# Research Communities ![BBS Abstract](/sites/g/files/omnuum5321/files/styles/hwp_28_10__1920x685/public/2026-10/image-1793268933061.jpg?itok=NV3YN7nC) ## expand\_more ## Our Neighborhoods Within The City The BBS program encompasses a network of research communities that include both basic science departments and interdepartmental programs at Harvard Medical School. We often compare these communities to neighborhoods within a larger city. Each one offers a tight-knit setting where faculty members and trainees with shared interests collaborate closely to advance research in their areas and engage in enriching training opportunities. Through this structure, BBS offers both the extensive range of research labs afforded by its scale and the sense of community typically found in smaller, specialized departmental programs. Below, you’ll find descriptions and links to learn more about these communities and the activities they organize to foster collaborative, stimulating, and supportive environments for conducting your thesis research. **Please note that joining one of these communities is not required for admission.** ## BBS Supporting Departments These departments serve as academic homes that provide the faculty, laboratories, and resources that make the program possible, and they also share in the governance of BBS by shaping its curriculum, policies, and academic standards. BBS is an umbrella program rather than a standalone department, and the supporting departments form the foundational communities in which BBS students are trained, mentored, and guided throughout their doctoral studies. ## Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology The Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology (BCMP) is a community of creative scholars, talented scientists and dedicated staff focused on advancing the research, teaching, and service missions of Harvard Medical School. The focus of research in BCMP lies in the elucidation of molecular mechanisms in biology and disease, emphasizing molecular, structural, and chemical approaches to understanding form and function in biology. [ Explore BCMP arrow\_circle\_right ](https://bcmp.hms.harvard.edu/) ![BCMP](/sites/g/files/omnuum5321/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2026-10/Screenshot%202026-10-28%20at%209.20.26%E2%80%AFAM.png?itok=991jSlXc) ## Cell Biology Cell Bio at HMS is where innovative approaches are used to unravel the mysteries of cellular machines and organismal physiology, where barriers to mechanistic understanding are broken, and where diverse scientists are supported in an inclusive environment of learning, scholarship, and collaboration. [ Explore Cell Bio arrow\_circle\_right ](https://cellbio.hms.harvard.edu/about-us) ![CB](/sites/g/files/omnuum5321/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2026-10/Screenshot%202026-10-28%20at%209.34.51%E2%80%AFAM.png?itok=gIy1DToB) ## Genetics The Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School is a vibrant hub of research and education, united by a shared focus on the genome as a key to understanding biology. Our faculty explore a wide range of topics—from human genetics and cancer biology to synthetic biology and computational genetics—using diverse approaches and model organisms. We serve as a central point for integrating genetic research across Harvard, HMS, and affiliated hospitals, while fostering a strong community of scientists dedicated to advancing discovery and training the next generation of leaders in genetics. [ Explore Genetics arrow\_circle\_right ](https://genetics.hms.harvard.edu/) ![Genetics](/sites/g/files/omnuum5321/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2026-10/Screenshot%202026-10-28%20at%209.38.39%E2%80%AFAM.png?itok=zCL7XDkr) ## Microbiology The Microbiology department harbors a collaborative scientific community whose members share a passion for microbes and scientific exploration. We are uncovering the mechanisms used by diverse microbes to survive in nature and to interact with host organisms. Our research ranges from understanding fundamental biological mechanisms to addressing specific infectious disease challenges that are critical for human health. [ Explore Micro arrow\_circle\_right ](https://micro.hms.harvard.edu/) ![Micro](/sites/g/files/omnuum5321/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2026-10/Screenshot%202026-10-28%20at%209.41.21%E2%80%AFAM.png?itok=DRO3TqqH) ## Stem Cell & Regenerative Biology Harvard’s Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology (HSCRB) takes a unique approach to discovering new medicines and improving human health. HSCRB scientists explore tissue development and repair within a network of university- and hospital-based research and education programs. We educate and train scientists at all career stages and across disciplines, including undergraduate, graduate, and medical students. To achieve excellence, we promote and support creativity in both education and research. [ Explore HSCRB arrow\_circle\_right ](https://hscrb.harvard.edu/) ![SCRB](/sites/g/files/omnuum5321/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2026-10/Screenshot%202026-10-28%20at%209.44.55%E2%80%AFAM.png?h=0dc29c6f&itok=wpitdivy) ## HILS-Wide Certificate & Enrichment Programs These programs allow students to become a member