Ph.D. student in Brian Pierce's Lab

College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences

Biological Sciences Graduate Program

An interdepartmental Ph.D. program that offers unparalleled opportunities for research and discovery across contemporary life sciences disciplines.

Concentration Areas

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Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, & Systematics (BEES)

e2 front surf

Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, & Genomics (CBBG)

confocal image of a disease-resistant protein

Molecular & Cellular Biology (MOCB)

aniline blue stained arabidopsis flower

Physiological Systems (PSYS)

Apply to BISI

Are you interested in using cutting-edge technologies to explore the life sciences? The Biological Sciences Ph.D. program might be the place for you! From the plant sciences to molecular genetics and everything in between, you’ll cultivate skills that will take you far beyond the classroom. 

The Fall 2027 application is open! 

Join us for BISI's Virtual Open House!

BISI will be hosting a virtual open house this fall! Learn more about the graduate application, application fee waivers, and the Biological Sciences Graduate Program, and get your questions answered before our December 1 application deadline.

Wednesday, October 7, 1:30pm-3:00pm: REGISTER HERE

All domestic attendees will receive an application fee waiver!

News

UMD Biological Sciences Ph.D. Student Wins 2026 Cherry Blossom Prediction Competition

UMD Biological Sciences Ph.D. Student Wins 2026 Cherry Blossom Prediction Competition

October 6, 2026
Tracing the Evolution of Snake Venom

Tracing the Evolution of Snake Venom

September 24, 2026
Reborn to Be Wild

Reborn to Be Wild

August 27, 2026
UMD Scientist Awarded NIH Grant to Advance Research on Rare Form of Muscular Dystrophy

UMD Scientist Awarded NIH Grant to Advance Research on Rare Form of Muscular Dystrophy

July 14, 2026

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Meet our Graduate Students

Portrait of Yaal Dryer

Yaal Dryer

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Sondos Abdelhafeez

Sondos Abdelhafeez

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Michelle Launi

Michelle Launi

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Tasmim Hossain

Tasmim Hossain

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Kevin Hackbarth

Kevin Hackbarth

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Adena Collens

Adena Collens

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Guillermo Hoffmann Meyer

Guillermo Hoffmann Meyer

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Cierra Wilson

Cierra Wilson

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Stephen Stanio

Stephen Stanio

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Ricardo Sierra Arroyo

Ricardo Sierra Arroyo

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Maggie Grant

Maggie Grant

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Shayana Saravanakumar

Shayana Saravanakumar

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Husan Turdiev

Husan Turdiev

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Cody Conrad

Cody Conrad

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Flannery McLamb

Flannery McLamb

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Wesley DeMontigny

Wesley DeMontigny

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Zhengren Zhang

Zhengren Zhang

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Jory Van Thiel

Jory Van Thiel

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Jeff Loube

Jeff Loube

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Savanna Lyda

Savanna Lyda

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Walker Orr

Walker Orr

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Autumn Lee

Autumn Lee

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Aishwarya Sathya

Aishwarya Sathya

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Victoria Lowers

Victoria Lowers

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Carter Dierlam

Carter Dierlam

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Anna Phan

Anna Phan

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Zexuan Zhao

Zexuan Zhao

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Yuxi Wang

Yuxi Wang

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Eeshita Ghosh

Eeshita Ghosh

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Connor Young

Connor Young

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Lucy Irvine

Lucy Irvine

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Akshaya Ganesh

Akshaya Ganesh

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Justin O'Neill

Justin O'Neill

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Liz Hunter

Liz Hunter

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Michael Liapin

Michael Liapin

Ph.D. Student

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