Molecular approaches pervade every biological discipline, and each MEES campus boasts distinguished, energetic faculty that emphasize molecular mechanisms of ecological interactions and dynamics. Expertise includes molecular microbial ecology and physiology; bioremediation; molecular endocrinology of fish growth, development and reproduction; environmental stressors contributing to fish physiological dysfunction and oncogenesis; mechanisms and stressors of nitrogen fixation; molecular models of marine surface colonization; molecular cues of organism-organism interaction; and invertebrate immunity. Faculty in this area frequently study macromolecular-environmental interactions using recombinant DNA and hybridoma approaches. The Environmental Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Area of Specialization encourages interaction between campuses and is synergistic with other AOSs.

Several campuses in the University System of Maryland have facilities specializing in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. The Center of Marine Biotechnology (COMB) of the University's Maryland Biotechnology Institute (UMBI) has a newly built state-of-the-art facilities in the Columbus Center on Baltimore's Inner Harbor. The University of Maryland's campuses at Baltimore and Baltimore County have eminent scientists in cellular and molecular biology, many with interests in the environmental sciences. On the University's largest campus in College Park, numerous MEES faculty and laboratories work in such areas as soil and aquatic microbiology and molecular and cellular biology, ecology, immunology, and physiology.

Prerequisites:

A Bachelor's degree in the natural sciences, life sciences, or engineering, including a grade of C or better in the following courses:
1. Four semesters of Biology, including Biochemistry
2. Two semesters of Physics
3. Four semesters of Chemistry
4. Two semesters of Calculus
5. Two semesters of Molecular Biology/Molecular Genetics

Core Courses and Other Requirements (M.S. and Ph.D.):

1. One course in Molecular Biology/Genetics (600 level, 3-4 credits)
2. One course in Cell Biology/Physiology (600 level, 3-4 credits)
3. One course in Ecology (400 or 600 level, 3-4 credits)
4. One course in Advanced Chemistry /Biochemistry (400 or 600 level, 3-4 credits)
5. One elective 400 or 600 level course
6. One course or seminar in Environmental Management, Policy, Ethics, or Philosophy of Science (a 2-4-credit course can satisfy item 5) (400 or 600 level)
7. One course in Statistics/Biostatistics (600 level for the Ph.D., 400 level for the M.S.)
8. One graduate level seminar for each year in residence (on average) up to cap
9. Courses in Experimental Design and Analysis and in Scientific Writing are also recommended

Note: For the M.S. degree, only three of the first four requirements must be fulfilled (5-8 are required for all students).