PrintBiological Sciences Graduate Program (BISI)
The Biological Sciences Graduate Program (BISI) offers outstanding opportunities for research and discovery within and across contemporary disciplines. Faculty mentors help students investigate exciting questions, in directions driven by each student’s interests and curiosity. Enthusiastic and interactive colleagues, agile minds, and cutting-edge technologies work together to advance and apply science. The goal of the Biological Sciences Program is to enable students to obtain the best training in their intended research areas, to work closely with outstanding faculty, and to prepare for successful futures contributing to innovative advances and effective teaching in the life sciences.
Concentration Areas
Each student is part of, and advised through, one of the interdisciplinary Biological Sciences concentration areas:
An interdisciplinary approach to fundamental and applied research in the areas of behavior, ecology, evolution, systematics, and related disciplines utilizing our strong links to the Smithsonian Institution and other federal research organizations in the metro DC area.
Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics (BEES)
Specialized multi-disciplinary training and research opportunities in different aspects of computational biology and genomics that prepares students for scholarship and leadership in the field. Challenges in computational biology and genomics range from understanding sequence data to the analysis of protein structure and protein-protein interactions, prediction and high-throughput assessment of biological function and the study of gene networks.
Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, and Genomics (CBBG)
Multi-disciplinary training and research opportunities in the broad areas of cell and molecular biology, virology, host-pathogen interactions, plant systems, microbiology, and related disciplines supported by faculty from six departments at the University of Maryland, the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, and several institutes of the National Institutes of Health.
Molecular and Cellular Biology (MOCB)
Dedicated to understanding the function of biological processes at the physical, mechanistic, and systems levels. We are training the next generation of research scientists in a physiological and systems perspective towards tackling fundamental problems of biological systems, using multidisciplinary approaches and cutting-edge technologies.
Physiological Systems (PSYS): Neurophysiology & Biophysics
The University
Research takes place within the laboratories of faculty in the departments in the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences, as well as in laboratories of participating faculty in other colleges and institutes of the University of Maryland. Thanks to its incredible location bordering Washington D.C., the University of Maryland offers strong collaborations and enriched opportunities for research with distinguished institutions.
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Smithsonian Institution, including the National Zoo
- USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
In addition to being a vibrant hub of science, medicine, biotech, and environmental research and policy, the D.C. area’s rich and diverse culture make it an especially lively, friendly, accessible community for students to thrive professionally and personally. The campus is “inside the beltway,” situated a swift 20 minutes (by convenient Metro ride from College Park) from the heart of the nation’s capital.
Biological Sciences Research Clusters
In addition to Concentration Areas within the Biological Sciences Program, several groups of faculty with shared research interests have formed “research clusters” to foster collaborative projects and enriched opportunities for graduate students.
Students apply to the Biological Sciences graduate program and one (or at most two) Concentration Areas that contain faculty from the research cluster of interest. Students may join a research cluster once on campus, and are encouraged to explore the examples listed below to better understand potential opportunities.
