| MadSci Network: Cell Biology |
What degree do you need to have to be a cell biologist? Well, It is pretty hard to define a degree requiriment for cell biology.. I would say you need to have at least a bachelor's degree to become a technician or a PhD student. I think technicians and students, who are working on Cell Biology could be refered as to a cell biologists... To go further than that one should get his/her PhD degree, then do some posdoctoral training and get a position in university. Having a position in university meens having your own research group including technicians, PhD students and posdoctoral fellows... The other part of the question is even harder to answer! There are very many fields in Cell Biology, which are overlapping with other Biology fields (Molecular Biology, Developmental Biology, Immunology, etc.). The most simplified answer to your question would be: cell biologists investigate molecular mechanisms, which are involved in different aspects of cell life: its division - proliferation, its specification for certain tissues - differentiation, its death - apoptosis or necrosis. Most of cell biologists also investigate what are the molecular mechanisms of cells becoming cancerous.
Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Cell Biology.