Mission

To provide innovative technologies and fundamental discoveries in mechanistic biology for health and educational benefit

Vision

We see a time when powerful technologies that fuel breakthroughs in mechanistic biology accelerate success in drug discovery and the diagnostic sciences and reveal the complex biological signaling processes that underpin human health and go awry in disease.

Core values

Culture

We value a departmental culture of collegiality, collaboration, and transparency.

We achieve this through strong communication, supportive administrative staff, regular chalk talks and faculty meetings, and an annual off-site strategy meeting, as well as through fair and transparent policies for compensation, advancement, committee duties, and teaching assignments.

Research

We value an environment that nurtures and rewards outstanding and innovative research activities in both basic science and technology and which is dedicated to improving human health.

We reach this ideal through providing opportunities to share and critique our science, encouraging collaboration with academic and industrial partners, supporting new research funding opportunities wherever possible, and building enabling technology centers that enhance research inside and outside the department.

Education

We value the delivery of exceptional PhD science and PharmD professional education.

We accomplish this by delivering excellence in basic science education in chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics, and molecular pharmacology (drug discovery and action); participating in the development of new curricula in collaboration with other departments; and by providing administrative leadership through our PhD program directors.

Recruitment, advancement, retention

We value actions that seek and encourage biomedical scientists at the interface of chemical, physical, and computational biology.

We achieve this through mentoring, advancing, rewarding, and retaining current faculty members, and by hiring new faculty members.

Administration

We value a vibrant and efficient administrative staff that cultivates great teamwork and embodies the same cultural values and commitment as our faculty.

We demonstrate this through hiring and retaining outstanding staff members who are empowered and respected to do their best to support the faculty, maintain fiscal responsibility throughout the department, and continually advance in their respective fields.