College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
About
The mission of the Department of Biology is to provide excellence in undergraduate and graduate education. We strive to provide the attention and opportunities students at all levels need to succeed in biology. At the undergraduate level we combine classroom and laboratory experience with research opportunities. At the graduate level we provide state-of-the-art research infrastructure and facilities supporting internationally recognized research programs. Our research programs are supported by funding from many Federal and private agencies: NIH, NSF, American Heart Association and Roy J. Carver Foundation to name a few.
We also foster an environment that encourages interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and research. We encourage our faculty to work closely with other departments on campus and around the globe addressing the most challenging research questions.
The Department of Biology focuses on teaching and research in four primary areas and offers undergraduate specialization in the following disciplines:
- Genetics and Biotechnology
- Evolution
- Neurobiology
- Cell and Developmental Biology
- Plant Molecular Biology
At the graduate level we offer degree tracks in Cell and Developmental Biology, Genetics, Evolution and Neurobiology.
The Department of Biology houses facilities and centers to assist faculty, students and staff in their pursuit of research excellence:
- Sciences Library
- Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank (DHSB)
- Biology Engineering Systems Group
- Biology Greenhouse
- Biology Information Technology Group
- Roy J. Carver Center for Genomics & DNA Sequencing and Microarray Facility (CCG)
- Roy J. Carver Center for Imaging (CCI)
- W.M. Keck Dynamic Image Analysis Facility
- Iowa Biosciences Academy (IBA)
- Aging Mind and Brain Initiative (AMBI)
To read more about each of these, see the Core Research Facilities page.
The table below shows a breakdown of department personnel:
| Faculty | Departmental Staff | Research Personnel | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assistant Professor | 2 | Administrative Staff | 14 | Scientific/Research Assistants | 4 |
| Associate Professor | 13 | Facility Support | 2 | Research Scientists | 13 |
| Full Professor | 12 | Instructional Support | 11 | Postdoctoral Research Scholars | 6 |
| Lecturers/Professors of Instruction | 5 | Research Support | 6 | Graduate students | 54 |
| Teaching Assistants | 30 | DSHB Administrative Staff | 5 | Undergraduate students | 68 |
Biology staff strive to facilitate the research and teaching mission of the department, as well as creating a pleasant and friendly work environment.
To learn more about our faculty research visit our Faculty Research pages.