Cell and Systems Biology


Faculty List

Professors Emeriti 
D.G. Butler, MSc, PhD, D Sc, FRSA (ZOO) 
J.R. Coleman, BSc, PhD (U)
S.S. Desser, MSc, PhD (ZOO) 
D. Godt, Dipl in Bio, PhD  
M.C. Heath, BSc, PhD, FRSC (BOT) 
J.A. Hellebust, MA, PhD (BOT) 
V.J. Higgins, MS, PhD (BOT) 
E.W. Larsen, MSc, PhD 
R.A. Liversage, AM, PhD (ZOO)
D.A. Lovejoy, BSc, PhD 
Y. Masui, MSc, PhD, FRSC (ZOO) 
P.A. Romans, MSc, PhD 
J.J.B. Smith, MA, PhD (N) 
I. Tallan, BSc, PhD (ZOO) 
S.L. Varmuza, MS, PhD
J.P. Williams, BSc, PhD (BOT)
R. Winklbauer, Dipl in Bio, PhD 
A.M. Zimmerman, MS, PhD (ZOO) 

Associate Professor Emeritus
R. Stephenson, BSc, PhD

Professor and Chair of the Department
N.J. Provart, MSc, PhD

Professors and Associate Chairs
D. Christendat, BSc, PhD
D. Desveaux, MSc, PhD
J.A. Mitchell, BSc, PhD

Professors
M.G. AbouHaidar, MSc, PhD
T. Berleth, Diplom, PhD
A. Bruce, BA, PhD
L.T. Buck, BSc, PhD
B. Chang, AB, PhD
D.R. Goring, MSc, PhD
D.S. Guttman, BSc, PhD
T.J. Harris, BSc, PhD
P. McCourt, MSc, PhD
A.M. Moses, BA, PhD
E. Nambara, MSc, PhD
J. Peever, MSc, PhD
U. Tepass, MSc, PhD, FRSC
V. Tropepe, BSc, PhD
M.A. Woodin, MSc, PhD
K. Yoshioka, MSc, PhD

Associate Professor
S.V. Plotnikov, MSc, PhD 
M.J. Ringuette, BSc, PhD

Assistant Professors
J.A. Calarco, BSc, PhD
Q. Lin, BSc, PhD
S. Lumba, BSc, PhD
H.E. McFarlane, MSc, PhD
A.L. Saltzman, BSc, PhD
M. Shafer, HBSc, MSc, PhD

Professor, Teaching Stream
M. Neumann, MSc, PhD

Associate Professors, Teaching Stream
C. Garside, MSc, PhD

Assistant Professors, Teaching Stream
J. Fraigne, MSc, PhD
J.C. Pressey, BSc, PhD
R. Sarpal, MSc, PhD
K. Yip, BSc, PhD

Introduction

The study of life, biology, has been transformed in recent decades by powerful new ways of asking fundamental questions about how living organisms work. In particular, molecular and microscopy approaches are revealing the incredible complexity of cells. With additional principles drawn from chemistry, physics and information science, we are beginning to understand this complexity and how it transcends multiple scales to organize molecular networks and cellular systems into fully functional organisms.

The Department of Cell and Systems Biology brings together biologists who study life at the level of molecules to functioning individual organisms. Our research laboratories conduct cutting edge research of fundamental processes using a diverse range of model systems (bacteria, yeast, plants, nematodes, insects, fish, frogs, mice, mammalian cell culture and others). Our undergraduate programs reflect this diversity and research strength. Since cells are the basic units of life, it is important to understand how molecular mechanisms control cells and how cells organize the development and physiology of whole organisms. These relationships encompass molecular biology, cell biology, developmental biology, genetics and physiology. These relationships are also complex, requiring studies of dynamic molecular and cellular networks: systems biology. One core component of systems biology is the integration of large datasets arising from the genomics revolution. In addition, computer modeling and bioinformatics are integrated with biochemical, structural, molecular and microscopy studies to understand genomes, transcriptomes, proteomes and metabolomes of the cell and organism.

The Department of Cell and Systems Biology offers two core programs: Animal Physiology (Major) and Cell & Molecular Biology (Major and Specialist). Cell & Molecular Biology Major and Specialist students also have the option of pursuing one Disciplinary Focus in either Molecular Networks of the Cell, Plant Genomics and Biotechnology, or Stem Cells and Developmental Biology.

We also contribute to multi-department programs (Bioinformatics & Computational Biology, Biology, and Genome Biology). We administer Bioinformatics & Computational Biology (Specialist) and Genome Biology (Major).

Student Counselling and Enquiries:

Visit the departmental website: https://csb.utoronto.ca/undergraduate-studies/ or contact the Undergraduate Office, Room 533 in the Ramsay Wright Laboratories (416-978-3477; undergrad.csb@utoronto.ca).