Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program

The image is an electron tomographic reconstruction of a developing maize aleurone cell containing vacuoles with large aggregates of storage proteins (red) and intravacuolar membranes (green): mitochondria (gold), plastids (green), lipid bodies (blue) and ribosomes (white) are abundant in the cytoplasm. (Figure provided by Prof. Marisa Otegui, UW Madison)
aerial photo of UW campus

Applications for Fall 2027 will open on September 2nd. The deadline to apply is December 1 at 11PM CST.

Admissions Information
Spermatogenesis in the planarian /Schmditea mediterranea/. Nuclei are visualized by Hoechst staining (gray) and the mitotic marker phospho-histone H3 is visualized in red. Maximum-intensity projection of a laser-scanning confocal image series. Image by Tracy Chong (Newmark lab).
aerial photo of UW campus

Applications for Fall 2027 will open on September 2nd. The deadline to apply is December 1 at 11PM CST.

Admissions Info
aerial photo of UW campus

Applications for Fall 2027 will open on September 2nd. The deadline to apply is December 1 at 11PM CST.

Admissions Info
Photo of a virus infected cell
aerial photo of UW campus

Applications for Fall 2027 will open on September 2nd. The deadline to apply is December 1 at 11PM CST.

Admissions Info
CMB Student Sharon Tang collaborated with two other artists to create an interactive mural.
aerial photo of UW campus

Applications for Fall 2027 will open on September 2nd. The deadline to apply is December 1 at 11PM CST.

Applications for Fall 2027 will open on September 2nd. The deadline to apply is December 1 at 11PM CST.

Welcome

Welcome to the Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology (CMB) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since 1961, CMB has been pioneering graduate education in the fields of cell biology and molecular biology. We are a community of individuals from many different backgrounds, and we appreciate that a diverse student body and faculty enhance every part of our community. Currently, there are over 200 faculty trainers and over 130 students in the program. For prospective students, this site provides information about the application process, the Ph.D. curriculum, and research being conducted by faculty trainers. Read more about CMB.

2026 Alumni Newsletter

  • 2026 Alumni Newsletter

    We hope you enjoy reading more about the changes and growth of the CMB program and the success of CMB students, faculty, and alumni throughout the past year! The 2026 Alumni Newsletter is available online …

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CMB News

  • Alumni Spotlight- Larry Green

    Current Employer: Ablexis, LLC & AlivaMab Biologics, LLC Job Title: Chief Executive Officer Home Town: San Francisco, CA Current Location: San Diego, CA Short Description of your Graduate School Research: Cell-cycle control of tubulin expression …

  • Alumni Spotlight- Catherine Konopka

    Current Employer: US Patent and Trademark Office Job Title: Patent Examiner Home Town: Midwest Current Location: Annapolis, Maryland Short Description of your Graduate School Research: Characterization of protein and membrane trafficking pathways in plant cells …

  • Congratulations to CMB Student Hannah Hwang on her publication in iScience

    CMB Student Hannah Hwang, Class of 2024, Blanc Lab, published the paper “KMT5A maintains muscle stem cell quiescence through epigenetic regulation of Notch signaling” in iScience.  Congratulations, Hannah!

  • CMB Trainers Keller, Hull and Kabbage Featured in UW–Madison’s “Mighty Mycology”

    It’s no joke. Fungus is among us. As many as 11 million fungi species exist, although only 150,000 have been identified.

  • 2026 Alumni Newsletter

    We hope you enjoy reading more about the changes and growth of the CMB program and the success of CMB students, faculty, and alumni throughout the past year! The 2026 Alumni Newsletter is available online …

  • More News