In the fall of 2006, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute renewed its support of Montana State University's Hughes Undergraduate Biology (HUB) Program with a $1.6 million grant over four years to enhance the undergraduate education in the biological sciences. Through this effort, Montana State University's undergraduate biology curriculum will follow a multidisciplinary, quantitative approach. The program's thematic focus is the quantitative analysis of complex biological systems. One of the greatest challenges in the current scientific era is to understand the organization and operation of complex biological systems—from macromolecular complexes to the human brain. No single discipline commands the perspective and depth to surmount the intrinsic challenges in elucidating the structural, organizational, and mechanistic principles of complex biological systems.

In order to achieve our progam goals, we will focus our efforts on vertical integration of the undergraduate biological sciences program; enhancement of student research opportunities; continued development and enrichment of precollege and college-level outreach programs; and faculty development through our Master Teacher Series.

Dr. Roger Bradley, Curriculum Development