Biological Sciences Research Areas

Encompassing seven research area concentrations, the Department fosters a culture supporting collaborations linking faculty, post-doctoral researchers, graduate students and undergraduates with colleagues both within Purdue University as well as nationally and internationally.

Biology Education

Interested in teaching and in teaching-related research?

Cell and Molecular Biology

This area brings together faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and students with interests in revealing the molecular bases of both normal and abnormal cell and tissue biology.

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Our focal research areas are Animal Behavior and Sensory Ecology, Ecological and Evolutionary Consequences of Human Impacts, Ecology of Emerging Infectious Diseases, and Evolutionary Genomics.

Genomics, Multiomics & AI (GEM-AI)

This area brings together the power of data, biological and computational sciences to advance our understanding of life at its most fundamental levels.

Microbiology, Immunology, and Infectious Disease

This area conducts innovative basic research in the areas of cellular and molecular mechanisms of infectious disease, as well as the immune response and microbe-host interaction.

Neuroscience and Physiology

A central goal of life sciences research has been to understand how complex tissues and their substituent cells develop, function, and regenerate.

Structural and Computational Biology and Biophysics

A new generation of scientists are advancing cryo-electron microscopy, molecular dynamics, and AI-based modeling of protein structure and function.