Bachelor of Science in Chemical Biology

Inaugurated in 1978, the Stevens chemical biology program was the first undergraduate program of its kind. Our program features the study of cell and molecular biology, molecular genetics, physiology, biochemistry, biophysical chemistry, organic and physical chemistry and instrumental analysis. Fields within chemical biology include pharmacology, toxicology, drug synthesis and proteomics. Chemical biology focuses on those disciplines of modern biological science that employ chemical knowledge, chemical instrumentation, and the quantitative rigor of chemistry to illuminate biological phenomena. It is an exciting field at the very core of biotechnology and the foundation of modern medicine. Chemical biologists are the physicians, dentists, and veterinarians of tomorrow. They also study disease and develop drugs to help people live longer, healthier lives. Today’s chemical biology laboratory is equipped with sophisticated instrumentation to stimulate muscle tissue and measure action potentials; to determine the size, shape and electrical charge of protein molecules; and to follow reactions within the cell. Chemical biologists can study biological phenomena under controlled conditions to explore the mechanisms governing growth, differentiation, behavior, evolution and aging. Beyond the traditional chemical biology curriculum, two specialized tracks have been identified within the chemical biology program: bioinformatics and bio analytical chemistry. Concentration in Bioinformatics: Huge amounts of data are generated by new and powerful techniques for determining and manipulating the structures of biological molecules. Bioinformatics makes use of mathematical and computer science techniques to process this wealth of data into usable information that shapes further scientific advances. The Stevens bioinformatics concentration is built on the foundations of chemical biology. After the first two years in the chemical biology program, the bioinformatics student begins replacing certain electives with mathematics and computer science courses, provided that CS 115 is taken in the freshman year. The Stevens bioinformatics concentration is equipping students to contribute to building the software and analytical infrastructure of the field rather than producing users of commercial software packages. Concentration in Bioanalytical Chemistry: The extreme complexity and fragility of biological molecules has made it necessary to develop special techniques and instrumentation for their detection and analysis. These methods were employed in the Human Genome Project, and have become vital in drug development efforts and in the field of chemical ecology, which studies the chemicals produced by living organisms for communication and defense. The bioanalytical chemist is a valued scientist in medical and biomedical research and in the pharmaceutical, flavors, and fragrances industries. The concentration in bioanalytical chemistry is built on the foundations of chemical biology. After the first two years in the regular chemical biology program, the bioanalytical chemistry student begins concentrating on special techniques such as mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, and separations.