscience Graduate Vanessa Frelih Wins Glushko Prize for Research on Cognitive Flexibility and Aging

Recent Harvard graduate Vanessa Frelih has been awarded the Robert J Glushko Thesis Prize which recognizes outstanding undergraduate thesis research in cognitive science.  A Neuroscience concentrator who conducted […]

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Upcoming Events

A Slice of Science: José Díaz Maldonado

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  • Biological Laboratories (Room BL1080), 16 Divinity Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA