Department of Biology

A study measuring the sleep patterns of students at the University of Washington found that students fell asleep later in the evening and woke up later in the morning during winter, when daylight hours on the UW Seattle campus are limited and the skies are notoriously overcast. Researchers believe the students' natural circadian clocks were being "pushed back" or delayed in winter because they were not getting enough exposure during the day to natural light, and that getting more daytime light exposure can help reverse this.

After committing to a new biology building in 2010, years of planning, relocation, and construction have culminated in the newly constructed greenhouse, and its doors are almost ready to open again. Taking the place of the old Botany Greenhouse, demolished in 2016, the new structure is located within the Life Sciences Building and, starting Dec. 1, will be open to the public on Thursdays from noon to 4 p.m. 

A study led by Thure Cerling, a professor at the University of Utah, and co-authored by Sam Wasser, a University of Washington professor of biology, used carbon isotope science to show that tusks from a guarded government stockpile in Burundi have somehow made their way into the hands of illegal ivory traders.

A new study by researchers at the University of Washington shows that losing a particular group of endangered animals — those that eat fruit and help disperse the seeds of trees and other plants — could severely disrupt seed-dispersal networks in the Atlantic Forest, a shrinking stretch of tropical forest and critical biodiversity hotspot on the coast of Brazil.

The University of Washington has joined the Alliance for Therapies in Neuroscience (ATN), a long-term research partnership between academia and industry geared to transform the fight against brain diseases and disorders of the central nervous system. Launched in 2021 by the University of California, San Francisco, UC Berkeley, Genentech — a member of the Roche group — and Roche Holding AG, the ATN seeks to accelerate the development of new therapies for a broad range of brain and central nervous system conditions.

1 in 5 adult female white-necked jacobin hummingbirds look like males. New research from the University of Washington shows that this is a rare case of "deceptive mimicry" within a species: Females with male-like plumage are trying to pass themselves off as males, and as a result receive a benefit in the form of reduced aggression from males.

Which group of mammals has the more "primitive" reproductive strategy — marsupials, with their short gestation periods, or humans and other placental mammals, which have long gestation periods? For decades, biologists viewed marsupial reproduction as "more primitive." But University of Washington scientists have discovered that a third group of mammals, the long-extinct multituberculates, had a long gestation period like placental mammals. Since multituberculates split off from the rest of the mammalian lineage before placentals and marsupials had even evolved, these findings question the view that marsupials were “less advanced” than their placental cousins.

During her time at the UW, Ava Kloss-Schmidt (BS, Biology, 2022) has surrounded herself with plants — in a lab, in a greenhouse, and on mountaintops.

When Sam Wasser, professor of biology at the UW, was a young biologist studying baboons in Tanzania, he never imagined he would one day lead an international force cracking down on the smuggling of illegal goods, from elephant ivory to pangolins and timber. Yet fighting transnational criminal organizations is exactly what he’s doing today, all because of his passion for animals.

Karly Cohen, a doctoral student in biology, discusses the curious Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker, "one of the cutest fish that you can find."

Sam Wasser, professor of biology, explains how DNA tests of seized elephant tusks can reveal ivory trafficking networks.

Billie Swalla, professor of biology, explains how sea squirts are relevant to discussions about the evolution of the heart and head.

Sam Wasser, research professor of biology, explains how a genetic investigation technique can be used to catch wildlife poachers.

Marina Watowich, a doctoral student in biology, explains the results of a new study she authored on the effects of extreme weather events on ageing.

Jeff Riffel, biology, discusses the results of a new UW study on what makes mosquitos attracted to humans.