Gordon Rule, Department Head

Amanda Willard, Director of Undergraduate Studies
Location: Doherty Hall 1321

www.cmu.edu/bio

A major revolution is occurring in the field of biological sciences. Biology is undergoing unprecedented technological advances in biochemistry, biophysics, cell biology, genetics, molecular biology, developmental biology, neuroscience and computational biology. Carnegie Mellon's Department of Biological Sciences is nationally recognized as one of the outstanding departments in these areas. Advances in basic research are already being used to solve problems, not only in medicine and public health, but also in areas such as agriculture, forestry, mining, energy, and in industrial and pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. The department provides its students with an education that has both intellectual breadth and depth of exposure to modern research biology. This education can be used to gain employment immediately after graduation in government, industry or academic research laboratories, or to pursue graduate studies in a variety of areas such as science, medicine, public health, law, or business. A degree in biological sciences provides excellent preparation for medical school or other graduate programs in the health professions. These students are aided by the Carnegie Mellon Health Professions Program (HPP), an advisory and resource service for all Carnegie Mellon students who are considering careers in the health care field. (See the HPP section in this catalog or www.cmu.edu/hpp for more information.)

In this exciting era that includes the influence of biology and the life sciences on many fields from medicine to law, the in-depth exposure to multiple disciplines provides opportunities for students to prepare for involvement at the forefront of emerging new fields, markets, and policy changes. The Department of Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon is working at these new interfaces through interdisciplinary research and educational programs. Innovative interdisciplinary degrees which are offered by the department include the inter-college B.S. degree in Neuroscience as well as the unified B.S. degree in Biological Sciences and Psychology. Students also pursue interests at the interface between the arts and sciences through the Bachelor of Science and Arts (B.S.A.) degree program combining biological sciences or neurobiology with a discipline in the College of Fine Arts.  A stand-alone Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree is available for students who wish to expand their educational training into other fields.  Many students choose to broaden their education by pursuing minors and additional majors in disciplines throughout the university, not just within the Mellon College of Science.

One of the most important features of the Department of Biological Sciences is the opportunity for undergraduate students to interact with faculty. Providing a solid foundation to scientific practice is critical; therefore, the department offers first-year students a variety of inquiry-based, hands-on courses that incorporate a wide range of topics and interests within Biological Sciences. These courses kick-start the transformation of science students to scientists. We encourage our students to get to know their faculty through one of these courses, or through mentored, independent research projects in the faculty laboratories.  Our faculty members are prominent research scientists who also teach beginning and advanced courses. The upper level teaching laboratories are located in the same building as the faculty research laboratories and share scientific equipment. We encourage students to make themselves aware of the research areas of the faculty and to develop research projects with faculty. While such research is usually most important in the senior year, it may begin earlier in a student's undergraduate training. The department has an Honors Program in Research Biology to facilitate a more intensive involvement in research for eligible students. During the past four years, more than 85 percent of the undergraduate biology majors have worked with faculty on their research and, in some cases, have been co-authors of research papers and have given presentations at national meetings.

Since the fall of 2011, the Department of Biological Sciences has offered a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University in Doha, Qatar.  Students enrolled in this degree program will also complete the requirements outlined here.  One of the required courses for the CMU-Qatar program is offered through a collaboration with the Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar. 

Degree and Program Options

Transfer Credit for Biological Sciences Courses

1. Requests for transfer credit for biology classes taken at other institutions should be made to the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Amanda Willard. Students making such requests should follow the policies and procedures in place within their home colleges in assembling materials for such requests. Consult with your advisor on the appropriate steps.  
2. Requests should be placed before paying tuition for a class in case transfer credit is denied.  Allow 1-2 weeks for approval.

3. At minimum requests must be accompanied by a complete syllabus including the textbook that will be used, a detailed list of topic areas and an indication of whether or not the course is part of the curriculum for science majors at the other institution. Check to ensure that the institution is on a semester system.  Most schools on a quarter system (many in the UC system of schools) teach general biology over three quarters; therefore one of these classes would not be equivalent to one CMU class.

4. In assessing the suitability of courses for transfer credit, the following factors are considered:

   • The rigor of the course must be comparable to that offered at Carnegie Mellon. This is usually assessed via the quality of the institution and its biology program, the textbook used, the amount of time spent on topic areas, and the course assessment structure.

   • The topic areas should match to a degree of at least 80% those covered in the comparable course at Carnegie Mellon University.

