University of Wyoming. Department of Molecular Biology records, 1980-1987

The University of Wyoming, Department of Molecular Biology was established in 1985 to provide students with education and research experience in biological research and biotechnology. The emergence of molecular biology had identified many common, unifying principles that were the essence of all life forms. The goal of the Department of Molecular Biology was to introduce students to these principles and undertake fundamental research to extend the frontiers of biology. The department had a long tradition of hosting a week-long summer seminar with a featured presenter to draw attention to their research.

In 1985, the Department of Molecular Biology formed with the fusion of Microbiology and Biochemistry. It was decided that “Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology” was too long, so the original faculty members voted to rename the new department, “Department of Molecular Biology.” At the time, members of the Microbiology faculty were housed in the newly built addition to the Agriculture C Building (AgC) and the Biochemistry faculty, for a brief time, remained in the Bio-Chemistry Building (which later became the Health Sciences Center). The Animal Science/Bio-Chemistry Building was in the planning and building phases during the fusion of the departments in 1985, and when completed, the new building became known as Animal Science/Molecular Biology (AS/MB) when completed in 1986. Microbiology oriented faculty remained in AgC and others relocated to the new AS/MB. In 2022, the department again relocated from AS/MB to the new Science Initiative Building.