An essential part of all trainee programs is the opportunity to hear the research accomplishments of leading scientists and engineers working at the forefront of biotechnology research. Seminars provide an ideal means of exposing trainees to new ideas and research methodology being developed at other leading research institutions. Trainees have a wide variety of seminars in the underlying sciences and engineering to provide this enrichment.
College of Chemistry Weekly Seminar Schedule
Molecular and Cellular Biology Seminar Series
Bioengineering Seminar Series
Lawrence Berkeley National Labs Life Sciences Division Seminar Series

In Chemistry, the bioorganic seminar series is focused on topics such as combinatorial (bio)chemistry and the structural basis of enzyme function and inhibition. In Chemical Engineering, biochemical and biomedical engineering speakers are part of the regular departmental seminar series, as the department recognizes the need for all chemical engineers to be familiar with the applications of biotechnology to the chemical and environmental industries. An annual lecture series supported by Bayer (Emeryville, CA) has been established in Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering, and the Bayer lecturer spends several days in the department, meeting with students in addition to lecturing. In Molecular and Cell Biology, there are many weekly seminars that trainees attend. Moreover, Bioengineering has recently instituted a weekly seminar series on topics ranging from biomaterials, to computational biology, to microfluidics. Finally, QB3 runs the Computational and Genomic Biology seminar series.
The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is also a further source of enrichment through seminars. The research activities at the Calvin Laboratory provide exposure to chemical biodynamics and biophysical chemistry. The Joint Genome Center has attracted speakers on topics ranging from large scale DNA separations to details of chromosome maps and the Center for Advanced Materials has covered topics in the use of enzymes and antibodies for the synthesis of new carbohydrate and amide polymers.