The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Maryland has exceptional strength in structural biology, with research focusing on the elucidation at atomic-level resolution of the structures, dynamics, and interactions of proteins and nucleic acids of key importance to cellular function and on the development of novel methods and approaches to characterize these systems. Studies in this area are performed at the interface between chemistry, biology and physics and span a wide range of problems at the forefront of biological research.

The faculty members with interests in structural biology are international leaders in their sub-disciplines. Their contributions to science have been recognized by major professional awards, including the Joel Hildebrand Prize and the Field and Franklin Award of the American Chemical Society, the Thomson Medal from the International Mass Spectrometry Foundation and the Alexander von Humboldt Research Prize. George Lorimer is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the Royal Society of London.

At the University of Maryland, we are part of an environment designed for discovery and innovation in the biochemical and biophysical sciences. Collaborative ties that fuel interdisciplinary research are nurtured, including interaction with other departments or institutes, such as the Institute for Biosciences and Biotechnology Research (IBBR), the Institute for Physical Science and Technology (IPST), Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics (CBMG), Fischell Department of Bioengineering, the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, and the Institute for Human Virology (IHV).