Our faculty 'lead with the lab'
4/26/22

The instructional philosophy, 'lead with the lab', allows our students to develop critical thinking skills while providing broad, deep, state-of-the art training in all life science disciplines.

FOXG1 Research Center's opening celebration
5/22/25
The FOXG1 Research Center (FRC) opened on September 26, 2024. Soo-Kyung Lee, director of the FRC and the parent of a child with FOXG1 syndrome, spoke to the crowd gathered to celebrate the center’s official opening: “Love for every individual living with FOXG1 syndrome and other neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as their caregivers, and hope that we can find a cure for FOXG1 syndrome and related disorders on the basis of scientific discoveries we are making.” Read the full story from UB News.
Our students learn by doing
4/8/24

Our curriculum provides students broad and deep training at the cutting edge of modern biology through a learn-by-doing philosophy. Our approach to teaching cross-disciplinary life sciences prepares students for today's accelerating pace of discovery in biological sciences.

NYT features Gokcumen's study on how humans evolved to eat starch
12/11/24
The New York times features the work of Dr. Omer Gokcumen in an article by Carl Zimmer, How Early Humans Evolved to Eat Starch. Zimmer reports on two new studies that reveal how our ancestors began carrying more amylase genes in two major waves: the first one several hundred thousand years ago, possibly as a result of humans starting to cook with fire, and the second after the agricultural revolution 12,000 years ago. “This combination of adapting to diverse environments and modifying our diets is a core tenet of what makes us human,” said Omer Gokcumen, a geneticist at the University at Buffalo who led one of the studies. Read UB Now Research News.
We cultivate an active community of inquiry
12/18/23

Faculty teaching and research connects academic programs and experiential labs to cultivate an active community of results-oriented inquiry.

previous next

OUR MISSION

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

FACULTY RESEARCH

Fall 2025 Seminar Series

NSC 216 UB North Campus
Thursday, 3:45 p.m.

9/18/25
Genevieve Konopka, UCLA
"Cell type-specific transcriptional networks related to autism"
Host: Jae Lee

10/2/25
Lisa Limeri, Texas Tech University
Title: TBA
Host: Costello

10/9/25
Graduate Student Research Showcase

10/16/25
Walter Dodds, Kansas State University
Host: C Krabbenhoft

10/23/25
Yasir Ahmed-Braimah, Syracuse University
Host: Gokcumen

10/30/25
Yolanda Huang, UB Microbiology
"Functional genomics to assess how gut anaerobes tolerate stress"
Host: Rusche

SEE LIST OF ALL SEMINARS.

Also see UB-wide Calendars:

See all Seminars>

Faculty News and Notes

  • Gunawardena wins Fulbright Scholar Award
    6/11/25
    Department of Biological Sciences congratulates Dr. Shermali Gunawardena on winning the Fulbright Scholar Award in supporty of travel to Sri Lanka to examine how meditation benefits patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. She will be affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Colombo, and will be conducting research, teaching and student mentoring activities at the university’s Centre for Meditation Research.
  • Gokcumen receives Meyerson Award for Undergraduate Mentoring
    3/14/25
    The Department of Biological Sciences is pleased to announce that Professor Omer Gokcumen is the recipient of the President Emeritus and Mrs. Meyerson Award for Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching and Mentoring for 2025. Dr. Gokcumen, a faculty member since 2013, was acknowledged for having "consistently been a shining light of undergraduate mentorship" in the department. A common remark among his mentees was the “warm energy of the lab” that made students feel "part of his team”. He was also noted for "fostering critical thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, [and] inclusivity”.  The award was presented to Dr. Gokcumen, March 12, 2025,  at the UB Mentoring Awards Breakfast.
  • Research from the Gunawardena Lab finds opposing roles for two signaling proteins in Huntington's disease
    5/7/25
    A decade ago, UB researchers shed some light on an enduring neuroscience mystery: How exactly does a mutated huntingtin protein (HTT) cause Huntington’s disease? Now, the researchers have learned more about what can control the traffic-controlling HTT. The co-authors – all from UB – include: Rasika Rathnayake, a biological sciences PhD student; Gary Iacobucci, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; BS graduates Jia Zeng and Jing Zheng; and associate professors of biological sciences, Shermali Gunawardena, PhD, and Michael C. Yu, PhD. Learn more via UB News.
  • "Switch-like gene expression modulates disease" study co-authored by UB faculty and students in Mathematics and Biological Sciences
    6/30/25
    Published by Nature Communications, the study "Switch-like gene expression modulates disease" is the first systematic analysis of switch-like genes across multiple tissues. The study is co-authored by UB faculty and students in Mathematics and Biological Sciences.
  • UB Art of Research 2025 recognizes the work of Kasturika Shankar
    5/6/25
    Congratulations to Kasturika Shankar, Postdoctoral Scholar, on being recognized by the UB Art of Research 2025 competition for data visualization produced in association with the Sarah Walker Lab.
  • Lindqvist collaborates with Wrangell Cooperative Association to repatriate 3,000-year-old human remains
    1/9/25
    Charlotte Lindqvist found herself tasked with transporting 3,000-year-old human remains across the Alaskan panhandle to their final resting place. The repatriated the individual is known as Tatóok yík yées sháawat (Young Lady in Cave) to her distant descendants, the Tlingit people of southeastern Alaska.  “As a biologist, you want to hold onto any ancient DNA samples in case you can possibly learn more from them in the future. However, these remains meant something to this community and returning them was the right thing to do,” Lindqvist says. “And I felt that it was very important to bring it there personally.”  Read Research News.
  • Soo-Kyung Lee named honoree of the 2025 Spotlight Symposia Series
    6/10/25
    Soo-Kyung Lee has been named the honoree of the 2025 Spotlight Symposia Series. The College of Arts and Sciences Spotlight Symposia Series recognizes and elevates faculty members. The event honors a particular faculty member by inviting distinguished speakers to our campus who share the honoree’s research field. As the 2025 symposium honoree, Soo-Kyung Lee will be at the center of vital national and international conversations. The event is an important venue for building scholarly relationships critical to the university.
  • Research led by Vincent Lynch uses gorilla genome as a discovery tool
    10/18/24
    In a study published in eLife, UB-led researchers identified 109 reproductive-related gorilla genes that are often mutated when present in infertile men. There are likely even more yet to be identified. “We have a set of genes that are involved in sperm biology and have the signatures of harmful mutations when in gorillas. We can then look at those same genes in infertile men and see if they have mutations,” says the study’s lead author, Vincent Lynch, associate professor of biological sciences, College of Arts and Sciences. “Here the gorilla genome essentially acts as a discovery tool for finding candidate genes for human male fertility that we previously wouldn’t have been able to identify.”  Related Podcast, Driven to Discover: Animal Genes and Human Health with Vincent Lynch
Department News

