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Molecular and Cellular Physiology
Deciphering Cell Signaling and Behavior; Creating New Technologies
In the Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology (MCP), we strive to reveal how proteins and cells work and how they interact and to leverage this knowledge to help resolve both complex and common diseases. MCP scientists tackle open problems in cell and tissue biology, immunology, and neuroscience. Drawing on concepts, techniques and principles from multiple fields, such as biophysics, computational biology, synthetic biology, genetics, and structural biology, we develop a next generation of scientists skilled in interdisciplinary research, working in teams, mentoring, and communication. We believe that innovation thrives within dynamic research communities and, thus, welcome people whose life experience, education, and research outlook, have prepared them to join our research mission and work together to discover how cells and their molecules make our bodies work.
Today, MCP hosts more than 100 graduate students and postdoctoral scholars distributed across 13 faculty labs. Students join MCP labs from several biosciences home programs, including the one sponsored by MCP. Postdoctoral scholars join the department after earning PhDs in a variety of scientific disciplines and from universities across the nation and the world. Seven MCP faculty belong to the National Academy of Science, three hold Nobel Prizes (each one in a different area), four are immigrants, and the current chair holds a Landis Award for Outstanding Mentoring. Former MCP trainees apply their scientific training as leaders of independent research groups in academia and in industry, and as lawyers, entrepreneurs, company founders, technology investors, and policy makers.
Research News & Notable Events
– Asian American Academy of Science and EngineeringAAASE Honors Steven Chu with Prestigious Award
The Asian American Academy of Science and Engineering (AAASE) is delighted to announce the recipients of its inaugural prestigious awards, recognizing groundbreaking contributions to science, engineering, and leadership.
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Christopher Garcia, PhD
The Younger Family Professor and professor of molecular and cellular physiology and of structural biology has been named as one of three recipients of the 2024 Emory Max Cooper Prize in Immunology. The award includes a $100,000 prize to be shared equally among the three winners, along with a commemorative medal. Garcia was recognized for his work investigating the three-dimensional structures of immune receptors on cell surfaces, specifically elucidating the basis of MHC restriction by T cell receptors, a key process in allowing the immune system to attack pathogens, which has led to new therapeutics, including those being tested on patients with cancer.
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William Weis dies at 64
William Weis, PhD, former chair of structural biology at Stanford Medicine, refined advanced imaging techniques and described the three-dimensional structure of many cellular components.
MCP Faculty
