Founded in 1984, the Department of Biochemistry has grown from a small teaching unit into a research-driven academic community dedicated to understanding life at the molecular level. Through decades of scientific advancement and educational excellence, the department has evolved alongside emerging fields in molecular biology, cellular systems, and modern biochemical research.
Today, the department brings together faculty, students, and researchers across diverse areas of the life sciences to explore the biological mechanisms that shape living systems. Our work spans fundamental discovery and applied research while emphasizing collaboration, critical thinking, and hands-on scientific training.
We are committed to creating an environment where students develop the knowledge, technical skills, and research experience needed to contribute meaningfully to academia, industry, healthcare, and the broader scientific community.
A Message from the Department Director
Welcome to the Department of Biochemistry.
Our department was founded on the belief that scientific progress begins with curiosity and grows through education, collaboration, and discovery. For more than four decades, we have worked to create an environment where students and researchers are encouraged to ask important questions and pursue meaningful scientific contributions.
Today, our community reflects that same spirit. Across our classrooms and laboratories, students engage directly with research, faculty mentor emerging scientists, and interdisciplinary collaboration drives new ideas forward. We strive to prepare our students not only to understand science but also to shape its future.
One of the greatest strengths of our department is the people who make it what it is—faculty dedicated to teaching and discovery, students who bring energy and ambition to their work, and alumni whose accomplishments continue to inspire us.
Whether you are considering joining our programs, exploring research opportunities, or reconnecting as part of our extended community, I invite you to learn more about who we are and what we hope to achieve together.
Thank you for visiting, and we look forward to welcoming you.
Dr. Eleanor V. Hartwell
Director, Department of Biochemistry
College of Science
UCLA