We cultivate an active community of inquiry
4/26/22

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

Our alumni shape the future.
Our alumni shape the future
4/26/22

We take great pride in the achievements and success of our alumni, many of whom enjoy distinguished careers in the Biological, Biomedical and related fields. Pictured at the UB CAS graduate commencement, May 15, 2021 (left to right): Haniam Maria (PhD graduate), Laura Rusche (faculty), Paul Cullen (faculty), Aditi Prabhakar (PhD graduate), Rupkatha Banerjee (PhD graduate), Shermali Gunawardena (faculty). 

Our students learn by doing
11/3/22

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.

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.

Our faculty are global leaders in FoxG1 research.
Our faculty are global leaders in FoxG1 research
8/18/23

Professors Soo-Kyung Lee and Jae Lee work to find a cure for daughter's rare disease. As neurobiologists and parents, the Lees are now global leaders in FoxG1 research. 

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APPLY TO ONE OF OUR UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
APPLY TO ONE OF OUR GRADUATE PROGRAMS
FALL 2023 COURSE REGISTRATION

FALL 2023 EVENTS

Seminar Series

THURSDAYS at 3:45 p.m. ET
NSC 225, North Campus

9/28/23 Andrew Wojtovich (University of Rochester)
Controlling mitochondrial energetics and ROS production with light. Hosted by Ferkey.

10/12/23 Elizabeth McCarthy (SUNY Cortland)
Understanding the consequences of allopolyploidy on flower color evolution in Nicotiana (tobacco). Co-hosted by Lindqvist and Albert.

10/19/23 Jennifer Surtees
(UB Biochemistry)
Msh2-Msh3-mediated DNA mismatch repair: a tipping point between genome stability and genome instability. Hosted by Rusche.

10/26/23 Scott Kanoski (Southern California)
Memories from around the table: hippocampal integration of satiation signaling and neurocognition. Hosted by Daniels.

11/2/23 Laurie Read (UB Microbiology & Immunology)
RNA binding proteins in control:  Multifaceted gene regulation by Trypanosoma brucei DRBD18. Hosted by Rusche.

11/9/23 Graduate Student Research Showcase
—Holly O'Shea (Lee Lab) Examining mitochondrial dysfunction in FOXG1 Syndrome.
—Beth Vohwinkel (Yu Lab) Dissecting the role of protein arginine methylation in FOXG1 function during brain development.

SEE FULL SCHEDULE OF SEMINARS

 Also see UB Calendars:

Student and Alumni News

  • Six fellowships are awarded to select students each year.
    UNDERGRADUATES: Apply to win a research fellowship, 2023-2024
    9/20/23

    The Department of Biological Sciences invites UB undergraduates to apply for our research fellowships. The awards of up to $2,000, each, are made possible by generous donations from our alums. They provide financial support to enrich the educational experiences of our undergraduate students. Current Fellowship applications are due October 16, 2023. Apply via buffalo.academicworks.com. 

  • Christopher Osborne, PhD student, wins 2023 SUNY GREAT Award
    4/21/23
    The UB Department of Biological Sciences is pleased to announce that Christopher Allen Osborne, PhD candidate, has won the 2023 SUNY Graduate Research Empowering and Accelerating Talent (GREAT) Award. Osborne is among 33 SUNY students selected as recipients of the awards recognizing outstanding students who are conducting innovative research tackling some of society’s most pressing issues. Osborne receives $5,000 in flexible funding for research expenses, professional development and stipend supplements. 
  • Emily Mehle wins UB Graduate School’s 2023 Excellence in Teaching Award
    3/30/23
    The Department of Biological Sciences is pleased to announce that Emily Mehle has won the UB Graduate School’s Excellence in Teaching Award for the year 2023. This prestigious award recognizes the skill and dedication of graduate students as a teacher. Emily is currently a PhD candidate in the lab of Dr. Denise Ferkey and was nominated for the award by Dr. Nitasha Sehgal, Clinical Assistant Professor.
  • Ethan Tong wins $2,300 award for Undergraduate Research Fellowship
    5/16/23
    The Department of Biological Sciences is pleased to name Ethan Tong as the 2023 Philip G. Miles Undergraduate Research Fellow based in the lab of Dr. Michael C. Yu. The undergraduate fellowship includes a stipend of $2,300. The award aims to provide financial support for our students entering their senior year. The amount of each award depends on the application and available funds. Learn how to apply for our undergraduate fellowships.
  • Kevin Greeley wins Dean's Outstanding Senior Award for Biological Sciences
    4/26/23
    Kevin Greeley of Williamsville, NY, has received the 2023 Dean's Outstanding Senior Award for Biological Sciences. Greely will be graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences. Greeley is a member of the university Honors College and the Biological Sciences Honors Research program. He has been performing research in Dr. Stephen Free's laboratory on Neurospora Crassa and received the Knobloch Endowment Fellowship. Greeley, a teaching assistant for BIO 200 and BIO 315, serves on the junior board of directors for the Miracle League of Western New York.

