Department of Biology

In a new study, orca pregnancy failures are up, salmon stocks are down, and fecal samples are in—thanks in part to a black Lab on dung duty.

A T. Rex skull, found biology professor Greg Wilson and his team is now on display at the Burke Museum. 

Sam Wasser, a professor at the UW who has performed forensic analysis on seized ivory for the last 13 years, commented on the destroyed ivory.

A common lizard living on the Texas-Mexico border underwent a dramatic genetic transformation in response to cold weather. Raymond Huey, an evolutionary biologist at the UW, is quoted. 

In 2013 and 2014, scientists started noticing that west coast starfish weren't their usual regenerative selves. 

The construction of a dam in central Brazil has spurred remarkably fast evolution of geckos in the region. Raymond Huey, an evolutionary biologist at the UW, is quoted.

Samuel Wasser, Ph.D., research professor, Biology, director, Center for Conservation Biology, UW

In a study at the University of Washington, in Seattle, researchers found that “in almost all cases, students self-sorted by ethnicity and gender.”

Improving salmon runs could help the endangered killer whales that frequent the inland waters of Washington state.

The Southern Resident killer whales are a genetically distinct population, and they are considered critically endangered with only an estimated 78 individuals left.

A multi-year survey of the endangered southern resident killer whales suggests that up to two-thirds of pregnancies failed in this population from 2007 to 2014.

A research dog smells the sea air for orca excrement as its handler directs the boat. The researchers are from the Center for Conservation Biology at the University of Washington.

“We now understand the design principles to make polymers that can transport both ions and electrons more effectively.” - Professor David Ginger, UW Dept. of Chemistry.

At the University of Washington, students are learning to navigate the hazards of our information-addled age.