The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology | School of Molecular & Cellular Biology

The Beckman Institute focuses on three themes: molecular science and engineering, integrative imaging, and intelligent systems.

Its core research facilities include the Biomedical Imaging Center and the Imaging Technology Group (ITG), which also includes Beckman's Microscopy Suite and Visualization Laboratory.

Wide exterior shot of the Beckman Institute on a summer day.

MCB faculty collaborate on NSF grants at Beckman

2020-01-30

ChBE professor Hyunjoon (Joon) Kong recently received two grants from the NSF to fund interdisciplinary research at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, including a look at how neurons and muscle cells communicate with each other and also to develop a drug delivery system for...

MCB and other units contribute to purchase of animal MRI

2019-07-03

A Bruker 9.4 Tesla preclinical animal MRI system will be sited at the Beckman Institute. The addition of the system to the institute’s Biomedical Imaging Center will aid in research in many areas, including brain development and function, and cellular mechanisms in cancer. The installation project...

Mark Nelson's research demonstrates the success of interdisciplinary approaches

2019-05-13

From weakly electric fish to a robotic cockroach to a novel approach to using wireless networks for emergency response, Mark E. Nelson’s research career exemplifies the success of an interdisciplinary approach through his work in the Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology and the...

Living in a Cacophonous World

2018-12-31

We live in an environment characterized by a multitude of complex, diverse sounds. The ability to filter, select and understand specific sounds from this rich environment can impact learning, speech, and even our survival. Just imagine driving your car in heavy traffic while listening intently...

Christian Lab: Effects of epilepsy on neural activity in mice fluctuate with reproductive cycle, study finds

2018-10-14

Mice with epilepsy have altered patterns of neuron activity in the portion of the brain that controls the reproductive endocrine system, University of Illinois researchers report in a new study.

Virtual predator is self-aware, behaves like living counterpart

2018-03-02

Rhanor Gillette and his colleagues built a virtual ocean predator that has simple self-awareness.

In Memorium: Klaus Schulten

2016-12-31

“Klaus Schulten was a giant amongst giants, a true pioneer, As a physicist, he made significant advances in the core programming and hardware needed to advance computational modeling of biological systems... His passing is indeed a loss to the entire scientific community.”

Virus Simulation

2006-03-14

Klaus Schulten, professor of physics, chemistry, and biophysics and computational biology, and colleagues this week presented the first computer simulation of an entire life form, a virus. The full study will appear in the March issue of the journal Structure.

Photo of two rows of pink test tubes in an orange test tube holder.

Ten professors at Illinois elected as 2006 Fellows

2006-11-27

Akria Chiba, associate professor of cell and developmental biology, and of entomology, and Mark E. Nelson, professor of molecular and integrative physiology, biophysics, bioengineering and neuroscience, are two of ten faculty members at the U. of I. to have been have been awarded the distinction of...