Departments & Research Centers

There are four academic departments in the College of Chemical and Life Sciences (CLFS) at the University of Maryland. Each offers its own unique teaching, research, and outreach programs that contribute to the overall excellence of the College. With more than 125 tenured/tenure-track faculty members; 110 instructors, lecturers, and postdoctoral scientists; and an array of world-class research and teaching facilities; CLFS is making its mark in fundamental and discovery-oriented science. Our faculty participate in a wide variety of multidisciplinary research centers and institutes that bridge departments and colleges.

Department of Biology

The Department of Biology is committed to solving the challenges confronting modern biology by the integrated study of biomolecules, cells, organisms, and populations, within the context of how these entities interact with the natural environment. Laboratories throughout the department thrive by working across these traditional levels of biological investigation. The Department of Biology is notable for the breadth of its research interests and the diversity of animals and plants under investigation. Major areas of emphasis include evolution, neuroscience, ecology and conservation biology, and biophysics. Department faculty contribute to interdisciplinary graduate programs

Visit the Department of Biology website.

Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics

The Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics has five research specializations including Genetics and Genomics; Microbiology, Microbial Pathogenesis, and Immunology; Cell and Developmental Biology; Virology; and Plant Biology. With particular strengths in cellular development, signal transduction, nucleic acid function, pathogenesis, and genomics, the department has several state-of the-art shared instrumentation laboratories, including the Advanced Genomics Facility, Biological Imaging and Cell Sorting Facility, Proteomics and Mass Spectroscopy Facility, and the Scientific Computing Facility. Several faculty members participate in the Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, an interdisciplinary research initiative working to develop new ways to detect pathogens in the environment and to prevent and cure global infectious diseases.

Visit the Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics website.
Visit the Maryland Pathogen Research Insititute website.

Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry

The department blends chemistry and biochemistry with a focus in nanoscience on biomaterials, which resonates with a broad spectrum of scientists and engineers in the biological sciences, engineering and physics. Grounded in traditional subfields (analytical, bio-, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry), research in the department extends from biophysics and catalysis to environmental and nuclear chemistry, and onto computational and theoretical chemistry. Nationally recognized, award-winning faculty instruct students and provide them with research opportunities that lead to their independent careers. In addition, the department’s strong ties to interdisciplinary research initiatives on campus, and collaborative research partnerships with nearby federal laboratories, such as the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Standards & Technology, and the Food and Drug Administration, contribute to the dynamic research environment.

Visit the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry website.
Visit the Biochemistry website.

Department of Entomology

The Department of Entomology combines the best in basic and applied biology to meet the public need for research, outreach, and instruction regarding entomology and related subjects, particularly as these apply to pest management and the stewardship of the environment. The department is actively involved in research, teaching and extension activities focusing on insects and their relatives, as well as sub-disciplines including ecology, ecosystem ecology, aquatic biology, molecular and developmental biology, genetics, biological control of insects and weeds, systematics, evolutionary biology, integrated pest management, toxicology, and insect pathology.

Visit the Department of Entomology website.