COVID-19 Newsletter
Courtesy of Dr. Michael Manson
IN THE NEWS
Former Student Success: Dr. Mary Janecka
Dr. Mary Janecka is a former graduate student in the Charles Criscione lab at Texas A&M Biology, where she received her Ph.D. in 2019 with her dissertation work on the delisted concho water snake endemic to the Colorado River drainage in Texas. Dr. Janecka has received a NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship to work on the landscape genetics of monogene parasites in Trinidad guppies! Please take a moment to learn more about Dr. Janecka and her fellowship work.
Dr. Alex Keene Named Head of Texas A&M Biology
Dr. Alex C. Keene, a leading neuroscientist, geneticist and evolutionary biologist and professor of biological sciences at Florida Atlantic University, has been appointed as head of the Department of Biology at Texas A&M University. Dr. Keene’s research at the intersection of evolution and neuroscience focuses on understanding the neural mechanisms and evolutionary underpinnings of sleep, memory formation and other behavioral functions in fly and fish models. Please take a moment to read more about Dr. Keene and the Department of Biology in the TAMU Science Article!
Two TAMU Biology Graduates Inducted into TAMU Science Academy of Distinguished Former Students
Three prominent Texas A&M University former students from the College of Science have earned selection by the college for its highest alumni honor, induction into its Academy of Distinguished Former Students. The former students included two TAMU Biology graduates, Brig. Gen. (Ret) James A. Mobley, M.D., Class of 1969, of Portland, Texas; and Dr. Robert O. Williams III, Class of 1979, of Austin, who join a prestigious list of 62 previous honorees distinguished for their innovation, merit and records of professional and personal accomplishment. Please take a moment to read more about Mobley & Williams and their well-deserved honor!
RESEARCH
Basic biological research has evolved into a broad, fast-paced and dynamic profession that drives newly emerging industries and actively shapes many human endeavors. Both globally and locally, cutting-edge research at Texas A&M University strives to understand the fundamental processes driving life around us and to improve the ways people everywhere manage their health and the health of our planet. The Department of Biology is responsible for research and teaching within the vast disciplines of the biological sciences, from molecular cell biology to ecology and evolutionary biology. Our faculty perform cutting-edge research in a wide array of biological sciences in the laboratory and in the field.
GRADUATE DEGREES
Our Graduate Program in Biology offers a diverse range of integrative training opportunities for students seeking a Ph.D. degree in the biological sciences. We offer training in multiple disciplines within Biology, including Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics, Neurobiology and Behavior, Microbiology, Plant Biology, Biological Clocks, and Physiology and Systems Biology.
All students in our program receive rigorous academic training in biology and carry out their research in competitive, state-of-the-art research labs. Many faculty research programs span multiple research areas and levels of biological organization, creating a dynamic training environment for graduate students. Our graduate students conduct creative, independent research and scholarship. Graduates of our programs prepare themselves for a wide range of career opportunities and gain positions in academic institutions, government agencies, and industry.
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
The Department of Biology is responsible for introducing biological principles to students in every Texas A&M University major. We provide modern and comprehensive B.S. and B.A. curricula in Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology, Microbiology, Neuroscience, and Zoology for more than 1500 undergraduate biology majors. These degrees prepare students for various life science careers and are an excellent entrée to the health care professions. If you are interested in pursuing a major in one of our disciplines, or if you are currently a student and would like information on courses or the program, we have excellent undergraduate advisors who will be happy to help you.
