Academics


Master's Degree in Molecular Biosciences

Battle disease and advance human health from the inside out as a molecular biologist. At ACPHS, you’ll work 1-1 with a faculty research mentor to study the smallest building blocks of life.

Molecular Biosciences Master’s Degree Overview

As a molecular biologist, you will address the largest and most complex medical problems at a cellular level. ACPHS offers the guidance of faculty-research mentors, unmatched research facilities and options that tailor your experience to your interests.

Work alongside a faculty member based on shared research interest for the entire duration of the two-year molecular biosciences master’s program. Get hands-on experience in state-of-the art research facilities. Personalize your molecular biosciences master's degree with a focus on laboratory training (thesis track) or through experiential learning (capstone track).

Our program will expand your understanding of key scientific fields such as microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases. Whether you’re entering a PhD program or looking to begin a career researching cures or diagnosing diseases, the molecular biosciences master’s program will leave you confident in your research capabilities and knowledge of the human body's inner workings.

Dr. Malik and student wearing lab coat and gloves using agar plates and inoculating loop bacto incinerators
Why Earn Your Master's in Molecular Biosciences?
Molecular biosciences is the study of how cells work. Understanding the science behind biological activities can unlock answers to the most pressing medical questions we face today.

By learning the basic mechanisms of human health and disease at the cellular level, you will have the foundational knowledge necessary to develop therapies to diagnose and treat infectious diseases, cancer, diabetes and other conditions.

Many molecular biologists have long, fulfilling careers seeking insights into how human health can be improved from the inside out. As a molecular biologist, you can make groundbreaking discoveries that lead to disease treatment and prevention and ultimately advance human health.
Overhead view of student wearing gloves and lab coat using a pipette and test tube racks
Hands-On Learning in the Molecular Bioscience Degree
Engage in Ph.D. level research throughout your molecular biosciences master’s program at ACPHS.

ACPHS laboratories feature state-of-the-art resources for researching cell signaling, infectious disease, DNA, RNA and protein function.

Guided one-on-one by your faculty-research mentor, you will get experience with laboratory equipment and techniques used by professional molecular biologists.

In addition to these resources, ACPHS students (and their faculty-research mentors) benefit from shared access to nearby research facilities and the College's Stack Family Center for Biopharmaceutical Education and Training (CBET).

You can also apply for a research assistantship, which allows you to earn $2,500-$3,000 per semester. This stipend can be earned in addition to the many merit- or need-based scholarships available to ACPHS students.
Professor holds lab sample to a group of students
What Can You Do With a Degree in Molecular Biosciences?
Earning a master's degree in molecular biosciences is a step toward impactful careers as doctors, dentists, biomedical researchers, quality control analysts and lab technicians.

Many graduates from the molecular biosciences master's program continue to top PhD programs in biochemistry, cell biology, immunology, microbiology and molecular biology. Others enter into the biopharmaceutical industry positions at top companies around the country.

ACPHS has a proven track record of helping alumni secure admission to their desired PhD program or employment at top research universities or private companies — with opportunities for skilled professionals growing every day.

More than 9,500 molecular biologists will be needed over the next ten years to fill the growing need for highly trained researchers who understand human health and disease.
Two students stand in front of thesis project on poster board
Molecular Biosciences Degree Coursework
The master’s in molecular biosciences explores the foundational sciences critical to success as a molecular biologist including genetics, cell biology, microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases. Graduates will also become experts in laboratory research techniques and ethical research conduct.

The thesis track allows you to gain hands-on research experience and learn laboratory research techniques with the aim of answering relevant scientific questions and includes an 18-month deep dive into a project of your choosing under the guidance of a faculty-research mentor.

The capstone track is designed for those seeking careers in an industrial setting. This track peaks with an internship at a private research company, allowing you to apply classroom lessons and gain real-world experience.
  • Characterization of Nutritional and Oxidative Stress Resistance Mechanisms of Francisella tularensis
  • Understanding the mechanisms of suppression of inflammasome by Francisella tularensis
  • Programmed cell death dynamics in hyperglycemia
  • Elucidating the Role of Cellular Glycosphingolipids Biosynthesis on Influenza A Virus Lifecycle
  • Stringent Response Governs the Virulence and Oxidative Stress Resistance of Francisella tularensis
  • Mapping the genetic evolution of daptomycin resistance in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
  • Mechanisms and outcomes of the hyperglycemic shift from apoptosis to necroptosis
  • Elucidating the Role of Thioredoxin in the Oxidative Stress Response of Francisella tularensis
  • Thioredoxin mediated modulation of Acenitobacter baumanii virulence and antibiotic resistance
  • Francisella tularensis a review: Transmission, Intracellular Life Cycle, and Cellular Death
  • Role of ROS and mitochondria during the hyperglycemic shift from apoptosis to necroptosis
  • Investigating the Host-Pathogen Interaction Between Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Macrophages, Understanding the Role of Reactive Oxygen Stresses
  • Vibrio parahaemolyticus Infection Stimulates Proinflammatory Cytokine Production and Innate Lymphocyte Cell Activation
  • Investigating Minocycline’s anti-inflammatory role in alveolar macrophages 
  • HIV-1 infection by cell-to-cell transmission induces human innate immune response