Department of Biology

Elissa Khodikian, a graduate student in the Department of Biology, researches how certain mosquito species adapt to saline environments in the Pacific Northwest. Originally from Lebanon and later studying in Canada, Elissa came to UW to continue her research under Dr. Andrea Durant. Her story highlights her passion for evolutionary biology and the important role mentorship as well as community have played in shaping her experience at UW.

Mary Brunkow's unconventional journey from UW genetics student to Nobel laureate was shaped by a love of discovery.

Bean plants have been recruiting wasps to fight their battles for them since long before anyone noticed. A caterpillar bites down, the plant releases a chemical signal, and predatory wasps come flying in to finish it off. That part biologists already knew. What they couldnt explain was how the plant told the difference between a caterpillar and a rainstorm. Adam Steinbrenner, an associate professor of biology at the UW, is mentioned.

Included in this science round up is a story about how plants call wasps to their defense. Adam Steinbrenner, an associate professor of biology at the UW, is interviewed.

UW researchers examined almost 3,000 science guidelines and assessment questions for any connections to society. Of the approximately 200 elements that had real-world implications, many discussed ethics and public health issues.

Explore recent research from the University of Washington: how climate change is redirecting rivers, what bean plants use to protect themselves from pests, where the water in an atmospheric river comes from and how researchers are making tensegrities tiny.

New research from a University of Washington scientist could give oyster farmers in Willapa Bay a fighting chance at battling burrowing ghost shrimp, little crustaceans that cause big problems. Jennifer Ruesink, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

There is a promising new way to control burrowing shrimp, small marine excavators native to Washington. Jennifer Ruesink, a UW professor of biology, is quoted.

Many animals, from cockroaches to cats, can walk without input from the brain. Yet scientists have struggled to pinpoint the responsible rhythm-generating circuit, or central pattern generator, in the spinal cord in any organism.The UW's John Tuthill, professor of neurobiology and biophysics at the UW, and Bing Brunton, professor of biology, are quoted.

The history of life on Earth often feels like a story about giants. Huge dinosaurs, powerful predators and massive plant-eaters fill our imagination. But that is only part of the picture. Gregory Wilson Mantilla, professor of biology at the UW and curator of vertebrate paleontology at the UW Burke Museum, is quoted.

A single fossil jaw is forcing scientists to rethink the timeline of one of natures most agile hunters. Found in Spain, the tiny bone suggests that the ancestors of modern weasels were already on the move more than six million years ago far earlier than expected. Chris Law, a principal research scientist of biology at the UW and an affiliate curator at the UW Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, is quoted.

Explore recent research from the University of Washington: how sunbirds sip nectar through straw-like tongues, why the Seattle Fault might not pose as great a risk as previously thought, how to gauge landslide dam risk in the PNW, what marine microbes use for making meals and when the Simonyi Survey Telescope at the NSF-DOE Rubin Observatory will spot small inbound asteroids.

Come curious. Leave inspired. The UW offers an exciting lineup of in-person and online events. From thought-provoking art and music to conversations on culture, history, and science, the UW community invites you to explore, learn, and connect across disciplines throughout the University. 

A research team led by the UW has identified a new species of an ancient rodent-like creature. The new species, named Cimolodon desosai, was about the size of a golden hamster, the researchers said. It likely scampered on the ground and in the trees and ate fruits and insects.

UW News spoke with Paul Wiggins, a University of Washington associate professor of both physics and bioengineering, to learn about a surprisingly relatable behavior prompting bacteria to stockpile huge reserves of essential proteins.