Because systems biology and computational biology are by their natures multidisciplinary, many Department of Systems Biology faculty members who participate in our graduate programs also have cross-appointments in other departments. Students can apply through the Integrated Program in Cellular, Molecular, and Biomedical Studies or apply directly to other departments in which our faculty members hold their primary appointments.

The following list includes programs, departments, and faculty with relationships to the Columbia Department of Systems Biology.

Integrated Program in Cellular, Molecular, and Biomedical Studies

The Integrated Program is an interdepartmental program at Columbia University Medical Center that offers PhD education across a wide range of disciplines. The Department of Systems Biology and Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics have created a special track within the Integrated Program, enabling graduate students to work with any member of the Department of Systems Biology faculty as a mentor. 

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics

The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics offers training in diverse areas including structural biology, molecular and cell biology, biophysics, and neurobiology.

• Oliver Hobert  - Molecular regulation of neuronal differentiation.
• Barry Honig - Prediction of protein structure and function.
• Laura Landweber  - RNA-mediated epigenetics and genome reorganization during development and evolution.
• Richard Mann - Role of transcription factors in development.
• Rodney Rothstein - Yeast genetics and maintenance of genome stability.
• Peter Sims - Design of novel technologies for high-throughput, single-cell analysis.
• Saeed Tavazoie - Predictive models of biological systems based on genomic data.
• Chaolin Zhang - RNA regulatory networks.

Department of Biomedical Informatics

The Department of Biomedical Informatics is particularly suited to students interested in approaching systems biology from an informatics perspective, particularly by integrating biological data, electronic health records, and other information.

• Andrea Califano - Computational and experimental characterization of gene regulatory networks, systems chemical biology
• Aris Floratos - Computational biology, bioinformatics software development, algorithmic methods for pattern and association discovery in genomic data
• Raul Rabadan - Viral evolution, cancer mechanisms, and inference from medical records
• Yufeng Shen - Statistical genomics and personalized medicine
• Dennis Vitkup - Biological pathways and inheritance of complex traits

Department of Biological Sciences

The Department of Biological Sciences offers broad training in biology.

• Harmen Bussemaker - Modeling the regulation of gene expression and chromatin structure based on microarray data and complete genomes.
• Molly Przeworski - Effects of natural selection on genetic variation.

Department of Chemistry

Faculty in the Department of Chemistry conduct research at the intersection of chemical biology and systems biology, developing methods for synthesizing novel chemicals and studying the role of small molecules within cellular regulatory networks.

• Virginia Cornish - Engineering of artificial pathways in cells to test biological networks and develop new technologies for treating disease.

Department of Computer Science

The Department of Computer Science provides education in the theory and practice of computation, including approaches to computational biology that use an algorithmic or machine-learning perspective.

• Itsik Pe'er - Computational methods to analyze SNP and resequencing data in human genetics.

Department of Electrical Engineering

The Department of Electrical Engineering offers broad training in the design of electronic and computational devices, including specialized processors for biological computation.

• Dimitris Anastassiou - Applications of electrical engineering disciplines to computational biology.

Department of Genetics & Development

The Department of Genetics and Development provides a broad range of training in genetics and animal development through the Graduate Program in Basic Cell and Molecular Biology.

• Michael Shen - Mammalian embryogenesis and stem cell differentiation, and prostate development and carcinogenesis

Department of Medicine

The Department has been committed to excellence in teaching, research, and patient care since its founding as part of King's College (later Columbia University) in 1767.

• Xuebing Wu - Harnessing RNA regulation and CRISPR for gene therapy.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Columbia University Irving Medical Center's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology has long been a leader in advancing women's reproductive health care.

• Tal Korem - Microbiome data analysis and predictive modeling in clinical settings.

Department of Pathology and Cell Biology

The Department of Cell Biology has concentrations in neurodegenerative diseases, stem cell biology, and cancer biology.

• Harris Wang - Synthetic biology approaches for engineering microbial populations, including the gut microbiome.