The Human Biology Division was formed in 1998 by coalescing the Cancer Biology Program and a new programmatic initiative in Genetics/Genomics with the existing division of Molecular Medicine. Since that time, Human Biology has stimulated productive interactions that transcend these programs. The goal of Human Biology is to cultivate interdisciplinary research focused on human biology and the complex problems of neoplasia and other human diseases. The program is structured to foster and support laboratory-based and computational research at the interface of basic, clinical, and population sciences.
Human Biology faculty are unified by their common focus on problems of human biology, despite the challenges presented by the genetic variation and uncontrollable life histories of humans. Faculty also share a conviction that multidisciplinary approaches are essential to achieve better understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of human disease. Therefore, the program blends fundamental, applied, and translational research. While research in the program is solidly grounded in high-quality basic research into molecular mechanisms, often performed in model organisms and in vitro systems, Human Biology faculty derive key insights from clinical and population observations, effectively tapping information from nature's human experiments.
The Human Biology Division brings together faculty with expertise in molecular and cell biology, genomics, statistical genetics, genetics, virology, computational biology, pathology, bioengineering, epidemiology, and clinical research. In other institutions, such a diverse faculty would be distributed among many different departments. In Human Biology, the close interaction of this diverse collection of talented and motivated investigators provides unique opportunities for synergistic collaborations.
The division has grown since its formation to comprise 24 faculty, who are training over 90 postdoctoral fellows and graduate students. Each faculty member is independent, and the division follows an egalitarian style of governance and support. Two new faculty members joined the division in 2001, and we anticipate adding another four faculty members over the next 3-4 years.
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