Department of Biology (GRAD)

With the recommendation of the department and the approval of the Administrative Board of The Graduate School, special courses and the direction of graduate studies are offered by the staff of the Institute of Marine Sciences, Morehead City, North Carolina.

The Department of Biology offers a program of study leading to a doctor of philosophy degree in biology. It also offers two masters degrees: a master of science degree requiring independent research and a thesis, and a master of arts degree requiring a written library report. However, the master's degree programs only admit students on an individual basis in the following cases: 1. A request is initiated by a prospective student's graduate advisor, or 2. A current student in the Ph.D. degree program requests to move to a master's degree program. Special departmental rules and guidelines for advanced degrees are available upon request. For more information regarding our programs, please visit the Biology website.

Facilities

The Department of Biology is currently housed in four modern buildings. The newest building, the Genome Sciences Building, opened in July 2012. The department is equipped with modern instrumentation for research and research training in the diverse biological disciplines represented by the faculty.

UNC–Chapel Hill has a world-class library system, including the Health Science Library, which is dedicated to resources related to biological research. A major research asset is the location of the University, which makes the varied flora and fauna of the Appalachian Mountains, Piedmont Plateau, Coastal Plain, and Atlantic Coast accessible for research and instruction. The department operates a small field station a few miles from the Chapel Hill campus in the Mason Farm Biological Reserve, which includes several hundred acres of upland and floodplain habitats.

The Coker Arboretum and the North Carolina Botanical Garden are of value to students in the study of questions in plant biology. The Herbarium, containing more than 600,000 specimens, is especially rich in collections of the vascular plants and fungi of the Carolinas and the Southeastern United States.

The Highlands Biological Station, administered for the University system by Western Carolina University, is located in the biologically rich mountains at Highlands, North Carolina. Graduate courses offered cover various parts of the mountain biota. Credit may be obtained through UNC–Chapel Hill or Western Carolina University. A limited amount of research support is available on a competitive basis. (See the annual announcement of the Highlands Biological Station.)

The University is a member of the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS). Financial support is available for students attending OTS courses in tropical ecology in Costa Rica.

Additional information about the graduate program including instructions for application is available online.

Fellowships and Assistantships

Applicants interested in genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, development, or physiology should apply to the graduate program via the Biology and Biomedical Sciences Program (BBSP) application portal. Applicants with an interest in evolutionary biology, ecology, behavior, organismal biology, or quantitative biology should apply to the biology graduate program using UNC's Graduate School application portal. Application for admission and graduate appointments should be submitted according to The Graduate School and departmental deadlines.

All outstanding prospective graduate students who apply for admission are automatically considered for University fellowships.

More than 45 teaching assistantships in undergraduate courses are open to graduate students. Duties of assistants can include lab preparation, grading, holding office hours, and other administrative tasks. Duties usually require 15 to 20 hours per week, including six contact hours in classes and 9 to 14 hours of preparation or other services associated with instruction.

Research assistantships are also available. Salaries and duties are variable as determined by the research needs of faculty supervising the work. Applications for these appointments must be made personally to faculty members directing grant-supported research.

The following awards are specifically for graduate students in the Biology Department:

• The Alma Holland Beers Scholarships are awarded annually to support summer research of students in botany. They are non-service awards.
• The William Chambers Coker Fellowship is awarded annually to a student or students in the final years of work toward a doctor of philosophy in a botanical field. This is a non-service award that carries with it an additional supplement for tuition and fees.
• The Mrs. W.C. Coker Fellowship is awarded annually to an outstanding first-year graduate student in plant biology. This is also a nonservice award that carries with it an additional supplement for tuition and fees.
• The H.V. Wilson Marine Scholarship is awarded annually for summer work at a marine laboratory. It is a nonservice award.

Courses

Numbered 400-999:

• Biology (BIOL)

The faculty members in the Department of Biology offer instruction and research training in the following diverse biological disciplines.

Genetics and Molecular Biology

Genetics is both a discipline (the study of heredity) and an experimental approach (manipulation of genes or the genetic material). Today, most geneticists work at the molecular level by manipulating RNA, DNA, or entire genomes. Our group is strong in both model organism genetics and genomics. Areas of emphasis include biochemistry and molecular biology, chromosome biology, developmental genetics, genomics, protein synthesis, enzyme mechanics, and plant genetics.

Cell Biology, Development, and Physiology

Developmental biologists address the mechanisms through which cells acquire specialized functions to form complex body plans. These features are accomplished in part through cell proliferation, migration, and shape changes. The department has a strong research program in these areas, which are major topics in cell biology, as well as in other aspects of developmental biology. Areas of emphasis include cytology, mitotic and meiotic mechanisms, histochemistry, experimental morphogenesis, morphogenetic movements, tissue culture, hormones, plant development, signal transduction, functional morphology, biomechanics and neuroethology, and membrane functions.

