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 Sahana Kumar

Sahana Kumar

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Nakia Fallen

Nakia Fallen

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Yi Chen

Yi Chen

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Nairita Faruqui

Nairita Faruqui

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Spencer Lewis

Spencer Lewis

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Dagyeong "Irene" Yang

Dagyeong "Irene" Yang

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Minjae Park

Minjae Park

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Katherine Armenta

Katherine Armenta

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Victoria Lowers

Victoria Lowers

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Guillermo Hoffmann Meyer

Guillermo Hoffmann Meyer

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Qiuchi Song

Qiuchi Song

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Urja Biswas

Urja Biswas

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Catherine Harvey

Catherine Harvey

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Wesley DeMontigny

Wesley DeMontigny

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Fatemeh Yosefy

Fatemeh Yosefy

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Shu Yuan Shi

Shu Yuan Shi

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Stephen Stanio

Stephen Stanio

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Nathaniel Tabbert

Nathaniel Tabbert

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Jared Carter

Jared Carter

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Michael Liapin

Michael Liapin

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Lucy Irvine

Lucy Irvine

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Yanelyn Perez

Yanelyn Perez

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Michelle Launi

Michelle Launi

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Ricardo Sierra Arroyo

Ricardo Sierra Arroyo

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of De'Marcus Woolfork

De'Marcus Woolfork

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Connor Young

Connor Young

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Justin O'Neill

Justin O'Neill

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Elizabeth Izydore

Elizabeth Izydore

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Parker Murphy

Parker Murphy

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Wanru Lin

Wanru Lin

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Carter Dierlam

Carter Dierlam

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Husan Turdiev

Husan Turdiev

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Maggie Grant

Maggie Grant

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Jason Gill

Jason Gill

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Aisha Abdulkarimu

Aisha Abdulkarimu

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Shayana Saravanakumar

Shayana Saravanakumar

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Liz Hunter

Liz Hunter

Ph.D. Student

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