Research Field Guide
How to Get a Molecular Biology Research Position
To get a Molecular Biology research position, find professors who are actively publishing in Molecular Biology, read what they actually work on, and email one of them a short, specific note. Most of the work happens in person, so being on campus and reliable in the lab matters.
Below are 12 professors publishing in Molecular Biology right now, what each is working on, and how to reach out. Every name and topic is pulled from real, recent publication data, not a generic list.
Molecular Biology professors who are actively publishing
| Professor | Institution | Recent research focus |
|---|---|---|
| Kenneth J. Livak | Broad Institute | Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics |
| Richard Durbin | University of Cambridge | Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies |
| Robert Tibshirani | Stanford University | Gene expression and cancer classification |
| Mark Gerstein | Yale University | Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies |
| Rob Knight | UC San Diego Health System | Gut microbiota and health |
| Steven L. Salzberg | Johns Hopkins University | Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies |
| Jun Wang | Zhejiang International Studies University | Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies |
| Sudhir Kumar | World Healthal Trust | Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies |
| Koichiro Tamura | Tokyo Metropolitan University | Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies |
| Heng Li | Xijing Hospital | Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies |
| Peer Bork | European Bioinformatics Institute | Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies |
| Richard A. Gibbs | Baylor College of Medicine | Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies |
Sourced from OpenAlex publication records. Click a name to see their full profile and recent papers.
What Molecular Biology research involves
Molecular biology studies how cells work at the level of DNA, RNA, and proteins. Active areas include gene expression, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, the genomics of disease, and the growing study of the gut microbiome and health. Most of the work is hands-on, built on cloning, PCR, cell culture, and increasingly single-cell sequencing prep, all done at the bench. There is a strong and growing data-analysis component, especially as sequencing produces huge datasets, but the experiments themselves still happen in person. If you join a molecular biology lab, expect to learn techniques at the bench and to commit regular hours, since protocols often span multiple days.
How to email a Molecular Biology professor
Molecular biology is bench-driven, so make clear you want hands-on time and can be relied on. Offer to be in the lab and to learn core techniques like PCR, cloning, cell culture, or sequencing prep, and emphasize that you are careful, since contamination or a mislabeled tube can cost a week. Mention any lab coursework. Reference one recent paper, ideally on something they actually study like transcriptomics or gene expression, and ask a specific question about it. If you also code, mention it, because many labs now welcome help analyzing sequencing data, but lead with your willingness to do the bench work.
Molecular Biology overlaps with nearby fields. If you are casting a wider net, look at research positions in Genetics, Cancer Biology, Immunology, and Bioinformatics.