of more specialized communities that come together through shared intellectual interests. The rigor and commitment of these concentrations vary considerably, from no formal requirements whatsoever to an additional application process with course requirements that yield a certificate. Students may join one or more concentrations or none at all. Open to all HILS students. Certificate Programs Enrichment Programs ## Certificate Programs [**Leder Human Biology & Translational Medicine (LHB)**](https://lhbtm.squarespace.com/) The Leder Human Biology and Translational Medicine (LHB) Program provides PhD students with a working knowledge of the fundamentals of human biology and disease, through a series of courses designed to enrich their training in translational science. The program aims to demystify the culture and practice of medicine, facilitating future collaborations between clinicians and basic scientists. Students who successfully complete the LHB Program will receive a certificate in Human Biology and Translational Medicine with their PhD. [**Therapeutics Graduate Program (TGP)**](https://www.tgp.hms.harvard.edu/) The Therapeutics Program focuses on pharmacology, toxicology and drug discovery, emphasizing research in both HMS labs and in real-world internships. A goal is to train investigators in systems pharmacology and in strategies for developing novel therapeutics. Explored are mechanisms of drug action, reasons for clinical failures, and development of new compounds and applying them in preclinical and clinical studies to improve the treatment of disease. ## Enrichment Programs [**Landry Cancer Biology Consortium**](https://landrycancer.hms.harvard.edu/) Cancer Biology in BBS is an interdepartmental community formed in collaboration with faculty at Harvard Medical School, the Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, and at Harvard University. The program brings together students interested in pursuing cancer-related research and provides curriculum emphasizing topics relevant to cancer biology, including: signaling, basic cell biology, disease pathology, and translational research. Additional activities provide opportunities for students to extend their studies and community beyond the classroom and thesis laboratory. [**Developmental & Regenerative Biology (DRB)**](https://drb.hms.harvard.edu/) DRB is an interdepartmental community that provides innovative training in developmental and regenerative biology, ranging from the role of development in evolution to the regulation of stem cell actions in the treatment of disease. Mentoring and other activities prepare students for scientific careers in academic, clinical, and industry settings. [**Graduate Program in Bacteriology (GPiB)**](https://bacteriology.hms.harvard.edu/) The Harvard Graduate Program in Bacteriology (GPiB) welcomes students into a 50-year tradition of microbiological research at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The program is centered in the Department of Microbiology ([Micro](https://micro.hms.harvard.edu/)) at HMS and the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases ([IID](https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/immunology-and-infectious-diseases/)) at HSPH. GPiB students are members of a collaborative and supportive scientific community of more than two dozen Harvard bacteriology labs studying the fundamental mechanisms of bacterial cell and molecular biology, bacterial pathogenesis, and the microbiome. Students from any the Harvard Integrated Life Sciences graduate programs who join a GPiB-affiliated lab are eligible to join the GPiB. [**Infectious Disease Consortium (IDC)**](https://idc.hms.harvard.edu/) The Harvard Infectious Diseases Consortium (IDC) is an affiliation of students, fellows, faculty, staff, and other members of the Harvard and Boston community who share an interest in understanding infectious diseases and their effects on people and societies. IDC is co-hosted by the HSPH Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases and the HMS Department of Microbiology. We aim to build community between infectious disease researchers at Harvard and to connect trainees to educational and career opportunities in infectious disease. [**Molecular Mechanistic Biology (MMB)**](https://mmb.hms.harvard.edu/) MMB is a dynamic, interdisciplinary community focused on understanding biochemical, biophysical, and cellular mechanisms at the molecular level. The community seeks to enhance peer learning and faculty mentoring through a series of student work-in-progress presentations. This provides an opportunity for students to extend their breadth of knowledge and community beyond their coursework and thesis laboratories. MMB also facilitates professional development of student members through travel awards and an annual MMB symposium. [**Program in Genetics & Genomics (PGG)**](https://pgg.hsites.harvard.edu/) The Program in Genetics and Genomics (PGG) is a NIH T32 funded concentration within the PhD Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS). By joining PGG, you become part of a community of like-minded research scientists and receive supplemental training in all areas of modern genetics, including molecular genetics, genomic technologies, applied bioinformatics, and human and disease genetics.