Ph.D. student in Brian Pierce's Lab

College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences

Biological Sciences Graduate Program

An interdepartmental Ph.D. program that offers unparalleled opportunities for research and discovery across contemporary life sciences disciplines.

Concentration Areas

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Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, & Systematics (BEES)

e2 front surf

Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, & Genomics (CBBG)

confocal image of a disease-resistant protein

Molecular & Cellular Biology (MOCB)

aniline blue stained arabidopsis flower

Physiological Systems (PSYS)

Apply to BISI

Are you interested in using cutting-edge technologies to explore the life sciences? The Biological Sciences Ph.D. program might be the place for you! From the plant sciences to molecular genetics and everything in between, you’ll cultivate skills that will take you far beyond the classroom. 

The Fall 2027 application is open! 

Join us for BISI's Virtual Open House!

BISI will be hosting two virtual open houses this fall! Learn more about the graduate application, application fee waivers, and the Biological Sciences Graduate Program, and get your questions answered before our December 1 application deadline.

Event 1: Thursday, September 17, 11:00am-12:30pm: REGISTER HERE

Event 2: Wednesday, October 7, 1:30pm-3:00pm: REGISTER HERE

News

UMD Scientist Awarded NIH Grant to Advance Research on Rare Form of Muscular Dystrophy

UMD Scientist Awarded NIH Grant to Advance Research on Rare Form of Muscular Dystrophy

July 14, 2026
Study Reveals How Mating Competition, Age and Sex Shape Immune Systems in Wild Bats

Study Reveals How Mating Competition, Age and Sex Shape Immune Systems in Wild Bats

July 1, 2026
The Art of Science Storytelling

The Art of Science Storytelling

June 16, 2026
Listening to What the Fish Say About Hearing Loss

Listening to What the Fish Say About Hearing Loss

June 8, 2026

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Meet our Graduate Students

Portrait of Michelle Launi

Michelle Launi

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Husan Turdiev

Husan Turdiev

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Christina Ippoliti

Christina Ippoliti

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Wesley DeMontigny

Wesley DeMontigny

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Aishwarya Sathya

Aishwarya Sathya

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Johena Sanyal

Johena Sanyal

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Lucy Irvine

Lucy Irvine

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Michael Liapin

Michael Liapin

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Alon Katz

Alon Katz

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Katherine Armenta

Katherine Armenta

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Jared Carter

Jared Carter

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Zhuoyue Yang

Zhuoyue Yang

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Jeff Loube

Jeff Loube

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Parker Murphy

Parker Murphy

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Catherine Harvey

Catherine Harvey

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Savanna Lyda

Savanna Lyda

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Aidan Danoff

Aidan Danoff

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Justin O'Neill

Justin O'Neill

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Kari-Ann Takano

Kari-Ann Takano

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Cierra Wilson

Cierra Wilson

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of John Labella

John Labella

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Urja Biswas

Urja Biswas

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Maggie Grant

Maggie Grant

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Tasmim Hossain

Tasmim Hossain

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of De'Marcus Woolfork

De'Marcus Woolfork

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Simone Parn

Simone Parn

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Anna Mikkelsen

Anna Mikkelsen

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Sondos Abdelhafeez

Sondos Abdelhafeez

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Ama Antwi

Ama Antwi

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Eeshita Ghosh

Eeshita Ghosh

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Christian Artuz

Christian Artuz

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Farhana Chowdhury

Farhana Chowdhury

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Yaal Dryer

Yaal Dryer

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Walker Orr

Walker Orr

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Qiuchi Song

Qiuchi Song

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Stephen Stanio

Stephen Stanio

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Guillermo Hoffmann Meyer

Guillermo Hoffmann Meyer

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Yang Yang

Yang Yang

Ph.D. Student
Portrait of Shayana Saravanakumar

Shayana Saravanakumar

Ph.D. Student

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