Big scientific breakthroughs happen at the boundaries of disciplines. At the Roy and Diana Vagelos Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences (DBBS) at WashU Medicine, you’ll join a community of more than 800 graduate students and gain access to over 700 faculty mentors spanning biosciences, medicine, engineering, quantitative sciences, plant science, and beyond. You will never feel adrift, as your home program will offer cohorting opportunities and advising on your academic trajectory.
Whether your interests are firmly rooted in a single field or emerging at the intersection of many, DBBS gives you the flexibility to explore, collaborate, and discover where your science can have the greatest impact. Our students work across departments, schools, and institutions, leveraging partnerships with WashU’s Schools of Medicine, Engineering, and Arts & Sciences, as well as the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Missouri Botanical Garden, and other world-class research organizations.
Here, you’ll become a colleague from day 1 at one of the nation’s premier biomedical research environments. You’ll rotate with and learn from internationally recognized investigators, engage with cutting-edge technologies, and contribute to discoveries that advance fundamental biology and improve human health. From Nobel Prize-winning breakthroughs to today’s innovations in neuroscience, immunology, genetics, microbiology, developmental biology, quantitative biology, and plant science, WashU has a longstanding tradition of scientific leadership.
DBBS is designed around students. Through immersive research experiences, first-year lab rotations, individualized mentoring, interdisciplinary enrichment, professional development opportunities, and a collaborative culture, we prepare graduates to thrive in academia, industry, government, science policy, entrepreneurship, and other leadership roles across the life sciences.
If you’re driven by curiosity, eager to learn across disciplines, and ready to tackle important scientific questions, DBBS is a place where you can build a career of discovery.
Why Scholars Choose DBBS
- 700+ faculty mentors
- Interdisciplinary training
- Collegial approach to award-winning research
- World-class research resources
- Strong career outcomes
- Affordable, livable St. Louis
Alumni Outcomes
Why we love St. Louis
St. Louis is an affordable, fun and vibrant city in which to live, learn and work. It’s foodie-friendly, boasts an active music, theater and art scene and offers nearby opportunities for hiking, biking, climbing and water sports. Not to mention, Forest Park — nestled between WashU’s Danforth and Medical campuses and recently voted as the No. 1 city park in the U.S. — has abundant green spaces, sports fields, recreation trails and museums of art, history and science, all for free.
Beyond the array of activities, St. Louis is a national hub for innovation, research and business development, especially in the fields of biotechnology and plant science. Today, engineers, scientists, business leaders, educators, artists and other innovative and creative professionals here are working at the forefront of a multitude of fields and endeavors.
Alumni survey
If you’re a graduate of the Roy and Diana Vagelos Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences, we want to hear from you! Please complete our brief alumni survey and help us maintain up-to-date records.