5. No transfer credit will be awarded for the laboratory classes required for the biological sciences majors at Carnegie Mellon University, 03-124, 03-343, 03-344, 03-345 and 03-346. Core biological sciences courses required for the BS degrees and the additional major that are numbered 03-2xx or higher must be taken at Carnegie Mellon University.  Exceptions must be requested of and approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Amanda Willard. In general such requests will be approved only under unusual or extenuating circumstances. Transfer credit for biological elective coursework will be assessed on a case by case basis by the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Amanda Willard. 

6. Students wishing to transfer credit for 03-121 Modern Biology from another institution must meet the following requirements:

• The course in question should have at least an 80% match in topics with 03-121. Topics in 03-121 cover the genetic, molecular, cellular, developmental, and evolutionary mechanisms that underlie biological processes and include: Cell theory; Cell chemistry; Cell structure; Function and structure of proteins, DNA, RNA, lipids and carbohydrates; Cell respiration and fermentation; The cell cycle; Cell-cell interactions and communication; Transcription; Translation; RNA processing in Eukaryotes; DNA replication; DNA mutation and repair; Meiosis; Mitosis; and Regulation of Gene Expression. This information is sometimes available in the course description, but more detail is often found in a course syllabus.
• The textbook used in the transfer course should be at a comparable level to S. Freeman et al (2016) "Biological Science" Sixth Edition, Pearson, ISBN 9780134255033 (eText).
• Introductory level courses that focus on other biology areas (i.e. anatomy, physiology, ecology, evolution, and/or development) will not be accepted for 03-121 credit. These courses may receive credit for a general biology elective.

Honors Program in Research Biology

The departmental Honors Program offers an opportunity to become extensively involved in research. The program requires students to conduct an independent project and to prepare a formal thesis that is written and defended in the senior year. This program does not preclude a student from completing any of the options within the department nor is it the only way in which students can participate in undergraduate research, although it is excellent preparation for graduate studies. Please contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Amanda Willard, for more information. 

About Course Numbers:

Each Carnegie Mellon course number begins with a two-digit prefix that designates the department offering the course (i.e., 76-xxx courses are offered by the Department of English). Although each department maintains its own course numbering practices, typically, the first digit after the prefix indicates the class level: xx-1xx courses are freshmen-level, xx-2xx courses are sophomore level, etc. Depending on the department, xx-6xx courses may be either undergraduate senior-level or graduate-level, and xx-7xx courses and higher are graduate-level. Consult the Schedule of Classes each semester for course offerings and for any necessary pre-requisites or co-requisites.

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Faculty

NESRINE AFFARA, Associate Teaching Professor, Carnegie Mellon-Qatar – Ph.D., The Ohio State University; Carnegie Mellon, 2017–

CATHERINE ARMBRUSTER, Assistant Professor – Ph.D. , University of Washington; Carnegie Mellon, 2024–

ALISON L. BARTH, Professor – Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley; Carnegie Mellon, 2002–

MOHAMED BOUAOUINA, Associate Teaching Professor, Carnegie Mellon-Qatar – Ph.D., Pierre and Marie Curie University; Carnegie Mellon, 2013–

DANIEL BRASIER, Teaching Professor and Assistant Department Head for Graduate Affairs – Ph.D., University of California, San Diego; Carnegie Mellon, 2012–

MAGGIE BRAUN, Teaching Professor and MCS Senior Associate Dean for Student Success and Strategic Initiatives – Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh; Carnegie Mellon, 2008–

ANDREW BRIDGES, Assistant Professor – Ph.D., Dartmouth College; Carnegie Mellon, 2022–

AMY L. BURKERT, Teaching Professor and Senior Vice Provost for Academic Initiatives – Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University; Carnegie Mellon, 1997–

EN CAI, Assistant Professor – Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Carnegie Mellon, 2021–

JASON M. D'ANTONIO, Associate Teaching Professor and Director of the Health Professions Program – Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Carnegie Mellon, 2013–

CARRIE B. DOONAN, Teaching Professor and Director of Undergraduate Laboratories – Ph.D., University of Connecticut; Carnegie Mellon, 1993–

LYNLEY DOONAN, Assistant Teaching Professor – Ph.D. , University of Pittsburgh; Carnegie Mellon, 2018–

EMILY DRILL, Associate Teaching Professor – Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh; Carnegie Mellon, 2012–

