Department of Biology

Our students work closely with faculty in the lab.

By studying how cells manipulate proteins, Professor Shubhik DebBurman and his students hope to better understand why some proteins change shape and cause incurable neurological diseases like Parkinson’s. Many of Professor DebBurman’s students have had the opportunity to co-author publications with him on this research and to turn their lab work into research projects and senior theses.

Biology majors don’t just learn facts about living things, they learn how to be scientists. This means they can often be found in the lab, actively engaged in research with faculty. Students have exciting opportunities for internships and research at world-class Chicago institutions like the Field Museum, Chicago Botanic Garden, Shedd Aquarium, and Rosalind Franklin University of Medical Sciences. Biology students are well-trained by hypothesis-driven coursework. While a major or minor in biology is great preparation for postgraduate training in academic research or the health professions, our students also become competitive graduates and professionals in industry and fields like environmental policy, education and museum administration.

Department News

Mentoring scientists nationally

D’Anne Duncan ’04 has a knack for mentoring others. It’s a skill she discovered while majoring in biology at Lake Forest College.
Ann Maine re-elected forest preserve district president

Ann Maine, a senior lecturer in the biology department, was re-elected president of the Lake County Forest Preserve District for a third consecutive term.
A piece of cake

Biology students presented their own research to a national audience at the prestigious Argonne National Laboratory with confidence.