Fundamental research into the basic processes of living cells and tissues is crucial to future advances in medicine and biotechnology. Indeed, in few fields of study are basic discovery and practical applications so closely intertwined. The University established the Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology to focus efforts on the revolutionary developments occurring in molecular biology, genetics, cell biology, and genomics.

The ICMB, a part of the Department of Molecular Biosciences, provides the home and support base for the UT Graduate Programs in Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology and Microbiology.