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Biochemistry and Chemical Biology

Modern equipment for scientific investigation in chemical laboratory

Student Research

Students have limitless opportunities to engage in all aspects of cutting edge, high-impact research in laboratories with outstanding Vanderbilt faculty working at the interface of chemistry-biology. Examples of research areas include bioanalytical chemistry, nanomaterials, synthesis, biochemistry and biophysics, and molecular and cellular biology. Undergraduates are also exposed to the full spectrum of research at Vanderbilt through seminars and symposia and from the number of graduate and training programs that integrate undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral trainees at all levels of experience.

Independent Laboratory Research

The BCB 3201: Independent Laboratory Research course provides experience in all aspects of original laboratory research, including problem definition, experimental design and execution, interpretation of results, and written and oral scientific communication. The research is performed under the direct supervision of a faculty mentor. It is expected that the student will make a substantial intellectual contribution to the goals of part of the mentor’s research program. Students are encouraged to participate in original laboratory research for more than one semester.

In the first semester, the mentor will define the initial problem and design the first experiments to be performed by the student. By the end of the first semester, the student should have developed the necessary skills to define a problem independently and to plan and carry out meaningful experiments. In the second semester, the student will be responsible for the conception and execution of the project with minimal input from the mentor. Although independent in activity, the student enrolled in an Independent Studies course has frequent and regular supervision by the sponsoring faculty member. Reading and writing are important ingredients of independent research, but this course also provides more opportunities for conceptualizing and demonstrating originality. Each semester culminates in a written presentation in the form of a scientific journal article.

To enroll, the student must first reach out to a BCB faculty member to discuss the possibility of performing research in their laboratory. Once a faculty member is identified, the student and mentor work together to identify a project title and short synopsis of the project. The student fills out this form, sends to the faculty mentor, who then forwards it to the DUS, who will evaluate the appropriateness of the project for the BCB program.

Summer Research

Undergraduate students are strongly encouraged to seek research experiences during the summer months. Most off-campus programs pay for housing and travel and offer a stipend. These programs typically last 10 weeks and require an application, transcript, and two letters of recommendation. Applications are typically free of charge. Most programs are geared toward rising juniors and seniors but may take qualified rising sophomores. Most on-campus programs provide a stipend only. Application dates vary from September to March. Most programs have submission dates before February 15.

Vanderbilt On-Campus Summer Programs

Visit Undergraduate Research at Vanderbilt for tips and tricks on finding, funding, and presenting your research.

Off-Campus Summer Programs