A new program leading to the bachelor of science degree in Cell and Molecular Biology received state approval in December 1992 and began admitting students in Fall 1993. The degree is offered through the Biomedical Sciences Department. The program is directed toward students whose career aims include postgraduate education and, therefore, require exposure to the subject matter at the most sophisticated level possible. The project aims to improve the effectiveness of the program curriculum by providing access to a variety of software packages including the nucleic and protein databases and programs. A cooperative arrangement has been established with the University of Missouri-Columbia (UMC) DNA Core Facility to make available the University of Wisconsin Genetics Computer Group programs. Two faculty at UMC and one at this university are collaborating on this component of the project. Furthermore, faculty members are upgrading three courses and initiating one new course in the Cell and Molecular Biology major. The project provides funding for the purchase of six computers and a printer needed to train students in the use of the databases and other programs related to molecular biology. Subsequent to proving the project, the system can be offered to other institutions throughout the state and region.
