About us

Dr. Willard F. Libby
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1960 was awarded to Willard F. Libby "for his method to use carbon-14 for age determination in archaeology, geology, geophysics, and other branches of science".

Dr. Donald J. Cram
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1987 was awarded jointly to Donald J. Cram, Jean-Marie Lehn and Charles J. Pedersen "for their development and use of molecules with structure-specific interactions of high selectivity".

Dr. Paul D. Boyer
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1997 was jointly awarded to Paul D. Boyer for his contribution to explain the enzymetic mechanism of ATP synthesis.

 

The UCLA Chemistry & Biochemistry Department has a tradition of excellence and is ranked among the best in the country, as evidenced by the quality of its programs, the caliber of its faculty, and the excellence of its students. The Department is a leader in cutting-edge research and innovative educational programs.

The Department employs over 50 professors pursuing research in all areas of chemistry and biochemistry. The goals of this research include synthesizing complex natural products and new nano-materials required to solve the many health and environmental crises facing our planet, and illuminating the molecular mechanisms that regulate the decoding of genetic information.

Modern research cuts across traditional disciplinary boundaries, and our faculty play key roles at the forefront of multiple interdepartmental research units at UCLA, including:


 
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Faculty Honored by the National Academy of Sciences

Graduate Education

The outstanding research conducted in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry would not be possible without our outstanding graduate programs in Chemistry. A student can choose to focus on areas such as:

These programs are home to approximately 350 Ph.D. students and 130 postdoctoral students engaged in wide-ranging interdisciplinary research under the mentorship of our faculty.

Special Programs for Graduate Students
The NIH-supported Chemistry-Biology Interface Training Program, and the NSF-supported Materials Creation Training Program provide support and special training opportunities for graduate students.
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Undergraduate Education

The Department is home to 1400 undergraduate students majoring in chemistry and biochemistry. Our undergraduate programs are designed to prepare students for graduate studies, for entry into professional schools in the health sciences, and for careers in the chemical and biotechnology industries.

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