Posted on July 19: Biochemistry upgrades its name

McMaster's Department of Biochemistry has undergone a name change, to better reflect the unit's mission and vision. Now called the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, it encompasses a wide range of research from structural biology to leading edge cell biology and from molecular mechanisms of diseases to the development of therapeutics.

“Our vision for the department is bold and innovative and places us here at McMaster well ahead of the curve in comparison to other departments across the North America and the world,” says Gerry Wright, chair of the department. “Our goal is to become the most innovative and respected biochemistry department in the country and the changes we have made over the past couple of years, including the change in name, will make us a magnet for the best and brightest graduate and undergraduate students, post docs, and faculty.”

He adds that the change reflects both the current reality and the mission and vision of the department for its research and educational mandates, which are to provide excellence in basic and applied biomedical research. “This encompasses the broad areas of protein and lipid structure and function, molecular and cellular biology, drug discovery, chemical genetics, and a number of others,” he says. “A common thread is a focus on the applications of modern and traditional biochemical approaches to problems of human health. This name change anticipates a cultural movement in the field towards transformative science.”

Established in 1967, the department is one of the top centres for life sciences research in North America. Research in the department includes all of the areas of academic biomedical research as well as areas of direct relevance to the pharmaceutical industry. Located in the Health Sciences Centre, the department is comprised of 27 faculty members, which include a number of joint and associate members, and more than 25 research staff, including research associates, postdoctoral fellows and research assistants. There also are more than 70 graduate students and 300 undergraduate students within the department.

For more information about the department visit http://www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/biochem/Department.htm

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McMaster&#039;s Department of Biochemistry has undergone a name change, to better reflect the unit&#039;s mission and vision. Now called the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, it encompasses a wide range of research from structural biology to leading edge cell biology and from molecular mechanisms of diseases to the development of therapeutics.<p><br />
<br />
"Our vision for the department is bold and innovative and places us here at McMaster well ahead of the curve in comparison to other departments across the North America and the world," says Gerry Wright, chair of the department.  "Our goal is to become the most innovative and respected biochemistry department in the country and the changes we have made over the past couple of years, including the change in name, will make us a magnet for the best and brightest graduate and undergraduate students, post docs, and faculty."<p><br />
<br />
He adds that the change reflects both the current reality and the mission and vision of the department for its research and educational mandates, which are to provide excellence in basic and applied biomedical research.  "This encompasses the broad areas of protein and lipid structure and function, molecular and cellular biology, drug discovery, chemical genetics, and a number of others," he says. "A common thread is a focus on the applications of modern and traditional biochemical approaches to problems of human health.  This name change anticipates a cultural movement in the field towards transformative science."<p><br />
<br />
Established in 1967, the department is one of the top centres for life sciences research in North America. Research in the department includes all of the areas of academic biomedical research as well as areas of direct relevance to the pharmaceutical industry. Located in the Health Sciences Centre, the department is comprised of 27 faculty members, which include a number of joint and associate members, and more than 25 research staff, including research associates, postdoctoral fellows and research assistants. There also are more than 70 graduate students and 300 undergraduate students within the department.<p><br />
<br />
For more information about the department visit <a href="http://www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/biochem/Department.htm">http://www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/biochem/Department.htm</a>

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