In 2006, the Department of Molecular Pharmacology changed its name to the Department of Chemical and Systems Biology to reflect its increasing focus on the interrelated fields of chemical biology and systems biology. The Department provides an outstanding interdisciplinary environment for developing new chemical tools for probing and perturbing cells and organisms, mapping out regulatory networks, understanding the design principles of biological systems, and applying this understanding to the development of novel therapeutic agents.

A corresponding change in the name of the Department's Ph.D. program is in process, and approval by the appropriate University committees is anticipated soon. We are currently accepting applications for graduate study through the Stanford Biosciences Program. Please check the Molecular Pharmacology or Molecular Pharmacology/Chemical and Systems Biology box on the Biosciences application if you would like to be considered for admission.

The Department emphasizes individualized training at the interface of physical science and biomedical science.  The program encourages students to draw upon a variety of modern scientific techniques, ranging from recent advances in molecular biology and protein biochemistry to synthetic organic chemistry and single cell imaging. Graduate students in the Department take courses in signal transduction networks, chemical biology, and other areas of importance to their research goals.

The Department's research is also supported by the Stanford High-Throughput Bioscience Center, which provides a range of robotic instrumentation, chemical libraries, and genetic tools for the Stanford research community.

Specific areas of research in the Department of Chemical and Systems Biology include:

• Signal transduction pathways and networks in health and disease
• The role of protein kinase C in heart failure and ischemia
• Cell cycle regulation in cells and cell-free extracts
• The study of signal transduction networks with fluorescent biosensors
• DNA damage sensing and repair
• The development of bifunctional molecules with specific biological activities
• Mechanistic studies of embryonic patterning using small molecule probes
• The mechanisms of epigenetic regulation and the role of epigenesis in development, cancer, and stem cell function

Training within the department includes:

• Graduate programs and courses (Click here for more info)
• Departmental campus-wide scientific seminars and post-seminar discussions
• Annual departmental retreat with research presentations by students, post-doctoral fellows, and faculty.