1. Biology
  2. Subprograms
  3. Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

microscope image of cell structure

The Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Subprogram (MCD) encompasses approximately 60 laboratories across eight CUNY campuses using a wide variety of model organisms from microbes and invertebrates to mammals and plants. It features faculty working at the cutting edge of cancer mechanisms, biotechnology, signal transduction, gene regulation, genome integrity, cell structure, intracellular trafficking and development/dysfunction of the immune and nervous systems, among others. MCD graduates have completed their Ph.D. degree with strong records of productivity making them highly competitive for postdoctoral positions and fellowships. In addition, many MCD alumni now hold academic faculty posts and leadership positions in the biotechnology industry.

Program Requirements Admissions Requirements

Chair

Jill Bargonetti
Hunter College
bargonetti@genectr.hunter.cuny.edu

Subprogram Advisory Committee

Chair: Jill Bargonetti

Faculty

Luis Quadri
Brooklyn College
Lquadri@brooklyn.cuny.edu

Bao Vuong
City College of New York
bvuong@ccny.cuny.edu

Mark Emerson
City College of New York
memerson@ccny.cuny.edu

Itzhak Mano 
CUNY School of Medicine
imano@ccny.cuny.edu

Hualin Zhong
Hunter College
zhong@genectr.hunter.cuny.edu

Patrizia Casaccia (Alternate)
Advanced Science Research Center 
pcasaccia@gc.cuny.edu

Maral Tajerian (Alternate)
Queens College
maral.tajerian@qc.cuny.edu

Students

Sara Fresard —Student Representative to Executive Committee
Hunter College

Katherine Anderson
City College of New York

Leonard Ash
Hunter College 

 

Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Faculty

Jeff Beeler - Professor - profile photo

Jeff Beeler

Professor

  • Psychology

Professor

  • Biology

Professor

  • Neuroscience

Professor

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
Nicolas Biais - Associate Professor - profile photo

Nicolas Biais

Associate Professor

  • Biochemistry

Associate Professor

  • Biology

Associate Professor

  • Physics
Louis Bradbury - Assistant Professor - profile photo

Louis Bradbury

Assistant Professor

  • Biology

Assistant Professor

  • Biochemistry
Diana Bratu - Associate Professor - profile photo

Diana Bratu

Associate Professor

  • Biochemistry

Associate Professor

  • Biology
Headshot: Patrizia Casaccia

Patrizia Casaccia

Einstein Professor

  • Biology

Einstein Professor

  • Biochemistry

Einstein Professor

  • Neuroscience

Director, Neuroscience Initiative

  • Advanced Science Research Center
Woman with glasses looking at the camera

Maria Contel

Professor

  • Chemistry

Professor

  • Biology

Professor

  • Biochemistry

Professor

  • Nanoscience
Patricia Cortes - Associate Professor - profile photo

Patricia Cortes

Associate Professor

  • Biology

Associate Professor

  • Neuroscience
Columba de la Parra - Assistant Professor - profile photo

Columba de la Parra

Assistant Professor

  • Biology

Assistant Professor

  • Biochemistry

Assistant Professor

  • Chemistry
Shana Elbaum-Garfinkle photo faculty

Shana Elbaum-Garfinkle

Assistant Professor

  • Biochemistry

Assistant Professor

  • Biology

Structural Biology Initiative

  • Advanced Science Research Center
Mark Emerson - Assistant Professor - profile photo

Mark Emerson

Assistant Professor

  • Biochemistry

Assistant Professor

  • Biology

Assistant Professor

  • Neuroscience
Paul Feinstein - Professor - profile photo

Paul Feinstein

Professor

  • Biochemistry

Professor

  • Biology

Professor

  • Chemistry

Professor

  • Psychology

Professor

  • Neuroscience
Woman with glasses looking at the camera

Jean Gaffney

Assistant Professor

  • Chemistry

Assistant Professor

  • Biology
Headshot: Kevin Gardner

Kevin H. Gardner

Einstein Professor

  • Biochemistry

Einstein Professor

  • Biology

Einstein Professor

  • Chemistry

Director, Structural Biology Initiative

  • Advanced Science Research Center
Paul Gottlieb - Associate Professor - profile photo

