School of Biologcal Sciences

Faculty members David Bowling, Julie Hollien, Denise Dearing, Michael Shapiro, and Leslie Sieburth will help lead the new School of Biological Sciences.

Impacting Scientific Research in the Century of Biology

We live in the Century of Biology.

Advances in research techniques and imaging technology over the past 20 years have enabled remarkable breakthroughs in genetics, neuroscience, and biophysics. Scientists can now investigate cellular structure and function with atomic resolution.

“Entire new research fields, such as genomics, have developed that allow scientists to ask questions we never considered possible,” says Leslie Sieburth, Professor of Biological Sciences.

In July, the College of Science took a landmark step forward in its continuing mission to educate and train students and to propel scientific research in the 21st century by establishing a School of Biological Sciences.

“Our new School of Biological Sciences has more than 50 research-active faculty who are conducting groundbreaking work in areas such as plant biology, ecology, genetics, physiology, neuroscience and molecular biology,” says Denise Dearing, Distinguished Professor and Director of the School of Biological Sciences.

“To support these research efforts, our faculty have, in the past year, secured more than $17 million in federal funding – this funding helps to fuel Utah’s economy. Our faculty collaborate with more than 200 graduate students, postdocs, technicians, research associates and, importantly, undergraduate research students in the pursuit of advancing our understanding of the biological world,” says Dearing.

Form follows Function

The new School administration consists of a Director, an Associate Director, and three Division Heads. The three research divisions include: Cell and Molecular Biology; Genetics and Evolution; and Ecology and Physiology.

“This new organization provides a useful change in governance,” says Leslie Sieburth, Associate Director of the School. “Faculty members are grouped into three areas based on their primary research interests. This allows each of the three sections to be fairly cohesive, which helps in making decisions and establishing long-term goals for the unit.”

The heads of each division have responsibilities related to the members of their section such as