Graduate Degree Programs
M.S. or Ph.D. in Biochemistry
Graduate studies in biochemistry reflect the College’s interests in microbial, insect, and plant biochemistry.
We offer a program focused on biochemistry in diverse environments: from water and soil to plants and even concrete! Students take three core biochemistry courses to ground their research and more specialized coursework. Students also have access to state-of-the-art analytical instrumentation available through ESF’s Analytical & Technical Services, such as our 800-MHz NMR and multiple LC-MS instruments, including two triple-quad mass spectrometers.
Financial Support
We offer full tuition waivers and academic year stipends to selected applicants. We support student research in the summer with fellowships and research assistantships.
Faculty and their Specialties
Follow the links immediately below for detailed descriptions of research of any professor. Many other useful links are found just below the listing of faculty.
- Gregory L. Boyer; glboyer@esf.edu
biochemistry and environmental chemistry, plant and algal biochemistry, chemical ecology and toxins produced by algae. Environmental monitoring, including Buoy and ship-based monitoring systems for water quality - Jose L. Giner; jlginer@syr.edu
organic and natural products chemistry, sterol synthesis - Jennifer Goff; jegoff@esf.edu
environmental biochemistry and environmental chemistry; environmental microbiology; ecophysiology; genomics and evolution; heavy metals; bioremediation; environmental health - Julia Maresca; jamaresc@esf.edu
Environmental microbiology, photosynthesis/phototrophy, circadian rhythms, freshwater biochemistry, (meta)genomics, built environment, concrete microbiome of concrete, bioremediation - Mohammad G. Mostofa; chemistry@esf.edu
Plant secondary metabolism, stress adaptation, phytohormones and other signaling molecules, climate change, isoprene, transcriptomics, metabolomics, gene function and regulation, gas exchange, molecular plant physiology
Information on Graduate Admissions to Chemistry
Guidance for prospective applicants and links to the online application can be found at Chemistry Graduate Admission Information.
Current Research Interests
- antibody and gene-based biosensors (Boyer)
- antiviral sterols from marine sponges (Giner)
- bacterial-algal interactions (Boyer, Giner, Maresca)
- bioenergetics (Goff, Mostofa)
- carbon and sulfur metabolism of marine algae (Kieber)
- cyanobacteria toxins (Boyer)
- environmental genomics (Boyer, Goff, Maresca, Mostofa)
- environmental microbiology (Goff, Maresca)
- genetic engineering and and light-sensing mechanisms of freshwater Actinobacteria (Maresca)
- harmful algal blooms (Boyer)
- metabolomics (Mostofa)
- plant insecticides, phytohormones, and signaling molecules (Giner, Mostofa, Pflug)
- plant physiology and secondary metabolism (Mostofa)