Paul Gottlieb

Associate Professor

  • Biochemistry

Associate Professor

  • Biology
Woman with glasses smiling at the camera

Nancy Greenbaum

Professor

  • Chemistry

Professor

  • Biology

Professor

  • Biochemistry
Man with short hair smiling at the camera while standing on the street

David Jeruzalmi

Professor

  • Chemistry

Professor

  • Biology

Professor

  • Biochemistry
headshot: Daniel Keedy

Daniel Keedy

Professor

  • Biology

Professor

  • Biochemistry

Professor

  • Chemistry

Professor, Structural Biology Initiative

  • Advanced Science Research Center
Reza Khayat - Biology

Reza Khayat

Associate Professor

  • Chemistry

Associate Professor

  • Biology

Associate Professor

  • Biochemistry
Junghoon Kim - Assistant Medical Professor - profile photo

Junghoon Kim

Assistant Medical Professor

  • Biology

Assistant Medical Professor

  • Psychology

Assistant Medical Professor

  • Neuroscience

Assistant Medical Professor

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
Woman smiling standing against a neutral background

Frida Kleiman

Professor

  • Biochemistry

Professor

  • Biology

Professor

  • Chemistry
Man with beard and short hair smiling into the camera

Ronald Koder

Professor

  • Biology

Professor

  • Biochemistry

Professor

  • Chemistry

Professor

  • Physics

Professor

  • Nanoscience
Andreas H. Kottmann - Faculty - profile photo

Andreas H. Kottmann

Medical Associate Professor

  • Biology

Medical Associate Professor

  • Neuroscience

Medical Associate Professor

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
Geri Kreitzer - Associate Professor - profile photo

Geri Kreitzer

Associate Professor

  • Biology

Associate Professor

  • Neuroscience
man wearing glasses and a shirt looking at the camera

Thomas Kurtzman

Professor

  • Biochemistry

Professor

  • Chemistry

Professor

  • Biology
Christine Li - Professor - profile photo

Christine Li

Professor

  • Biochemistry

Professor

  • Biology

Professor

  • Neuroscience
Diego Loayza - Assistant Professor - profile photo

Diego Loayza

Associate Professor

  • Biochemistry

Associate Professor

  • Biology
Shahana Mahajan - Associate Professor - profile photo

Shahana Mahajan

Associate Professor

  • Biology

Associate Professor

  • Biochemistry
Itzhak Mano - Assistant Medical Professor - profile photo

Itzhak Mano

Assistant Medical Professor

  • Psychology

Assistant Medical Professor

  • Biology

Assistant Medical Professor

  • Biochemistry

Assistant Medical Professor

  • Neuroscience
Olorunseun Ogunwobi

Olorunseun Ogunwobi

Associate Professor

  • Biochemistry

Associate Professor

  • Biology

Director, Hunter College Center for Cancer Health Disparities Research (CCHDR)

Greg Phillips - Associate Professor - profile photo

Greg Phillips

Associate Professor

  • Biology

Associate Professor

  • Neuroscience
Stephen Redenti - Associate Professor - profile photo

Stephen Redenti

Associate Professor

  • Biochemistry

Associate Professor

  • Biology
Shireen Saleque - Associate Professor - profile photo

Shireen Saleque

Associate Professor

  • Biochemistry

Associate Professor

  • Biology
Renuka Sankaran - Associate Professor - profile photo

Renuka Sankaran

Associate Professor

  • Biochemistry

Associate Professor

  • Biology
Moira Sauane - Assistant Professor - profile photo

Moira Sauane

Associate Professor

  • Biology

Associate Professor

  • Biochemistry
Orie Shafer profile headshot

Orie Shafer

Professor

  • Biology

Professor

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
Mariana Torrente - Assistant Professor - profile photo

Mariana Torrente

Assistant Professor

  • Biochemistry

Assistant Professor

  • Biology

Assistant Professor

  • Chemistry
Bao Vuong - Assistant Professor - profile photo

Bao Vuong

Associate Professor

  • Biochemistry

Associate Professor

  • Biology
Osceola Whitney - Assistant Professor - profile photo

Osceola Whitney

Assistant Professor

  • Biology

Assistant Professor

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
Andrew Wolfe - Assistant Professor Biology

Andrew Wolfe

Assistant Professor

  • Biology

Assistant Professor

  • Biochemistry
Lei Xie - Professor - profile photo

Lei Xie

Professor

  • Biochemistry

Professor

  • Biology

Professor

  • Computer Science