Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope was the first of five Beckman Institutes to be founded, and has held a National Cancer Institute Cancer Center Support Grant for over 30 years. Encompassing over 60 years of expertise in basic science, Beckman Research Institute also houses research done at City of Hope prior to the establishment of the institute by Arnold and Mabel Beckman in 1983.

City of Hope’s commitment to education led to the creation of the Graduate School of Biological Sciences, with the first class of students entering in 1994. The graduate school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), an institutional accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

City of Hope’s Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences is at the cutting-edge of biomedical research. City of Hope scientists created the first human recombinant gene products, insulin and growth hormone, now used by millions of people worldwide. The School's research made possible such “smart” cancer drugs as Herceptin, Rituxan, and Avastin. It continues to lead the search for the causes of and cures for catastrophic diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and AIDS. The interdisciplinary interaction of basic scientists and physicians provides exceptional opportunities and facilities for translating basic science findings into clinical trials.

Students train in two broadly-defined academic tracks: Molecular & Cellular Biology and Chemical Biology. Molecular & Cellular Biology includes chromatin structure and repair, tumor biology, stem cell research, immunology, neurosciences, virology, endocrinology, and metabolism. Chemical Biology includes protein structure (X-ray crystallography, NMR, computational modeling), small molecule synthesis, bioconjugate chemistry, and analytical biological instrumentation.

More information is available on our website, www.cityofhope.org/grad-school.