The Department of Biology offers graduate degree programs leading to both the Master of Science (MS) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Graduate training is available across the full spectrum of modern biological investigation from molecular biology to ecosystems, unified by a strong focus on the evolutionary underpinnings of life at these different levels. Faculty members are grouped into three primary research areas, each of which has a corresponding graduate curriculum and seminar series. Please visit our applicant page for more information about how to apply.
Learn about our graduate student research and view a list of recruiting labs below!
Cell & Molecular Biology
Graduate students in the Cell & Molecular (CM) Biology program have the opportunity to choose from a diverse array of research laboratories engaged in both basic and biomedically relevant research. In addition to their thesis/dissertation research, coursework, and a weekly graduate student seminar series, students learn from visiting speakers through the Biomolecular Seminar Series, and may also attend seminars coordinated by Chemistry, Bioinformatics, and other graduate programs within the department.
CM graduate students enroll in core courses in molecular biology, cell biology, and biochemistry during the first three semesters of graduate study. During the first year each student also completes three laboratory rotations, gaining an understanding of laboratory-based investigation in several fields and leading to an informed choice of a mentor and laboratory for subsequent dissertation research. Upon successful completion of a written and oral qualifying examination during the second year, PhD students begin full-time research and may take additional elective courses. The qualifying exam takes the form of a research proposal that typically serves as the student’s initial research plan.
During each subsequent year, PhD students build on this initial plan by giving a research seminar to CM faculty and graduate students and meeting with their thesis committee to review current research and outline future plans.
Check the list of recent dissertations and publications to see the range of topics addressed by CM students.
Featured Student
Yunwei Lu
Current Research: Gene fusions in cancer involving transcription factors (TFs) can result in aberrant expression patterns. The goal of my […]
CM faculty anticipating accepting PhD rotation students for Fall 2025
(rotations are scheduled after accepted students attend the Department orientation)
Sofía Casasa, Assistant Professor of Biology Eco-evo-devo, phenotypic plasticity, insect development, horned beetles, nematodes, transcriptomics, functional genetics
Lynne Chantranupong, Assistant Professor of Biology Neurobiology, Cell and Molecular Biology, Behavior, Signal transduction, Metabolism, Organellar Biology, Metabolomics, Proteomics
Brian Cleary, Assistant Professor of Computing and Data Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Biology, and Bioinformatics Tissue organization, cellular pathways, causal modeling, statistical learning
Mikel Garcia-Marcos, Professor of Biochemistry and Biology Intercellular communication, receptor signaling, GTPases, synthetic biology tools, molecular basis of disease, cancer, neurotransmission, embryonic development
Thomas Gilmore, Professor of Biology molecular biology, cell biology, signal transduction, cancer, molecular ecology
Tuan Leng Tay, Assistant Professor of Biology; Assistant Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology neurobiology, neuroimmunology, neurodevelopment, neurodegeneration, traumatic brain injury, brain repair, microglia, glia
Dean R. Tolan, Professor of Biology; Director of Undergraduate Studies biochemistry, enzymology, molecular and human genetics of enzymes in sugar metabolism
David J. Waxman, Professor of Biology, Medicine, and Biomedical Engineering; Program in Bioinformatics Genomic and epigenetic mechanisms controlling liver gene expression; molecular endocrinology and cell signaling through transcriptional networks; role of angiogenesis and innate immune system in cancer therapy and pharmacology; nuclear receptors and responses to environmental chemicals
Zeba Wunderlich, Associate Professor of Biology; Director, Program in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry regulation of gene expression; enhancers; developmental biology; systems biology; innate immunology
CM faculty anticipating accepting MS rotation students for Fall 2025
(rotations are scheduled after accepted students attend the Department orientation)
John L. Celenza, Associate Professor of Biology; Director, Program in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology plant development, defense, and metabolism; genetics, biochemistry and molecular biology
Lynne Chantranupong, Assistant Professor of Biology Neurobiology, Cell and Molecular Biology, Behavior, Signal transduction, Metabolism, Organellar Biology, Metabolomics, Proteomics
Dean R. Tolan, Professor of Biology; Director of Undergraduate Studies biochemistry, enzymology, molecular and human genetics of enzymes in sugar metabolism
John Tullai, Senior Lecturer in Neuroscience and Biology growth factor-mediated cell survival, cancer biology, transcription network mapping, gene regulation, neuroscience, endocrinology, neuroendocrinology, physiology, carcinogenesis, cell biology, molecular biology, transcription regulation
Ecology, Behavior & Evolution
Graduate students in the Ecology, Behavior & Evolution (EBE) program study a broad diversity of organisms and ecosystems, and employ a wide range of methods in studies of both basic and applied questions in terrestrial, aquatic, and marine systems. Student research is often highly integrative and typically includes both laboratory and field-based components. Students conduct field research both in New England and in varied field sites around the globe. Our faculty have significant strengths in areas such as animal behavior, ecosystem ecology, ichthyology, marine conservation science, molecular ecology and evolution, and tropical ecology.
