MBB Department History

The Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, and subsequently, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, were founded to fill a growing need for biomedical research in the areas of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.

MBB celebrated its 10th productive year as a Department in 2010, following a 13-year period as the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry!

Founding of IMBB

In 1987, under the leadership of Vice-President, Academic George Ivany, SFU created the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (IMBB). This followed an external review of the interdepartmental Biochemistry B.Sc. program that had operated since SFU’s early days. The review committee was critical of the structure of the program and lack of investment in Biochemisty and Molecular Biology at SFU in spite of the profound research advances coming from these disciplines and substantial student demand. It recommended creation of the IMBB consisting of six founding members (Bob Cushley, Mike Gresser, and Bill Richards from Chemistry; Dave Baillie, Barry Honda, and Michael Smith from Biosciences) and six new hires to be selected by members of the IMBB, but having departmental appointments. Salaries for these new faculty and their start-up costs were funded by a special grant from the Fund for Excellence in Education program of the BC government. A new building for the IMBB was moved to the head of the list of priorities for capital funding from the government. Searches for the first new Faculty members and a Director resulted in the hiring of Assistant Professor Thor Borgford and Director and Professor Bruce Brandhorst from McGill University. SFU faculty members Rosemary Cornell and Andy Beckenbach joined the IMBB. Dipankar Sen and Jim Price were hired, followed by Jamie Scott and Charlie Boone.

Creation of the South Sciences Building and MBB Department

Meanwhile, planning for the South Sciences Building was underway, with much input from users providing guidance for architect Alan Maples of Hemingway Nelson, Inc.; IMBB moved into the marvellous new building in 1993. IMBB created a graduate program and revamped the Biochemistry B.Sc. program, eventually creating a new stream in Molecular Biology. Jenifer Thewalt joined IMBB/Biochemistry with a joint appointment in Physics. The teaching programs of the IMBB eventually became fully independent and the Biochemistry program/IMBB became responsible for tenure and promotion considerations, salary reviews and hiring of new Faculty. Dr. Brandhorst took a leave in 1998 and Andy Beckenbach became Director of IMBB. He obtained approval for creation of the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (MBB) that officially began its operations in the Spring of 2000, with Beckenbach (who chose to retain his appointment in Biological Sciences) as Acting Chair. Mike Smith, formerly Chair of Biological Sciences, became the first Chair of MBB in the Fall of 2000. Willie Davidson joined MBB when he was recruited to be Dean of Science. In 2003, Bruce Brandhorst became Chair of MBB, and continues in that role.

Expansion and ongoing operations of the MBB Department

The MBB laboratory courses were thoroughly revamped and the B.Sc. program was revamped into a single, flexible stream. Enrolments in MBB graduate and majors programs quickly expanded. Some MBB faculty left SFU or retired, providing more opportunities to hire new faculty: Nick Harden, Michel Leroux, Peter Unrau, Frederic Pio, Fiona Brinkman, Mark Paetzel, Nancy Hawkins, and Christopher Beh. Many new recruits obtained awards from CIHR, MSFHR, NSERC, and ASI that provide salary support, allowing more time for research and graduate supervision. Esther Verheyen and Lynne Quarmby transferred to MBB from Biological Sciences. Lecturers Don Sinclair, Ingrid Northwood, and Irina Kovalyova were hired to help with the increasing teaching demands. Joint majors programs were initiated with the School of Computing Science and the Faculty of Business Administration. A graduate training program in Bioinformatics funded by CIHR and MSFHR was established in cooperation with UBC and the BC Cancer Agency. A Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Genomics was established and filled with David Baillie. Jamie Scott was awarded a CRC in Molecular Immunology in the new Faculty of Health Sciences, where she took a half-time position. Lisa Craig, Ed Young, Jack Chen, Jonathan Choy, and Mark Brockman were hired as new faculty. SFU began to formalize its close connections with the Michael Smith Genome Sciences Center at the BCCA, with Sharon Gorski, Steve Jones, and Rob Holt being hired into half-time faculty positions in MBB as part of an initiative to create a regional Genome Sciences Institute. Planning for an interdepartmental B.Sc. program in Genomics began.

Bruce Brandhorst
February 11, 2010

The Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, and subsequently, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, were founded to fill a growing need for biomedical research in the areas of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.

Timeline