Research lies at the heart of the Biology experience at Boston College. The department offers a wide array of opportunities for scientific investigation. Our department, in recently renovated Higgins Hall, is well-equipped for modern molecular, genomics and proteomic research, biochemistry, imaging and bioinformatics.

Department genomics and proteomics infrastructure includes capacities for Beckman and LiCor DNA sequencing and DNA fragment polymorphism analysis, Affymetrix microarray spotting and scanning, Beckman robotics, and Alpha-Innotech two dimensional gel proteomic analysis.

Our cytometry/imaging facilities include a Leica confocal microscope, a Phillips transmission electron microscope, an 8 parameter/ 6 color BDFACSCanto flow cytometer, departmental and individual laboratory Zeiss and Nikon fluorescence and Nomarski compound microscopes, Molecular Dynamics phosphoimager and densitometer workstations, and x-ray diffraction capability. Our digital graphics and image processing facility includes numerous Macintosh workstations with multiprocessor CPU configurations, coupled with high-resolution scanners. A large-format poster printer and dye sublimation printers support preparation for high-quality posters and printer communications.

The departmental bioinformatics computing platform consists of a 132 cpu-core cluster and 7 terabytes of local data storage. It is available free of charge to faculty, graduate students and other researchers. Additionally, faculty, students and staff  have access to the University central computing cluster, and individual laboratories may have their own dedicated computing systems.