Student and Alumni News

  • Meet our Undergraduate Student Ambassadors
    8/26/25
    In a university as large as UB, our students have the opportunity to make connections and build professional relationships from the moment they step on campus. With this in mind, every year the College of Arts and Sciences assembles a group of exceptional students to serve as College Ambassadors. Nominated by faculty and staff after demonstrating academic excellence and community engagement, ambassadores are available to provide insight, advice and information to current and prospective students, as well as their families.
  • Fellowship Awardees 2024
    4/20/22
    Our students win fellowships. The Department of Biological Sciences is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 Undergraduate Fellowship Awards, made possible by generous alumni and friends who establish endowments aimed at enhancing the educational experiences of our students.
  • Alber Aqil wins $1,000. in Three-Minute Thesis competition
    6/30/25
    BIO PhD student Alber Aqil's presentation, “Echoes from the Past", earned third place in UB's Three Minute Thesis competition of 2024. Aqil, a PhD student with Dr. Omer Gokcumen, presented a research project that he conducted with Dr. Charlotte Lindqvist. The work examines the relationship of DNA from ancient bone fragments found in a cave in Alaska to modern-day humans living nearby. Their research shows that the Tlingit people, indigenous to Southeast Alaska, have been living in basically the same location for at least 3,000 years. Upon winning the award of $1,000, Aqil calculated he earned $333 for each minute of his presentation.
Department News