M. DANNIE DURAND, Associate Professor – Ph.D., Columbia University; Carnegie Mellon, 2000–

CHARLES A. ETTENSOHN, Professor – Ph.D., Yale University; Carnegie Mellon, 1987–

ARYN GITTIS, Dr. Frederick A. Schwertz Distinguished Professor of Life Sciences – Ph.D., University of California, San Diego; Carnegie Mellon, 2012–

JONATHAN HENNINGER, Assistant Professor – Ph.D., Harvard University; Carnegie Mellon, 2024–

N. LUISA HILLER, Associate Professor – Ph.D., Northwestern University Medical School; Carnegie Mellon, 2012–

KATE HONG, Assistant Professor – Ph.D., Harvard University; Carnegie Mellon, 2020–

KENNETH HOVIS, Teaching Professor and MCS Associate Dean for Educational Initiatives – Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University; Carnegie Mellon, 2011–

IRENE KAPLOW, Assistant Professor – Ph.D., Stanford University; Carnegie Mellon, 2024–

ZHENG KUANG, Assistant Professor – Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University; Carnegie Mellon, 2021–

CHRISTINA H. LEE, Associate Professor – Ph.D., University of California, San Francisco; Carnegie Mellon, 2000–

ADAM D. LINSTEDT, Professor – Ph.D., University of California, San Francisco; Carnegie Mellon, 1995–

YASSER MAJEED, Assistant Teaching Professor, Carnegie Mellon-Qatar – Ph.D., University of Leeds; Carnegie Mellon, 2024–

BROOKE M. MCCARTNEY, Associate Professor – Ph.D., Duke University; Carnegie Mellon, 2003–

NATALIE M. MCGUIER, Associate Teaching Professor – Ph.D., Medical University of South Carolina; Carnegie Mellon, 2016–

C. JOEL MCMANUS, Associate Professor – Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison; Carnegie Mellon, 2011–

JONATHAN S. MINDEN, Professor – Ph.D., Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Carnegie Mellon, 1990–

ADVITI NAIK, Assistant Teaching Professor, Carnegie Mellon-Qatar – Ph.D., University of Tuebingen; Carnegie Mellon, 2023–

ELIZABETH RANSEY, Assistant Professor – Ph.D. , Harvard University; Carnegie Mellon, 2024–

GORDON S. RULE, Professor and Department Head – Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University; Carnegie Mellon, 1996–

RUSSELL S. SCHWARTZ, Professor and Head, Computational Biology Department – Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Carnegie Mellon, 2002–

JOHN L. WOOLFORD JR., Professor and Co-Director of CNAST – Ph.D., Duke University; Carnegie Mellon, 1979–

AMANDA WILLARD, Assistant Teaching Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies – Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University; Carnegie Mellon, 2020–

BRETT WISNIEWSKI, Special Faculty – Ph.D., Northwestern; Carnegie Mellon, 2023–

STEPHANIE WONG-NOONAN, Associate Teaching Professor – Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University; Carnegie Mellon, 2016–

IHAB YOUNIS, Teaching Professor, Carnegie Mellon-Qatar – Ph.D., The Ohio State University; Carnegie Mellon, 2005–

ERIC YTTRI, Associate Professor – Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis; Carnegie Mellon, 2017–

HUAIYING ZHANG, Assistant Professor – Ph.D., McGill University; Carnegie Mellon, 2019–

YONGXIN ZHAO, Associate Professor – Ph.D., University of Alberta; Carnegie Mellon, 2017–

Affiliated Faculty

BRUCE A. ARMITAGE, Professor of Chemistry and Co-Director of CNAST – Ph.D., University of Arizona; Carnegie Mellon, 1997–

PHIL G. CAMPBELL, Research Professor at the Institute for Complex Engineering Systems – Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University; Carnegie Mellon, 1999–

PHILLIP COMPEAU, Assistant Teaching Professor – Ph.D., University of California-San Diego; Carnegie Mellon, 2015–

WILLIAM F. EDDY, Professor of Statistics – Ph.D., Yale University; Carnegie Mellon, 1976–

T.D. JACOBSEN, Assistant Director and Principal Research Scientist at the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation – Ph.D., Washington State University; Carnegie Mellon, 1979–

ROBERT W. KIGER, Distinguished Service Professor and Botany Professor and the History of Science Director and Principal Research Scientist for the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation – Ph.D., University of Maryland; Carnegie Mellon, 1974–

