Molecular biology is the study of how molecules interact to drive biological functions. This discipline has evolved from the generation of tools to understand other biological processes to in-depth studies of biological molecular mechanisms.
Students in the CMDB program work with our ~25 faculty members to study fundamental questions in the fields of gene and chromatin regulation, RNA biology, evolutionary genetics, signaling, microbiology, genome biology, and nuclear architecture. The research involves cutting-edge microscopy, computational biology, and genetic engineering.
Molecular Biology faculty
Our faculty members have a wide range of research specialties. Learn about their work and how you can get connected with our molecular biology faculty.
Our research
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SNPC-1.3 is a sex-specific transcription factor that drives male piRNA expression in C. elegans
Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are essential for animal fertility, playing crucial roles in silencing repetitive elements and endogenous genes within the germline. Their expression is regulated in a sex-specific manner. Here, we identify the first sex-specific transcription factor responsible for driving male piRNA expression.
Student profiles

Siran Tian
Trained to be a researcher Before joining the Hopkins CMDB program, I completed my undergraduate studies at Emory University in Georgia, where I majored in behavioral biology. My research experience was highly translational, involving work with patient-derived samples and human…
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