Mercer’s biochemistry and molecular biology program receives ASBMB accreditation

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A male professor looks on while a male student pipes a liquid into a container
Dr. David Goode, director of the biochemistry and molecular biology program, oversees a student in a lab in 2021. Photo by Christopher Ian Smith

Mercer University’s biochemistry and molecular biology (BMB) degree program has received full accreditation from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB).

The BMB program, housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, is an interdisciplinary major offered collaboratively through the Department of Chemistry and Department of Biology in which students apply the molecular concepts of chemistry to the complex processes that exist within living biological systems. Its seven-year accreditation began Jan. 1.

“Accreditation by the ASBMB is a significant recognition of the high caliber of our biochemistry and molecular biology program,” said Dr. Anita Olson Gustafson, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “Our outstanding faculty deliver courses that are student-centered and academically rigorous. I am proud of their excellent work.”

graphic says accredited by asbmb, american society for biochemistry and molecular biology

In awarding accreditation, ASBMB recognized Mercer’s BMB program for its teaching expertise in both chemistry and biology, including a strong emphasis on pedagogy and a healthy instructor-to-student ratio. ASBMB also noted the program’s use of course-based undergraduate research experiences, known as CUREs, throughout the curriculum.

“Mercer’s BMB degree program meets the high expectations of the ASBMB in both educational quality and innovation. Accreditation also demonstrates the high caliber of the faculty within Mercer’s program,” said Dr. David Goode, director of the BMB program and associate professor of chemistry. “Students who graduate from Mercer’s program can be confident that their degree has well prepared them for any BMB career.

“Our program provides the fundamental concepts of BMB, the imperative critical reasoning skills, the necessary laboratory skills and valuable soft skills — communication, teamwork, safety and ethics — expected in both the scientific workplace and graduate/professional schools. Mercer’s BMB students now have the opportunity to gain certification of their degree through the ASBMB certification exam, which is only available to students in ASBMB-accredited programs.” 

ASBMB accreditation is a national, independent, outcomes-based evaluation mechanism that recognizes excellence in Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree programs in biochemistry and molecular biology and related disciplines. Since 2013, ASBMB has granted accreditation to over 100 programs nationwide.

About the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 

Mercer University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences serves as the academic cornerstone of one of America’s oldest and most distinctive institutions of higher learning. The oldest and largest of Mercer’s 12 schools and colleges, it is a diverse and vibrant community, enrolling more than 1,900 students, dedicated to learning and service through the practice of intellectual curiosity, respectful dialogue and responsible citizenry. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers majors in more than 30 areas of study, including more than a dozen pre-professional academic tracks, with classes taught by an outstanding faculty of scholars. In 2015, Mercer was awarded a chapter of The Phi Beta Kappa Society, the nation’s most prestigious academic honor society that recognizes exceptional achievement in the arts and sciences. For more information, visit liberalarts.mercer.edu. 

About Mercer University

Founded in 1833, Mercer University is a dynamic and comprehensive center of undergraduate, graduate and professional education. With approximately 9,000 students enrolled in 12 schools and colleges, on major campuses in Macon and Atlanta; medical school sites in Macon, Savannah and Columbus; and at regional academic centers in Henry and Douglas counties, Mercer is ranked among the top tier of national research universities by U.S. News & World Report. The Mercer Health Sciences Center includes the University’s School of Medicine and Colleges of Nursing, Health Professions and Pharmacy. Mercer is affiliated with five teaching hospitals – Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center and Piedmont Macon Medical Center in Macon; Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah; and Piedmont Columbus Regional Hospital and St. Francis-Emory Healthcare in Columbus. The University also has an educational partnership with Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins. It operates an academic press and a performing arts center in Macon, an engineering research center in Warner Robins, and Mercer Medicine clinics in Sumter, Peach, Clay and Putnam counties. Mercer is one of only 293 institutions nationwide to shelter a chapter of The Phi Beta Kappa Society, the nation’s most prestigious academic honor society; one of eight institutions to hold membership in the Georgia Research Alliance; and the only private university in Georgia to field an NCAA Division I athletic program. www.mercer.edu