About Us
An interdepartmental program with over 60 years of history
The Biophysics Program and Molecular Biophysics Training Program (MBTP) share a parallel history over 60 years, during which they nucleated and supported the dramatic growth in molecular biophysics on the UW–Madison campus.
Beginning in the 1930’s and through today, UW–Madison has maintained a strong tradition in cutting-edge molecular biophysics.
Our program was born in 1964, when the University established a non-departmental Ph.D. Degree Program in Biophysics. In 1965, an NIH Molecular Biophysics Training Grant was awarded to the program, the MBTP.
At the time, the program was aimed primarily at students with physics and chemistry undergraduate degrees. Over the decades, the program have naturally expanded to embrace the reality of today’s interdisciplinary and collaborative science. From an original group of 5 trainers in 3 departments, the program now includes over 70 faculty trainers affiliated with very 20 departments that span six colleges.
The Biophysics Program have grown to become dynamic and flexible program focused on structure, function, spectroscopy, computation and all most quantitative aspects of modern biology. The program is strong of a diverse pool of exceptional students with backgrounds across biology, physics, chemistry, and bioengineering.
Learn here what we offer.
Our Administrative Structure
Graduate Program Manager:
- Michael T Sullivan
Program Director:
Associate Program Director:
Molecular Biophysics Training Program Co-Directors:
- Alessandro Senes
- Silvia Cavagnero
Steering Committee
- Alessandro Senes, Biochemistry, Director
- Silvia Cavagnero, Chemistry, Associate Director
- Ci Ji Lim, Biochemistry
- Megan McClean, Biomedical Engineering
- Tim Grant, Biochemistry
- Abbas Rizvi, Neuroscience
- Archishman Dakua, Student Representative
- Heidy Elkhaligy, Student Representative
- Emily Elliott, Student Representative
- Christopher J. Johnson, Associate Director for Bock Labs
Admissions Committee
- Dhananjay Bhaskar, Biomedical Engineering
- Joshua Brockman, Biomedical Engineering
- Jared Cregg, Neuroscience
- Tim Grant, Biochemistry
- Jeff Hardin, Integrative Biology
- Abbas Rizvi, Neuroscience
- Alessandro Senes, Biochemistry, Committee Chair
- Aussie Suzuki, Oncology
Curriculum Committee
- Silvia Cavagnero, Chemistry, Committee Chair
- David Baum, Botany
- Aussie Suzuki, Oncology
- Rhea Jakhwal, Student Representative
- Simi Kaur, Student Representative
- Tiancheng Xu, Student Representative
