This May, we are hosting a day of science and invite you to join us! The UW Biology Open House will take place on Saturday, May 16, 2026 from 10 AM to 2 PM in the Life Sciences Building on the UW Seattle Campus.
Families and science enthusiasts of all ages are welcome. The UW Department of Biology is a large, collaborative, and integrative department – meaning our research and teaching spans from cellular and molecular biology to global climate change to paleontology to plant biology. Come learn about the exciting things our department is doing from experts in their fields! Our UW Biology Greenhouse will also be open for visitors during the open house.
Visit our Open House webpage for more details. We look forward to sharing our science with you!
Willem Laursen named 2026 Sloan Research Fellow
Willem Laursen, UW Biology Assistant Professor, has been awarded an early-career fellowship from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Awarded this year to 126 of the most innovative young scientists across the U.S. and Canada, the Sloan Research Fellowships are one of the most competitive and prestigious awards available…
Briana Abrahms gives keynote speech at the International Parliamentary Roundtable on Human-Wildlife Coexistence
Biology Associate Professor Briana Abrahms gave the keynote speech at the International Parliamentary Roundtable on Human-Wildlife Coexistence held in Botswana in January. Abrahms offered a global perspective on how climate change is impacting human-wildlife conflict while also providing specific insight on southern Africa.…
Horacio de la Iglesia awarded 2026 HFSP Research Grant
UW Biology Professor Horacio de la Iglesia was awarded a 2026 Research Grant by the Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) for his work examining tidal and circadian rhythms in intertidal crabs.The HFSP Research Grants-Program provides 3 years of support for international teams involving at least two countries…
Grace Leuchtenberger named ESA 2026 Graduate Student Policy Award recipient
Grace Leuchtenberger, UW Biology graduate student, was named a recipient of the 2026 Katherine S. McCarter Graduate Student Policy Award (GSPA) by The Ecological Society of America. Grace is one of 20 students awarded the GSPA award this year. Students in the 2026 cohort are engaged in advocacy with an interest in science policy. Awardees will travel to Washington, D.C…
Three Biology junior scientists awarded Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation funding
Sophia Jannetty (Biology graduate student), Jamie Cochran, and Atsushi Matsuda (both Biology postdoctoral scholars) were awarded grant funding by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. The grants support work in…
Winter 2026 Biology Award Winners!
We are proud to announce the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral departmental award winners for the 2026 Winter quarter. We awarded over $150,000 in scholarships and research awards! We are especially grateful to the generous donors and supporters who make these Biology awards, scholarships, and fellowships possible for our students quarter after quarter, year after year. Cheers all around!Information on the student’s research lab is included in parentheses (as stated in their application…
Takato Imaizumi in UW News video on spring flowering
Plants, like people, have a circadian clock and they sense seasonal changes to light and temperature. Plants that bloom in the spring use the longer days and warmer temperatures as seasonal cues that it’s time to bloom. Biology professor Takato Imaizumi was featured in a…
Jeff Riffell in UW News on research revealing how mosquitoes detect a common compound in mosquito repellent
Mosquitoes are increasingly becoming resistant to current insecticides, leading to a pressing need for new methods to prevent mosquito bites — and the potential transmission of disease. New research by an international team, including Biology Professor Jeffrey Riffell, reveals that Aedes aegypti mosquitoes use a specific sensory receptor to detect and avoid borneol (pronounced "bor-nee-ohl"),…
Jennifer Ruesink explains the 'prairies of the ocean' on World Seagrass Day to UW News
Jennifer Ruesink, UW Biology Professor, studies the relationship between the environment and marine organisms, including eelgrass, the primary species of seagrass that resides in the oceans surrounding Washington. In honor of World Seagrass Day,…
Lauren Buckley on "functional resurvey" experiments helping us understand how organisms change over time
Lauren Buckley, Biology Professor, was interviewed by UW News on her research using "functional resurvey" experiments to answer questions about a variety of organisms, from bacteria to plants and animals. Repeating an…