Center for Genetics and Development

Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Robert Grey recently approved a proposal to establish an interdisciplinary Center for Genetics and Development. The center is part of a remolding of biological sciences programs to reflect rapid advances in molecular genetics and developmental biology. "Genetics is a profoundly important way of looking at biology, and development represents one of the most interesting problems in biology," says Division of Biological Sciences Dean Mark McNamee. "Processes at the molecular level are not understood very well. The center enables the division and related groups to recruit faculty members interested in molecular aspects of genetics and development." Over the next five years, the division will hire 10 new faculty members, two per year, for the center. In addition to helping the campus stay on the forefront of molecular biology, the center will serve to link biological sciences with programs such as the UC Davis Cancer Center. The campus has allocated $850,000 per year for laboratory renovation and equipment costs associated with creating the center, and $200,000 per year for administrative support. The division also secured a $409,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health for remodeling costs.