CARLETON L. KINGSFORD, Associate Professor of Computational Biology – Ph.D., Princeton University; Carnegie Mellon, 2005–

PHILIP LEDUC, William J. Brown Professor, Mechanical Engineering; Director, Center for the Mechanics and Engineering of Cellular Systems – Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University; Carnegie Mellon, 1999–

ANDREAS R PFENNING, Assistant Professor of Computational Biology – Ph.D., Duke University ; Carnegie Mellon, 2016–

FREDERICK H. UTECH, Principal Research Scientist at the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation – Ph.D., Washington University; Carnegie Mellon, 1977–

Adjunct Faculty

AMESH ADALJA, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Senior Scholar-Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security – M.D., American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine; Carnegie Mellon, 2002–

RITA BOTTINO, Adjunct Associate Professor and Principal Investigator at Institute of Cellular Therapeutics - Allegheny Health Network – Ph.D. , University of Genova; Carnegie Mellon, 1990–

ROBERT CAMERON, Adjunct Professor, CalTech-Beckman Institute – Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz;

YONG FAN, Adjunct Associate Professor and Principal Investigator at Institute of Cellular Therapeutics - Allegheny Health Network – Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh; Carnegie Mellon, 1999–

VERONICA HINMAN, Professor of Biology, Director Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience – Ph.D., University of Queensland; Carnegie Mellon, 2000–

JON W. JOHNSON, Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh – Ph.D., Stanford University; Carnegie Mellon, 2006–

KARL KANDLER, Professor of Otolaryngology and Neurobiology at the University of Pittsburgh – Ph.D., University of Tubingen, Germany; Carnegie Mellon, 2006–

CYNTHIA LANCE-JONES, Associate Professor of Neurobiology at the University of Pittsburgh – Ph.D., University of Massachusetts; Carnegie Mellon, 2006–

CYNTHIA M. MORTON, Associate Curator and Head of Botany at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History – Ph.D., New York Botanical Garden/CUNY; Carnegie Mellon, 2002–

JAMES POST, Adjunct Professor, Allegheny Singer Research Institute – Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health; Carnegie Mellon, 2018–

PETER L. STRICK, Co-Director of CNBC and Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology at the University of Pittsburgh – Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania; Carnegie Mellon, 2000–

D. LANSING TAYLOR, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cellumen, Inc. – Ph.D., State University of New York at Albany; Carnegie Mellon, 1982–

MASSIMO TRUCCO, Adjunct Associate Professor and Principal Investigator at Institute of Cellular Therapeutics - Allegheny Health Network – M.D., University of Torino School of Medicine;

KARL WILLIAMS, Adjunct Professor of Otolaryngology and Neurobiology - University of Pittsburgh – M.D., University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine ; Carnegie Mellon, 1974–

Emeriti Faculty

PETER B. BERGET, Professor Emeritus – Ph.D., University of Minnesota; Carnegie Mellon, 1986–

ERIC W. GROTZINGER, Teaching Professor Emeritus – Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh; Carnegie Mellon, 1979–

DAVID D. HACKNEY, Professor Emeritus – Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley; Carnegie Mellon, 1978–

CHIEN HO, Professor Emeritus – Ph.D., Yale University; Carnegie Mellon, 1979–

JONATHAN W. JARVIK, Professor Emeritus – Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Carnegie Mellon, 1978–

LINDA R. KAUFFMAN, Teaching Professor Emeritus – Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh; Carnegie Mellon, 1977–

FREDERICK LANNI, Associate Professor – Ph.D., Harvard University; Carnegie Mellon, 1982–

A. JAVIER LOPEZ, Professor Emeritus – Ph.D., Duke University; Carnegie Mellon, 1989–

WILLIAM R. MCCLURE, Professor Emeritus – Ph.D., University of Wisconsin; Carnegie Mellon, 1981–

ROBERT F. MURPHY, Ray and Stephanie Lane Professor of Computational Biology – Ph.D., California Institute of Technology; Carnegie Mellon, 1983–

JOHN F. NAGLE, Professor Emeritus – Ph.D., Yale University; Carnegie Mellon, 1967–

ALAN S. WAGGONER, Professor Emeritus – Ph.D., University of Oregon; Carnegie Mellon, 1999–

JAMES F. WILLIAMS, Professor Emeritus – Ph.D., University of Toronto; Carnegie Mellon, 1976–

C. ROY WORTHINGTON, Professor Emeritus – Ph.D., Adelaide University; Carnegie Mellon, 1969–