Faculty News

  • NSF Research News features Aqil and Gokcumen's study of genetic variation in balancing selection
    3/21/23
    The NSF News features a story about the research of Alber Aqil, PhD candidate,  and Professor Omer Gokcumen. Their study investigates a key question in biology: why genomic variation persists in a population for extended periods. According to Rebecca Ferrell, NSF Biological Anthropology program director, "the project demonstrates the value of an expanding genomic toolkit for studying human evolution, revealing new details about the complex variation and relationships among hominins." Visit NSF News.
  • SFARI supports Soo-Kyung Lee's research on FOXG1 Syndrome
    4/4/23
    A $1.5 million grant from the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) has been awarded to Professor Soo-Kyung Lee to support research on the rare neurodevelopmental disorder FOXG1 Syndrome. SFARI’s mission is to improve the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders by funding innovative research of the highest quality and relevance. The grant could help benefit people suffering from the rare genetic brain disorder. Read the article by UB Research News.
  • eLife publishes research paper by Alber Aqil and Omer Gokcumen
    3/21/23
    Alber Aqil, PhD candidate,  and Prof Omer Gokcumen are co-authors of a research paper that examines a key question in biology: why genomic variation persists in a population for extended periods. Recent studies have identified examples of genomic deletions that have remained polymorphic in the human lineage for hundreds of millennia, ostensibly owing to balancing selection. Nevertheless, genome-wide investigation of ancient and possibly adaptive deletions remains an imperative exercise. Their research demonstrates an excess of polymorphisms in present-day humans that predate the modern human-Neanderthal split (ancient polymorphisms), which cannot be explained solely by selectively neutral scenarios. The eLife paper is here. Read the research news article by Corey Nealon.
  • Lindqvist studies paleogenome continuity in Southeast Alaska
    5/3/23
    The peer-reviewed, open-access journal, iScience, has published a paper by UB evolutionary biologist Charlotte Lindqvist and collaborators, “A paleogenome from a Holocene individual supports genetic continuity in Southeast Alaska." Their findings show, using ancient genetic data analyses, that some modern Alaska Natives still live almost exactly where their ancestors did some 3,000 years ago. In addition to Lindqvist, authors of the new paper include Alber Aqil, Stephanie Gill, Omer Gokcumen, Ripan Malhi, Esther Aaltséen Reese, Jane Smith, and, Timothy Heaton. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation. Read more.
  • Cullen, Hutson and Strobel honored with university awards
    6/28/23
    Three faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences were recently honored with university awards: the Exceptional Scholars Award for Sustained Achievement to Dr. Paul Cullen; the Teaching Innovation Award to Dr. Lara Hutson; and the Exceptional Scholars — Young Investigator Award to Dr. Eric Strobel. The Department is proud to recognize these faculty among its ranks, as they contribute to our core missions of excellence in research and teaching.
  • Wang Lab discovers key enzyme in foxglove
    7/19/23
    The Wang Lab's  breakthrough discovery, described in a paper published July 8 in Nature Communications, builds upon knowledge of the compounds, known as cardiac glycosides. It also could help speed up production of the plant-based drug, which is among the oldest medications used in the field of cariology, and help researchers create less toxic alternatives. Read the news.
Department News

Research Areas

  • Genomics
    5/4/18

    Faculty study evolutionary change using a variety of techniques capitalizing on recent advances in genomics methodology and the evolution of viruses, plants, fish, and humans.

  • Neuroscience
    5/4/18

    Our faculty study a variety of model systems using electrophysiology and imaging techniques to understand sensory signalling and the cellular processes underlying important neuronal disorders. 

  • Fungal Biology
    5/4/18

    Our faculty study cell biology and signalling pathways that are used by filamentous fungi and budding yeast to adapt to their environments. Our research uses yeast as a model organism to study the mechanisms of gene expression.

  • Plant Science
    5/4/18

    Faculty research focuses on photosynthesis, plant evolution, plant genomics, gene regulation, environmental remediation, and the metabolic engineering of pharmaceutical compounds.

  • Animal Models
    6/6/18

    Faculty study essential biological processes with particular relevance to the understanding of animal life.

  • Microbiology
    6/6/18

    Microbiology faculty study microorganisms including viruses, bacteria, and protozoans.

  • Genetics
    5/4/18

    Geneticists investigate biological processes by examining the phenotypic consequences of altering genes. Our faculty study how information encoded in DNA is interpreted to produce functional proteins.

  • Cell and Molecular
    5/4/18

    Cell and Molecular faculty study the regulation of protein expression, from transcription to translation to post-translational modification.

  • Ecology and Evolution
    5/4/18

    Our research concerns plant evolutionary biology; molecular phylogenetics and population genomics; chromatin and gene expression; genome stability; and the genetics of aquatic invertebrates.

  • Signaling
    5/4/18

    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 signalling pathways involved in hormonal regulation, sensory transduction, and cell growth and metabolism.

See All

Showcase

  • PBS cites research by Vincent Lynch to better understand elephantoid genome
    1/31/23
    The Wolly Mammoth always attracts attention, which is why PBS Digital Studios features the episode, How To Build A Woolly Mammoth (But Should We?) Presented by PBS Eons, host Blake de Pastino is on a "quest to understand how evolution basically built the woolly mammoth, we may have found the blueprints for building them ourselves." The segment cites Vincent Lynch's research on elephantoid genome.
  • UBNow features the work of Zhen Wang
    1/31/23
    Dr. Zhen Wang's research project aims to pinpoint the genes that plants use to produce medicinal compounds could enable scientists to explore faster, more efficient methods of manufacturing these substances. This could include genetically engineering microbes to synthesize the drugs. One goal of the project is to decipher how the foxglove plant Digitalis lanata makes compounds called cardenolides, which have pharmaceutical relevance. See feature by UB Now.
  • UBNow features Heather Williams and REU success
    10/3/22
    UB News columnist Charlotte Hsu presents an interview with Heather Williams about the success of the department’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU). From June to July, UB biologists hosted seven undergraduates from various institutions working in labs focused on a broad range of topics within biology. The eight-week program, funded by proceeds from the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science, covers students’ travel and living expenses, and also includes a stipend for participants. Undergraduate students are invited to apply for REU Summer 2023.

Department News

UB Biological Sciences Faculty News

Cambridge podcast: Gokuman on how human gene variations from millions of years ago can cause and prevent disease today.
Read more news stories about our faculty, staff, and students