squeeze the host during infections?
IN THE NEWS
Three Biology Faculty Receive Funding from the WoodNext Foundation
Dr. Deborah Bell-Pedersen, Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center for Biological Clocks Research, received a continuing award of $545,000 for her research project titled Circadian clock-based treatments for jet lag and aging. Assistant Professor Dr. Matt Moulton, and Professor and Head of Biology Dr. Alex Keene received $200,000 for their project titled Functional Assessment of Dementia Risk Genes and Pharmacological Interventions. Please read the article for more information on the projects and the WoodNext Foundation!
Dr. Susan C. Alberts Joins TAMU Biology as Hagler Fellow
The Texas A&M University Department of Biology is thrilled to announce that Dr. Susan Alberts will be joining our ranks as a Hagler Fellow starting in Fall 2024. Dr. Alberts, the Robert F. Durden Distinguished Professor of Biology and the Dean of Natural Sciences at Duke University, will be bringing to the department her passion for understanding how and why animal behaviors evolve. Take a moment to read about Dr. Alberts and our department!
Three Texas A&M Biologists Receive Coveted MIRA Research Grants
For the second consecutive year, three faculty members in the Department of Biology have received National Institutes of Health Maximizing Investigators’ Research Awards (MIRA) recognizing their sustained research potential in bacterial and applied phage biology, neurobiology, and behavioral and evolutionary biology. Please take a look at Drs. Koch, Moran, and Ramsey’s research!
Unlocking the Brain’s Hidden Dialogues: Dr. Isabella Farhy Sheds Light on Mental Health and Neurological Disease
While neurons often get the spotlight in brain research, Dr. Isabella Farhy-Tselnicker (Farhy) is focused on their quieter, but equally essential, partners: astrocytes. In her lab at Texas A&M University’s Department of Biology, Dr. Farhy investigates how astrocytes and neurons communicate during brain development and how this delicate conversation goes awry in neurological and psychiatric disorders.
New Study Reveals Genetic Secrets Behind the Rapid Spread of Invasive Malaria Vector
A groundbreaking study led by Dr. Mahul Chakraborty & first author Alex Samano at Texas A&M University Department of Biology reveals how genome structural variants (SVs)—large-scale changes in the genetic code—may be driving the global spread and insecticide resistance of Anopheles stephensi, a dangerous urban malaria vector.
Breaking the Cycle of Infection: Dr. Joseph Sorg’s Research Targets a Dangerous Hospital Superbug
Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) may not be a household name, but its effects are all too familiar to patients recovering from illness. This bacterium is one of the most common causes of hospital-acquired infections in the U.S., leading to severe diarrhea, colitis, and in some cases, life-threatening complications—especially in those recently treated with antibiotics. At Texas A&M University’s Department of Biology, Dr. Joseph Sorg is working to stop C. difficile before it ever has the chance to make people sick.
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, Mechanisms of Biological Resilience, and Physiology and Systems Biology. 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.