History

CMB is a pioneer in interdisciplinary graduate education.

The CMB Program was the first interdisciplinary degree-granting graduate program in the sciences at the University of Michigan. It was initiated over 35 years ago by a grassroots faculty effort, the outgrowth of long-standing informal interactions among faculty and students interested in molecular biology, cell biology and molecular and microbial genetics. These interactions were formally recognized in 1971, when the Rackham School of Graduate Studies conferred degree-granting privileges to the CMB Program. CMB remains the only broad-based training program in biomedical sciences. The CMB Program fosters interactions among students and faculty, helping to broaden the students’ appreciation of diverse research opportunities and to encourage interdisciplinary thinking in a highly collaborative atmosphere. A total of 153 students have been awarded the Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology since its inception. Our alumni continue to be leaders in research in many venues.

In 1998, the Medical School launched The Program in Biomedical Sciences (PIBS) to coordinate admissions, recruitment and first year training for 11 graduate programs (expanded since to 13) in the biomedical sciences, including CMB. In this context, our distinctive goal is to continue to provide a firm basis in cellular and molecular biology through the exceptional individualized training that characterizes the CMB Program.