Biology

The Biology Department’s mission is to develop students’ scientific reasoning and abilities through immersion in hands on experiences throughout the curriculum in and out of the classroom.

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.

Course Descriptions Requirements Careers

Biology

Careers

Physician scientist in child neurology
Soil conservationist
Public health worker in cancer research
Toxicologist for Environmental Protection Agency
Nurse practitioner in women’s health
Forensic entomologist
Physical therapist in sports medicine
Ethnobotanist
Veterinarian
Biotechnologist at a pharmaceutical company

Internships

Chicago Botanic Garden
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital
Illinois Bone & Joint Institute
Horsefeathers Therapeutic Riding
Lake Forest Acute Care
Horizon Pharma
The Field Museum
Shedd Aquarium

Research

Mate choice and evolution in guppies
Molecular genetics of telomere mutants in Aspergillus
Evolution and development of body and organ size in Drosophila
Biogeography and niche determinants in ant communities
Cell volume regulation in red blood cells
Misfolding of alpha-synuclein protein in yeasts and implications for Parkinson’s disease
Sexual selection and acoustic communication in insects

Biology at Lake Forest College

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.

Laboratory Skills

Our students work with cutting-edge instrumentation and techniques not often available to undergraduates. These include techniques such as: PCR (polymerase chain reaction), western blot, molecular imaging, electrophysiology, field data collection, experimental design and data analysis, cell culture, DNA sequence analysis, and fluorescence microscopy.

Opportunities for Published Work

Students working in research labs have published their research in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Each year, students also publish their work in Lake Forest’s life sciences journal, Eukaryon. The student editorial board for Eukaryon is a great way to become involved in journal publishing by conducting peer reviews, editing submissions, and designing the layout for this award-winning student research journal.