The School of Molecular & Cellular Biology is pleased to announce a new undergraduate program: the bachelor of science degree in Molecular & Cellular Biology + Data Science.
The new major comes at a time when artificial intelligence, machine learning, high-throughput genomics, and other data-driven technologies are revolutionizing our world, and there is increased demand for people who can navigate biology and data science.
“Not only are hospitals and government health organizations urgently seeking molecular and cellular biology graduates with backgrounds and training in health-related data science, but so are global pharmaceutical, food, and agricultural industries,” said Brenda Wilson, professor of microbiology and associate director of undergraduate education in the School of MCB.
MCB + DS students will dive into an array of topics, from biochemistry to molecular genetics and structural biology—via innovative courses, laboratory classes, and research and discovery experiences. They will learn to harness large datasets across healthcare systems, the pharmaceutical industry, government agencies, and data-intensive biological research areas.
In addition to the MCB + DS degree, the School of MCB offers majors in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Neuroscience, and Biochemistry. All of the school’s majors include core courses that provide a foundation in basic molecular and cellular biological, chemical, statistical, and mathematical concepts.
“These core courses, taken during a student’s first two years in their program, set the stage for students to take more advanced courses, as well as engage in research experiences in faculty labs,” Wilson said. “Some of the advanced courses overlap, but the choices can be tailored to the specific needs of the student and their desired career path,” Wilson said.
Many of the school's courses have already incorporated considerable computational, statistical, and bioinformatic content, she added. Some of this trend reflects the big data and computational nature of the research being conducted by School of MCB faculty.
“We noticed a clear and rapidly growing interest by our students in strengthening their backgrounds in biology with data science-related areas. This trend is understandable in light of recent job boards that indicate a wealth of opportunities for data science and biology positions with attractive salaries, for which our students are expressing keen interest in being competitive,” Wilson said.
In medicine, healthcare, and pharmaceutical industries, companies are hiring medical image and data analysts, predictive analytics modelers, drug research and data analysts, and virtual assistance platform developers. There is also a growing need for researchers in microbial and human genomics, epidemiology and disease transmission, environmental impacts, data management, and other technological advancements involving big datasets. Research institutions are also seeking graduates at the interface of biology and data science to fill academic professional positions in research laboratories, biotechnology centers, genome centers, and bioinformatics centers.
The MCB + Data Science major is offered by the School of MCB in collaboration with the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science, Department of Mathematics, Department of Statistics, and the School of Information Sciences.
Learn more about the major, including requirements and the sample sequence.
