Division of Biological Sciences

Ph.D. in Biology Is Offered by UC San Diego and Salk Institute for Biological Studies

The University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego), Division of Biological Sciences, in association with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, offers a program of graduate studies leading to the Ph.D. degree in biology. The program provides an extraordinary setting for highly motivated students interested in training with distinguished faculty members. The major areas of faculty research are biochemistry and biophysics; bioinformatics; cell and developmental biology; ecology, behavior, and evolution; genetics; immunology, virology, and cancer biology; molecular biology; neurobiology; plant molecular biology; plant systems biology; quantitative and systems biology; signal transduction.

Over 100 Fully Equipped, Modern Research Laboratories Are Available to Students in the Division of Biological Sciences

Students have access to more than 100 modern and fully equipped research laboratories in the Division of Biological Sciences and the Salk Institute. The division is also associated with three organized research groups: the Center for Molecular Genetics, the Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, and the San Diego Center for Molecular Agriculture. Campus research facilities and tools include the San Diego Supercomputer Center, the Biomedical Genomics Microarray Center, the Protein Sequencing Facility, the Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry Facility, a DNA sequencer, and confocal, electron, and photon microscopes. Located on campus near the Salk Institute, the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine is a collaborative effort dedicated to stem cell research which brings together researchers under a single roof in a world-class facility.

Part of a World-class Scientific and Research Community, UC San Diego Overlooks the Pacific along the San Diego Coast

UC San Diego and the Salk Institute are located on the Torrey Pines Mesa, along the San Diego coast, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The campus is also an easy drive from several mountain and desert locales. Along with San Diego's dry, temperate climate, UC San Diego is ideally situated to offer its students year-round outdoor recreational opportunities. The area also shares a rich heritage with its neighbor, Mexico, and supports many cultural events.

The Torrey Pines Mesa is the setting of a world-class scientific and research community as well. This community includes the UC San Diego School of Medicine, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Scripps Research Institute, the Neurosciences Institute, the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, and hundreds of biotechnology research firms.

Widely Acknowledged UC San Diego Is Renowned for Its Collaborative, Diverse, and Cross-disciplinary Ethos

UC San Diego is one of the nation's most accomplished research universities, widely acknowledged for its local impact, national influence, and global reach. A leader in climate science research, UC San Diego is one of the greenest universities in the U.S. and works with communities, governments, businesses, and organizations to promote sustainability solutions throughout the region and the world.

With a majestic view of the Pacific Ocean, this distinctively beautiful campus is both a magnet and a catalyst for acclaimed institutes and Nobel laureates. The University's award-winning scholars are experts at the forefront of their fields, with an impressive track record for achieving scientific, medical, and technological breakthroughs. Renowned for its collaborative, diverse, and cross-disciplinary ethos that transcends traditional boundaries in science, arts, and the humanities, UC San Diego attracts like-minded faculty and staff members and stellar students.