Department of Biology

Undergraduate degrees: B.A., B.S.
Undergraduate minor  

The Study of Life in Oregon

You may want to bring your lab coat and wading boots if you decide to study biology at the University of Oregon. Students participate in genetic research, assist with pioneering ecological studies, and get up close and personal with the tiny, fascinating creatures in marine tide pools. At the UO, you can participate in mentored research while you prepare yourself for a challenging career in health, private industry, biomedical research, or any number of lucrative scientific and technical fields.

As a biology major, you’ll build a solid foundation in the discipline while you study in the emphasis area of your choice based on your academic interests and career goals. Emphasis areas include:
•    ecology and evolution
•    human biology
•    marine biology
•    molecular, cellular, and developmental biology
•    neuroscience and behavior
Depending on your interests, you’ll choose from these introductory sequences:

Foundations of Biology: A molecular, developmental, mechanistic approach for students with a strong background in biology and chemistry, or those planning on attending medical or dental school. These courses examine cell physiology, genetics, and molecular biology before exposing you to the bigger picture through a course in evolution and biodiversity.

General Biology: A whole organism biology or ecology approach for students interested in systems and organismal physiology. These courses explore the biology of cells, organisms, and populations, with a course in biochemistry and genetics to complete the sequence.

No matter which focus you choose, you will be encouraged to explore several fields within the biology department to gain a better understanding of the multitiered structures of life. You’ll also have opportunities to learn from scientists who are making important contributions to current knowledge in many varied fields. Biology professors at the UO include members of the National Academy of Sciences, Guggenheim fellows, and Fulbright scholars, and you’ll be able to work closely with any of them. More than 50 percent of Oregon undergraduates participate in faculty research—you even can earn academic credit while gaining this practical experience.

• As a student working at the Cresko Laboratory at the UO, you can study the development and evolution of species. You will use genetic mapping, developmental studies, and other approaches to study evolutionary changes
• In 2007 and 2008, research done at the UO appeared in Science, Development, and Nature magazines, as well as The New York Times. Published topics included microbial biogeography, neural stem cells, evolutionary genetics, and protein structures
• You can earn academic credit and conduct independent research as part of the Neotropical Ecology Program, a summer-study session in Ecuador
• The Brain, Biology, and Machine Initiative integrates the UO’s internationally recognized strengths in cognitive neuroscience, molecular biology, and medical imaging technologies to investigate fundamental processes of the human brain and mind
• Marine biology majors spend at least three terms at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology for field-based learning and experience. This small campus in Charleston, on Oregon’s beautiful coast, provides access to a wide variety of coastal and upland habitats

Sample Courses

Practical Learning

If you’d like to study abroad, consider the UO’s Neotropical Ecology Program, a summer session that begins with two integrated courses in tropical ecology. The first course takes place on the UO campus, and the second is offered during a three-week field-study trip to Ecuador. While visiting research stations and field sites in several ecosystems, you will keep a naturalist notebook and participate in the design and implementation of independent field studies. The tropical environment—including high-elevation paramo, cloud forest, and the Amazon basin—is the perfect place to immerse yourself in an environmental project while earning academic credit.

The Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, the UO’s marine laboratory, is located in the coastal town of Charleston, approximately 120 miles from the main UO campus in Eugene. Located at the mouth of Coos Bay, the institute has sandy beaches to the north, rocky intertidal beaches to the south, and the Coos Bay estuary to the east.

You also can assist faculty members in their research or spend summers conducting research in on-campus labs by participating in the Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR). “We’re delighted that more than 50 percent of our students who graduate with a biology focus are involved with research,” says Assistant Professor Pat Lombardi. “They’re not doing dishes; they’re actively doing research. We’ve had undergraduates hold patents on molecules.”

If you’re interested in pursuing a medical career, the UO’s pre-med club, Asklepiads, provides support for students on this challenging academic path. There also are internships available to undergraduates at the local or even international level.

Interdisciplinary Opportunities

As a biology major, you will complete a one-year sequence of general physics, which requires prerequisite math or calculus courses. Depending on your academic focus, you also will complete general or organic chemistry.

You may decide to combine your biology major with studies in a complementary field such as chemistry, physics, or mathematics. You also might choose to add a second major (or select a minor) from courses according to your interests in areas such as geology, environmental science, computer and information science, or any other department.

Student Work

Shannon McDowell became excited by the study of plants as she worked her way through the biology curriculum. Systematic Botany was a favorite class, and work in the Bradshaw-Holzapfel Lab for the past three years has helped fuel her interest in this area. “Working in this lab has been a great experience because it has allowed me to gain laboratory research experience and make contacts in my field of study.” McDowell is excited by her honors thesis project and expects to get a recommendation for grad school from the lab. McDowell also took advantage of the biology program to study abroad in Costa Rica, where field classes focused on tropical ecology and biodiversity.

Jake Sweeney came to the UO with the idea that he would major in medicine but also wanted to learn about other fields. “My favorite courses have been on infectious diseases, specifically diseases of Africa taught by Janis Weeks,” Sweeney says. “It really sparked an interest in me.” Sweeney spent a month in Yosemite National Park learning to be an emergency medical technician. “I trained with some very talented students from around the world who really drove me to work harder and more efficiently in the classroom.”

Selected Faculty Work

Associate Professor Karen Guillemin uses zebra fish to study the pathogen Helicobacter pylori, which is associated with human diseases like gastric cancer.

Professor Judith Eisen teaches courses in developmental neurobiology, science policy and biology, and neurodevelopment. Her research interests include specification and patterning of neurons and neural crest cells in embryonic zebra fish.

Associate Professor Joe Thornton is interested in the evolution of gene function, the molecular evolution of hormones and their receptors, and environmental health and policy. He teaches courses in biological and molecular evolution.

Professor Shawn Lockery is a recent recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in the neuroscience field. He teaches research courses in the neuronal basis of behavior.

Career Opportunities

Biology majors have a multitude of prospects ranging from careers in research, health care, environmental management, and education. “There’s no question that we have an exceptional major for professions,” says Pat Lombardi, the director of biology advising. Biologists work in a variety of fields. They monitor waterways for state and local governments, embark on careers in zoo management, and work for agricultural extension agencies. There are forensic biologists who work for police departments and science advisers who help politicians draft legislation. The choices are endless.