Considerable interaction also takes place with the other basic science departments on Columbia's main campus and with those at the Health Sciences campus. The neurobiology group shares interests in the cell biology and development of the nervous system. Their research covers a variety of vertebrate and invertebrate systems. Structural Biology Current research interests of the faculty include signal transduction proteins, molecular chaperone proteins, several enzymes of biological and medical importance, proteins involved in transmembrane transport, and components of the bacterial secretion apparatus. The focus of the research activities is on understanding the biological functions of these proteins in terms of their atomic structures, as well as their kinetic and thermodynamic properties.
Special emphasis is on the determination of protein structures by X-ray crystallography.
Joint Training in Biophysics Faculty from three departments have coordinated their efforts for recruiting student interested in entering or pursuing studies in biophysics. The department of Chemistry and the department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics have joined the department of Biological Sciences in this coordinated effort. The Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry offer a joint training program, the Chemical and Molecular Basis of Life Processes. The departments cooperate closely in administering programs of courses and subsequent graduate training in the chemical aspects of molecular biology, including biochemistry and biophysical chemistry. Dual sponsorship of graduate research is possible under this program.