Evolutionary Biology

Evolution is inherited change in the characteristics of populations over time. Evolutionary biologists seek to explain the remarkable fit of organisms to their environment (adaptation), the origins of diversity, including the formation of new species (speciation), and the relationships among organisms. The department has a strong focus on the genetic and ecological mechanisms of adaptation and speciation.

Ecology

Ecologists study how organisms interact with other organisms and with their physical environment. UNC–Chapel Hill's group has strength in behavioral, conservation, community, disease, evolutionary, and marine ecology. Areas of emphasis include population biology, life histories, and ecosystem phenomena in diverse systems.

Behavior and Organismal Biology

Organismal biologists seek to understand the diversity of life forms on earth by analyzing organismal structure and function. UNC–Chapel Hill's Department of Biology takes an integrative approach to this research, combining analyses at levels ranging from molecules to whole organisms. The group also endeavors to understand the evolution and mechanisms of behavior. It uses theoretical, observational, and experimental approaches in a variety of species, from crawling behavior in sea slugs to communication in birds. Areas of emphasis include social and mating systems of vertebrates, communication, ecology and ontogeny of behavior, predator-prey interactions, marine ecology and oceanography, comparative physiology, neuroethology, functional morphology, and comparative biomechanics.

Plant Biology

The department has an active and diverse group that studies features specific to plants or that uses plant model systems to address questions of broad interest. Areas of emphasis include host-pathogen interactions, signal transduction, development, genomics, and chromosome biology.

Marine Biology

After completing required coursework in the department, students in marine biology have access to the research facilities of the Institute of Marine Sciences, Morehead City, North Carolina. By cooperative arrangements, deep water research can be carried out through the use of the research vessel of the Duke University Marine Laboratory.

Quantitative Biology

The quantitative biology track of study will develop young scientists who can investigate how basic physical processes have been brought together in living systems. One component of the training program will focus on events at smaller scales, micron-level and below, to cellular, sub-cellular, and multi-cellular processes. Another component will focus on events at larger scales, from the tissue to organ level, to processes at the organism and population level. Despite this distinction for most projects, a central goal of the training will be to prepare students to work on multi-scale problems that connect disparate levels of biology. 

This track of study features and fosters extensive interactions among students and faculty. Core training components will be rigorous, but will be combined with the programmatic flexibility as needed to accommodate the training goals of students with diverse backgrounds. Every aspect of the program will encourage innovative, imaginative, and unconventional approaches to physical biology. 

Interdisciplinary Studies

Inter-departmental degree programs in genetics, ecology, neurobiology, and marine sciences offer unusual opportunities for special training through participation of staff from the Department of Biology and many other departments in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Division of Health Affairs.

Professors

Shawn C. Ahmed, Telomeres, Genomic Change and Germ Cell Immortality
Albert S. Baldwin, Signaling and Gene Expression in Cancer
Victoria L. Bautch, Molecular Basis of Development
Kerry S. Bloom, Chromosome Engineering, Molecular Biophysics
John Bruno, Marine Ecology and Conservation
Christina L. Burch, Experimental Evolution of Viruses
Sabrina S. Burmeister, Neurobiology and Behavior
Frank L. Conlon, Xenopus, Mesoderm, Heart, Tbox Genes
Gregory P. Copenhaver, Plant Genome Biology, Recombination, Centromeres
Jeffrey L. Dangl, Genetic and Molecular Analysis of Disease Resistance
Robert J. Duronio, Epigenetics and Cell Cycle Control
Terry Furey, Computational Gene Regulatory Genomics, Crohn's Disease
Robert P. Goldstein, Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms
Tyson L. Hedrick, Biomechanics and Animal Locomotion
Allen H. Hurlbert, Community Ecology, Biogeography, Biodiversity
Corbin D. Jones, Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics
Joseph J. Kieber, Plant Cell Biology
Alain Laederach, Disease-Associated Mutations and Their Effect on RNA Structure
Kenneth J. Lohmann, Neuroethology and Invertebrate Zoology
Amy S. Maddox, Mechanisms of Cell Shape Change
A. Gregory Matera, RNA Processing and Epigenetics
Ann G. Matthysse, Molecular Biology and Plant Pathology
Daniel Matute, Evolutionary Genetics
Charles E. Mitchell, Ecology of Infectious Disease
Mark A. Peifer, Cell Adhesion and Cell-Cell Signaling
David Pfennig, Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Developmental Biology
Karin S. Pfennig, Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution
Jason W. Reed, Plant Growth and Development
Jeff Sekelsky, Meiotic Recombination, DNA Repair
Maria R. Servedio, Evolutionary Theory, Speciation, Sexual Selection

