Department of Biology

If you’re interested in life and the natural world, biology is for you. Whether you’re curious about molecules and cells, or organisms and ecosystems, you’ll work with award-winning faculty as you seek to answer significant questions in biological sciences.
The Department of Biology has flexible undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Top-rated biology faculty from around the globe will lead and guide you as you explore and refine your research interests through labs and field work. Faculty members also serve as primary advisors to both undergraduate and graduate students.
When you major in biology, you’ll establish a general background in the discipline through a series of first-year and sophomore-level core courses that preview the major sub-disciplines of biology. This introductory program is followed by courses that allow you to focus on more advanced material.
Biology faculty have research interests that span the breadth of modern biology, from molecules to ecosystems and are committed to research training of students at all levels. If you’re considering graduate work in the biological sciences, many opportunities for undergraduate research are available with our dynamic and award-winning faculty, as well as participation in the annual Undergraduate Research Conference.
Our 230,000 sq. ft. Life Sciences Complex has excellent facilities to help you prepare for a wide range of opportunities. The confocal microscope and five climate-controlled greenhouses provide valuable tools for research and discovery, helping both faculty and students stay on the cusp of leading developments in the field of biology.
Take biology out into the world.
Many of our undergraduate students go on to pursue careers in academia, industry, governmental agencies and a wide variety of professional settings. Students are also well prepared for medical, dental, or veterinary schools, or to enter the many specialized graduate programs in the biological sciences.
Recent graduate students have found employment in universities and colleges as postdoctoral researchers, eventually going on to faculty positions at a variety of institutions. Other graduates have found employment in industry, in medical settings, and in environmental education, among other fields.
Whatever your interests, your biology degree can take you far. To learn more about all your options, talk to your advisor.
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Biology Journal Articles
Burton, J.N. and Pepling, M.E. (2022). Regulation of primordial follicle formation by KIT signaling through the PI3 Kinase pathway. Biology of Reproduction 106, 515-525. https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioab204
Juárez-Morales, J. L., Weierud, F., England, S. J., Demby, C., Santos, N., Grieb, G., Mazan, S., & Lewis, K. E. (2021). Evolution of lbx spinal cord expression and function. Evolution & Development, 23, 404– 422. https://doi.org/10.1111/ede.12387
Wang, X. and Pepling, M.E. (2021). Regulation of Meiotic Prophase One in Mammalian Oocytes. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 9, 1291.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2021.667306

Garner AM, Wilson MC, Wright C, Russell AP, Niewiarowski PH, Dhinojwala A. The same but different: setal arrays of anoles and geckos indicate alternative approaches to achieving similar adhesive effectiveness. J Anat. 2021 May;238(5):1143-1155. doi: 10.1111/joa.13377. Epub 2020 Dec 14. PMID: 33319377; PMCID: PMC8053591.
Recent Biology News

Hidden in Plain Sight: A&S Biologists Say Southern Right Whale Habitat Choice is Key to Keeping Young Calves Safe
Whale mothers choose nursery sites in shallow waters where predators cannot “eavesdrop” on communication between a mother and her young.
Biology Undergraduate Award Recipients
The biology department recognizes undergraduate students with Senior Honors Day Awards and Summer Research Awards.

Eleanor Maine Receives Wasserstrom Prize for Graduate Teaching
The prize memorializes William Wasserstrom, a noted professor of English at Syracuse University.

SU Alumna One of the First Women to Receive a Ph.D. from an American University
Cornelia M. Clapp, who wrote her dissertation on the blowfish Batrachus tau, received a Ph.D. from Syracuse University in 1889.