PhD and MS research track students who focus on marine biology have the opportunity to participate in the Marine Semester in the Fall, which consists of one-month-long intensive research courses coordinated through the BU Marine Science Program (BUMP).
The graduate curriculum for EBE students is highly flexible and is customized to the needs and interests of the individual student. In addition to graduate-level courses in Biology, EBE gradaute students have access to courses from other programs such as Bioinformatics, Biogeoscience, Environmental Health, Earth & Environment, and Statistics, as well as select courses at a number of other universities in the Boston area.
Because of the diversity of interests represented in EBE, PhD students and research track MS students are generally accepted into the program to work with a specific faculty member. In addition to submitting an application to the Graduate School, prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact faculty with whom they might like to work.
Check the list of recent dissertations and publications to see the range of topics addressed by EBE students.
Featured Student
Corinne Vietorisz
Current Research: Soil microbes like fungi and bacteria are responsible for the movement and transformations of nutrients necessary for life, […]
Interested in applying to our graduate program?
All applicants should review the application procedures listed on our apply page. MS applicants please note that we anticipate limited space available in the Fall 2025 Marine Semester courses; those applying for the MS with coursework or scholarly paper tracks with an interest in Marine Biology should plan alternate fall courses or delay application to a future year.
EBE applicants interested in applying to our MS (Coursework Track or Scholarly Paper Track) do not need to contact faculty before applying.
EBE applicants interested in applying for our PhD or MS (Research Track) require that you have a professor who is willing to accept you into his/her/their lab. We strongly recommend that you contact professors with whom you are interested in working before you apply to the EBE graduate program. Below are guidelines on how to contact professors via e-mail.
- Locate current research projects and contact information for professors in EBE who are currently accepting students (see below).
- Compose an e-mail to the faculty member/s you are interested in working with that includes the following:
- Your research interests and how they align with the research of the faculty member (1-2 sentences).
- Your previous research experience (2-3 sentences).
- A new idea you might like to pursue while working with the lab you are contacting. This research idea should be consistent with the lab’s current research capabilities and demonstrate some degree of familiarity with the field (2-3 sentences).
- Responses should be as text in e-mail, not as an attachment. However, please attach your resume/curriculum vitae to your e-mail.
EBE faculty currently accepting PhD students for Fall 2025
Jeffrey Marlow, Assistant Professor of Biology microbial ecology, environmental microbiology, global change biology, metabolic activity, geobiology, astrobiology
Sean P. Mullen, Professor of Biology Adaptation and speciation; hybrid zones; the evolution of mimicry and wing pattern variation in butterflies; evolutionary genetics; comparative and population genomics; bioinformatics
EBE faculty currently accepting MS students for Fall 2025
Visit our EBE Research page for a list of all of the EBE faculty.
Neurobiology
Students in the Neurobiology graduate program at Boston University work with faculty investigating a broad range of topics, ranging from synaptic function to neuroethology, neuroendocrinology, and sensory processing. In addition to their thesis/dissertation research, coursework, and the weekly graduate student seminar series, students also hear from visiting speakers from several outside seminar series. These outside seminars include those from the Program for Neuroscience Seminar Series, the Center for Neuroscience Seminar Series, as well as seminars coordinated by other departments including Psychological & Brain Sciences, Cognitive & Neural Systems, Anatomy & Neurobiology, Pharmacology, and other graduate programs within the Biology Department. The core of the graduate curriculum comprises two survey courses meant to establish a common basis of knowledge in the broad field of neurobiology (Cellular and Systems Neuroscience in the fall semester and Systems and Cognitive Neuroscience in the spring). These courses represent the range of neurobiology topics including molecular and cellular neuroscience, neurophysiology, synaptic function, sensory neurobiology, laboratory techniques in cellular and molecular neuroscience, developmental neuroscience, behavioral neuroscience, neuroimmunology and neuroendocrinology.
Graduate students in Neurobiology complete research rotations in at least two different faculty laboratories during the first year, with the aim of identifying a research mentor and laboratory in which to carry out their dissertation research. By the end of the second year, PhD students take a qualifying exam, which takes the form of a research proposal that usually serves as the student’s initial research plan. During each subsequent year, every PhD graduate student in Neurobiology presents a research seminar and meets with their thesis committee to review current research and outline future plans.
Check the list of recent dissertations and publications to see the range of topics addressed by Neurobiology students.
Featured Student
Hannah Axten
Current Research: I study a member of the forkhead box (FOX) family of transcription factors, FOXR1, and its role in […]
Neuro faculty anticipating accepting PhD rotation students for Fall 2025
(rotations are scheduled after accepted students attend the Department orientation)
Neuro faculty anticipating accepting MS rotation students for Fall 2025
(rotations are scheduled after accepted students attend the Department orientation)