Associate Professors

Jill M. Dowen, Three-Dimensional Genome Architecture and Gene Regulation
Toshihide Hige, Neurophysiology and Behavior in Drosophila
Paul S. Maddox, Cell Biology of Cell Division
Sophie McCoy, Community Ecology, Microbial Ecology, Marine and Aquatic Systems
Daniel J. McKay, Developmental Genomics
Zachary L. Nimchuk, Plant Biology, Developmental Genetics
Steven Rogers, Cytoskeletal Dynamics and Mechanosensation
Celia E. Shiau, Neuro-immune Interactions, Macrophage, Vertebrate Development, Genetics and Genomics, in Vivo Imaging
Kevin Slep, Cytoskeletal Structure and Dynamics
Keith W. Sockman, Reproductive Ecology and Plasticity

Assistant Professors

Jiakun Chen, Neuroscience, Glial Biology, Astrocytes, Development, Genetics
Robert H. Dowen, Molecular Mechanisms of Cellular Homeostasis
Xiao Feng, Quantitative Ecology, Biogeography, Biodiversity
Kacy Gordon, Duplicate Gene Function in the Germ Line Stem Cell Niche
Parul Johri, Population Genetics, Statistical Inference, Evolutionary Genomics
Laura Lee, Nuclear Glutathione Signaling in Plant Development and Regeneration
Benjamin Parker, Host-Microbe Interactions, Symbiosis, and Evolution
Eric Riddell, Physiology, Ecology, and Evolution
En Yang, System Neuroscience, Neuronal Circuits Implementation, Neuroengineering
Senay Yitbarek, Ecology and Evolution of Host-Microbe Interactions

Research Professors

Patricia G. Gensel, Paleobotany and Morphology
Alan M. Jones, Signal Perception and the Regulation of Growth and Development
Joel G. Kingsolver, Evolutionary Ecology and Physiological Ecology
Punita Nagpal, Plant Development
Robert K. Peet, Plant Ecology, Plant Geography, EcoInformatics
Nathanael Prunet, Microscopy
Darrel W. Stafford, Developmental Biochemistry
Jianke Tie, Protein Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Michael Werner, Cell Shape Changes and Cortical Dynamics in Cytokinesis
Chris S. Willett, Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics
Elaine Yeh, Nuclear Division in Yeast

Associated Faculty

Joerg Bauer, Agricultural Research and Development
James T. Costa, Social Behavior, History of Evolutionary Biology
Stephen T. Crews, Molecular Genetics
Jean DeSaix, Biology Pedagogy
Frederick Joel Fodrie, Fish and Bivalve Population Ecology
Paul W. Gabrielson, Systematics of Marine Algae
Amy Gladfelter, Cytoskeleton Dynamics, Biophysical Cell Biology, Cytoplasm Organization
Kelly A. Hogan, Curriculum and Instruction: Inclusive Learning in Large STEM Courses
Julie Horvath, Genomics and Microbiology
William F. Marzluff, Transcriptional and Post-transcriptional Regulation of RNA Metabolism, Cell Cycle Regulation During Development
Joe Ruiz, Therapeutics for Nucleotide Expansion Disorders
John Salmeron, Plant Biotechnology and Plant-Based Pharmaceuticals
Aziz Sancar, DNA Repair and Cancer, Structure and Function of DNA Repair Enzymes, Molecular Neurobiology, Circadian Biology
Alecia Septer, Microbial Ecology, Microbiology
Bryan Stuart, Biodiversity, Systematics, Conservation and Herpetology
Brian K. Taylor, Animal Navigation and Magnetoreception
Damon E. Waitt, Professor of the Practice; Plant Evolution and Ecology
Alan Weakley, Plant Systematics
Scott Williams, Cell Division, Developmental Biology, Cell Biology

Universidad San Francisco de Quito Associated Faculty

Paul Andres Cardenas Aldaz, Pathogenic Microbiology, Molecular Markers, Microbial Genetics
Jaime Chaves, Population Genetics, Sea Turtle Conservation
Juan Guayasamin, Evolutionary Biology, Biogeography
Alexander Rafael Hearn, Oceanic Islets Role in Pelagic Environment, Sea Turtle Conservation
Antonio Leon-Reyes Sr., Plant Physiology, Plant Immunology, Plant-Microbe Interactions, Plant Biotechnology
Maria de Lourdes Torres, Hybridization Events between Endemic and Invasive Plant Species

Professors Emeriti

Aristotle J. Domnas
J. Alan Feduccia
Sarah R. Grant
William M. Kier
Gustavo Maroni
Steven W. Matson
E.D. Salmon
Lillie L. Searles
Alan E. Stiven
Todd J. Vision, Computational Genetics, Genome Evolution, and the Architecture of Complex Traits
Peter White
R. Haven Wiley