Faculty Research

  • Neuroscience
    5/2/24
    The Neuroscience faculty explore signal transduction events during sensory perception, synaptic transmission, and disease. Specific areas of interest include hearing, taste, smell, and neurodegenerative disease. This group of researchers uses a wide array of techniques spanning the fields of electrophysiology, cell and developmental biology, microscopy and imaging, and molecular genetics.
  • Cell and Molecular
    11/28/23
    The Cell and Molecular faculty explore how genetic information is encoded in genomes and how it is interpreted to produce functional proteins. The research interests of the faculty focus on the regulation of transcription, translation, splicing, and post-translational modifications.
  • Faculty Publications
    6/27/25
    The Department of Biological Sciences has a strong history of research going back to our founding. Faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduate students all contribute to our research mission. We work with scientific colleagues across the University and around the world. Our productivity speaks volumes about our commitment to research. Please refer to the profile pages for an updated listing of publications by each faculty member.
  • Genetics
    7/14/23
    Faculty in Genetics explore the molecular regulation of gene expression at various stages, including transcription, splicing, translation, and post translation modification. Our faculty also use molecular genetics approaches to study signaling, cell wall formation, protein trafficking, and neurobiology. Other faculty use population genetics approaches to identify the selective forces that act on genes.
  • Ecology and Evolution
    8/9/24
    Faculty research concerns plant evolutionary biology; development and genomics; evolutionary biology; molecular phylogenetics and population genomics; chromatin and its impact on gene expression; genome stabilit; chromosome function; evolutionary genetics of aquatic invertebrates; and community and ecosystem ecology.
  • Fungal Biology
    1/5/24
    Faculty explore how filamentous fungi and budding yeasts assess nutrient availability and respond appropriately by adjusting gene expression, budding patterns, cell morphology, and cell wall structure. Some of these studies involve opportunistic fungal pathogens. Our faculty also use yeast as a model organism to investigate the molecular basis of gene expression, including transcription, RNA processing and translation.
  • Genomics
    4/19/24
    Genomics faculty address questions concerning the mechanisms that drive evolutionary change. A variety of theoretical, descriptive and novel experimental approaches using recent advances in genomic methodology are being used to address the roles played by various evolutionary processes in shaping organisms and populations.
  • Microbiology
    4/19/24
    Faculty study the ecology of microorganisms including how bacteria use phage-encoded toxins to evade protozoan predators, how the protozoan Tetrahymena uses chemosensation to find food, and how transcription termination regulates gene expression in Bacillus subtilis.  Other microbiology faculty study how filamentous fungi and budding yeast adapt to their environments.
  • Plant Biology
    1/5/24
    Faculty address diverse areas of plant biology. Their work investigates molecular regulation of the photosynthetic pathway in C4 plants, biosynthetic pathways of plant products that are important as pharmaceutics, growth in difficult or contaminated environments, evolutionary biology by combining state-of-the-art genomics with molecular analyses to understand plant origins and diversification.
  • Funding and Grants
    3/6/24
    The Department of Biological Sciences supports the research of our faculty, postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, and undergraduates through funding obtained from many granting agencies, including both government and private foundations. Active and completed grants are listed on this page.
  • Signaling
    11/28/23
    Signaling faculty study cellular communication and the intracellular pathways that regulate activity. These faculty use a wide range of model organisms and techniques to examine a diverse array of signaling pathways involved in hormonal regulation, sensory transduction, and cell growth and metabolism.
  • Animal Systems Biology
    8/23/23
    Faculty in Animal Systems Biology study complex physiological and developmental processes in model animals. These systems offer important experimental advantages in their accessibility, genetic resources, or amenability to specialized biochemical and molecular analysis. The systems used include rats and mice, zebrafish, the fruit fly Drosophila, and the nematode worm C. elegans. With modern tools and techniques, our faculty creatively explore key questions relating to sensory biology and neuronal processing, gene and protein expression in metabolic syndromes, and organismal integration through endocrine signaling.
See All

Meet Our Undergraduate Graduates

> Vincent Lactaoen > Nathan Pfeffer > Serena Teh > Ryan Dewan > Aniket Maini > Selin Arnavut > Sydney Brongo > Pia Schwarz > Ethan Tong
  • Vincent Lactaoen
    4/18/25
    "I was part of the Bio Honors Program and it has helped more than I could think of. It has surrounded me with like minded individuals whose goals are also similar to mine. It has also prepared me for the rigor, complexity, and effort professional health school requires."
  • Nathan Pfeffer
    4/2/25
    "The Department of Biological Sciences at UB provided me with opportunities to conduct meaningful research in biology and take courses that prepared me for grad-school level work. I was also fortunate enough to be awarded an undergraduate fellowship through the Department of Biological Sciences, the Joseph T. Abate Research Fellowship"
    —Nathan Pfeffer
    Abate Research Fellow
    Graduated 2024
    First Year PhD student at Wake Forest University
  • Serena Teh
    4/18/25
    "The (BIO) department has great resources and programs that helped me prepare for graduate school. I was involved with research programs and TAing which helped me get a sense of what grad school is like."
  • Ryan Dewan
    4/18/25
    “The Department of Biological Sciences helped to build a strong foundation within many different disciplines to help me prepare for my goal of attending medical school. First it provided me a chance to delve deeper into research through the BIO Honors Program. The department also helped to build my network and connections as every professor has been super friendly and always willing to help"
  • Aniket Maini
    4/18/25
    “The UB Bio Department was instrumental in finding my path - great faculty, staff and peers surrounding you is key for a supportive environment. I felt as though my science basis was super strong, I was encouraged to participate in research, and had opportunities to teach others - all things that are at the epicenter of medicine.”
  • Selin Arnavut
    4/2/25
    “Our amazing faculty! Each faculty member encourages students to ask questions, stay curious, engage in extracurricular activities, and pushes them to succeed in their goals. I also want to give a shout-out to the Honors Biological Program, which truly helped me think critically about research.”
  • Sydney Brongo
    4/2/25
    “I have been with the Department of Biological Sciences since 2019. I have gained invaluable mentorship from the department, which has helped with major decisions and deciding what the best path was for me. Moreover, everyday I get to see what I look forward to when I become a professor.”
  • Pia Schwarz
    4/18/25
    "One of the biggest impacts in setting me up for a research career was my honors research project which I completed in lab of Dr. Trevor Krabbenhoft. Being accepted into the Biological Sciences Honors program opened a new door to explore my research interests in speciation and to complete a research project during my senior year. Both the technical and soft skills that I acquired while completing my project prepared me for developing my own projects in my PhD."
  • Ethan Tong
    4/2/25
    "The Department of Biological Sciences provided me with a strong foundation in scientific principles, inquiry, and research methodology. Through coursework and research opportunities, I developed critical thinking and analytical skills that have shaped my approach to medicine. My studies in bioinformatics and computational biology have broadened my perspective and diversified my skill set, reinforcing my passion for using science to improve patient care and medical innovation."