Biochemistry

Biochemistry: Concentration

Offered jointly by the departments of biology and chemistry, and drawing upon the expertise of faculty in both disciplines, the biochemistry concentration encourages and fosters learning about the chemistry that underlies biological structure and function.

Open to biology and chemistry majors, the competitive concentration expands upon the foundations of these traditional fields of study, preparing you for graduate and medical studies, careers in the biopharmaceutical industry, and other post-graduate endeavors.

The biochemistry concentration offers an interdisciplinary perspective that will place you at the cutting edge of modern science. In addition to the requirements of your major, biochemistry concentrators complete laboratory-based courses from both the biology and the chemistry departments. The concentration culminates in a yearlong, independent biochemistry research project in the fourth year, where you will gain valuable experience working across disciplines, just as you would in a real-world research setting. Biology and chemistry majors may apply to this competitive concentration in the spring of their second year.

Program Highlights

The biochemistry concentration is intimately intertwined with modern avenues of research. Through one-on-one pursuits with faculty in the chemistry and biology departments, students can pursue research in a variety of fields, including:

  • Physical, organic, inorganic and analytical chemistry
  • Genetics
  • Molecular and cellular biology
  • Human health and disease
  • Immunology
  • Neurobiology
  • Microbiology
  • Developmental biology 

Biochemistry News

Matthew Cummings '20 works with a scanning tunneling microscope in the physical chemistry lab of Gaby Avila-Bront, assistant professor of chemistry.
Over 100 Students Spend Their Summer Conducting Research Around the World
For 113 Holy Cross students, summer has been a time to dive deep into innovative research through the Weiss Summer Research Program. Sixty-eight students conducted research in the natural sciences; 37 in the humanities, social sciences, and fine arts; and …
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How Do Holy Cross Students Get into Medical School?
Just about everyone who applies to medical school has top grades and test scores. So who gets in and who doesn’t? Often it comes down to “miles traveled” — experiences outside the classroom that show an applicant’s abilities beyond technical …
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Holy Cross Academic Conference 2017 to Showcase Student Work
As the academic year nears its end, more than 350 students will present the results of their independent work in the performing and visual arts, social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences at the 2017 Academic Conference, taking place across campus …