biology.pitt.eduDepartment of Biological Sciences | | University of Pittsburgh

Skip to main content The University of Pittsburgh Pitt Home Dietrich School Find People Toggle navigation Search GO -- Research Overview Biochemistry Cell Biology Computational Biology Developmental Biology Ecology Evolution Genetics Microbiology Molecular Biology Plant Biology Science Education Structural Biology Undergrad Research Graduate Overview How to Apply Financial Support E & E Program MCDB Program Diversity Teaching Minor For Enrolled Students Life in Pittsburgh Our Current Students Our Graduates Career Development Undergraduate Overview Majors & Certificate Courses Intro Research Labs Forms Advising Research & Internships Teaching Assistant Program Awards and Fellowships Careers & Postgraduate Education Diversity Past Grads People Message From Our Chair All Faculty Post-Docs Graduate Students Past Grads Staff Student Employment Info Commitment to Diversity News Suggest a News item Events Upcoming Events Past Events Tousimis-Lauffer Distinguished Lecture Series K-12 Outreach Overview Gene Team In-Classroom Support Facilities Overview Cell Culture & Virus Labs Greenhouses Molecular Imaging Networking Pymatuning Teaching Labs Shared Research Support Services Contact Overview Fiscal Office Main Office Transformative World-class Graduate Training Focused mentoring, customizable training and cutting-edge research lead to successful graduates. Cutting-edge Innovative Research Dozens of laboratories perform cutting-edge research across the range of disciplines within Biological Sciences. Interdisciplinary Collaborative Environment In a broad-based Biological Sciences Department, your neighbors are all potential collaborators with unique and synergistic contributions. Interactive Diverse Community Experience the benefits of a diverse community of scientists and educators contributing their unique experiences and viewpoints. How to Apply: Graduate Program Undergraduate Majors Areas of Research Biochemistry The Biochemistry faculty investigate the function of macromolecular protein and nucleic acid “machines” Learn More Molecular Biology Understanding events involving DNA, RNA, and protein “factories” represent the focus of the Molecular Biology faculty Learn More Developmental Biology The Developmental Biology faculty use model organisms to understand how genes coordinate events during animal development Learn More Genetics The Genetics faculty use model systems to define how gene function orchestrates cellular events and animal physiology Learn More Computational Biology Computational Biology faculty model the dynamics, structures, and evolution of macromolecules and biochemical reactions Learn More Microbiology Our Microbiology faculty study how pathogenic microbes and viruses infect and replicate in their hosts Learn More Evolution Evolution at all levels of organization are studied by the faculty in evolutionary biology Learn More Ecology Faculty in Ecology investigate how microbes, plants, and animals respond to their environments Learn More Cell Biology Our Cell Biology faculty study the processes and diseases associated with intracellular organelles and cellular processes Learn More Structural Biology The Structural Biology faculty visualize how protein and nucleic acid complexes assemble and catalyze biological processes Learn More Biochemistry Molecular Biology Developmental Biology Genetics Computational Biology Microbiology Evolution Ecology Cell Biology Structural Biology News Foundations of Biology and Microbiology Lab Instructor Positions Foundations of Biology Lab Lecturer Position Cell Biology Laboratory and Biochemistry Lecturer Position Events Feb 10 CANCELLED: Dr. Tom Sharpton on Linking the gut microbiome to vertebrate ecology and evolution Feb 12 Dr. Lewis Bartlett on Scientific Cross-Pollination Between EEID and Apidology Feb 13 GSO Career Workshop- Hilary Carter Popular Destinations Follow us @PittBioSci Cool Pittsburgh Support Biological Sciences Research Programs Cahoon - Host-pathogen Interactions How are proteins exported and folded in gram-positive pathogens? Read More > Research Programs Levin - Evolution of immunity and pathogenesis Evolution of immunity and pathogenesis Read More > Research Programs Hainer - Gene Expression and Cell Fate What controls the production of non-coding RNAs from regulatory regions in mammalian cells? Read More > Research Programs Carlson - Fertilization & Channels How does the fertilization of an egg cell immediately prevent further fertilization attempts? Read More > Research Programs Brodsky - Protein quality control How are defects in protein folding controlled, and how can failure of this control result in disease? Read More > Research Programs Chapman - Mouse development How are early transcriptional decisions made during the development of a mouse embryo? Read More > Research Programs Carson - Plant Community Ecology What processes are involved in generating the complex ecological interactions seen in tropical forests? Read More > Research Programs Berman - RNA biology How do proteins interact with small RNAs and mRNAs to control gene expression? Read More > Research Programs Hatfull - Phages and tuberculosis How are phages the key to exploring the evolution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and its viruses? Read More > Research Programs Kitzes - Spatial Macroecology How are species distributed in the environment at different spatial scales? Read More > Research Programs Stephenson - Disease ecology How do parasites and their hosts interact to impact disease transmission? Read More > Research Programs O'Donnell - Protein Trafficking & Cell Signalling What controls when proteins live or die? Read More > Research Programs Arndt - Transcriptional control How do cells control which genes are turned on when, and why, and by how much? Read More > Research Programs Kaplan - Transcriptional Control What controls transcription initiation in eukaryotes? Read More > Research Programs Wood - Evolutionary Ecology How do plants navigate the genetic tradeoff between attracting mutualists and repelling parasites? Read More > Research Programs VanDemark - Structural biology How can protein structure and function be dissected using x-ray crystallography? Read More > Research Programs Kuebbing - Invasion Ecology How do interactions between plant species affect community structure and susceptibility to invasion? Read More > Research Programs Rebeiz - Evolutionary Development How do developmental networks evolve to generate complex morphologies? Read More > Research Programs Kohl - host-microbe interactions How do vertebrates' intestinal microbiota mediate dietary, and thus niche, differences between species? Read More > Research Programs Kiselyov - Ion channel function How do defects in particular ion channels lead to disease states? Read More > Research Programs Richards-Zawacki - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology How does change in the environment affect the distribution of species in communities? Read More > Research Programs Boyle - Host-pathogen interaction How do intracellular parasites like Toxoplasma gondii invade and take over cells, and cause disease? Read More > Research Programs Pipas - Virus Discovery and Metagenomics, Viral tumorigenesis. How does virus SV40 causes tumors, and how do viruses inhibit host defenses? Read More > Research Programs Ashman - Evolutionary ecology What are the ecological and evolutionary impacts of plant mating systems, and how do they change? Read More > Research Programs Lawrence - Genome evolution What factors control the flow of genes within and among bacterial genomes? Read More > Research Programs Schwacha - DNA replication Professor Schwacha studies the Mcm2-7 complex, the helicase that unwinds DNA during eukaryotic replication Read More > Research Programs Lee - Developmental genomics How does a fertilized egg activate its first genes? Read More > Resear...