Welcome to the Department of Biological Sciences
Welcome to the Department of Biological Sciences
The Department of Biological Sciences functions within the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. Courses and activities in the Fulbright College are focused on motivating and empowering students to develop a global perspective, which fosters creativity, integrity, teamwork, leadership, and ultimately personal and professional success.
Department in Action
Fulbright College Recognizes its 2026-2027 Connor Faculty Fellows
The Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences has selected faculty members from each of its 19 departments and schools as the 2026-27 recipients of the Robert C. and Sandra Connor Endowed Faculty Fellowship.
Their areas of expertise span the natural sciences, humanities, fine arts and social sciences, and the funds from the Connor Fellowship are intended to help each rising academic further their research and professional pursuits.
We welcome new faculty member, Dr. Nick Levis:
Dr. Nick Levis holds a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of North Carolina, a M.S. in Biology from Western Kentucky University, and a B.S. in Zoology from Miami University. Prior to coming to the University of Arkansas, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Indiana University. Dr. Levis's research examines the ecological, evolutionary, and developmental (eco-evo-devo) causes and consequences of environmentally induced phenotypes. Using spadefoot toad tadpoles and shark-tooth nematodes as model organisms, the Levis Lab employs a variety of tools, ranging from functional genetics to mesocosm communities, to understand if, when, and how environmentally contingent development affects diversity and adaptation within and between generations.
NIH Awards $2 Million to Study How Cells Vary in Stress Responses
The National Institutes of Health awarded Jeffrey Lewis, an associate professor of biological sciences at the U of A, $2 million to study how cells vary in their responses to stress. In his application, Lewis noted that "proper regulation of stress defenses is a feature of healthy cells and organisms, and defects in stress defense are connected to a number of human disorders."
NSF Awards U of A $1.9 Million to Fund Doctoral Fellowships in Engineering, Chemistry and Biology
The U of A received a $1.9 million award from the National Science Foundation to fund up to 12 doctoral students who earn an honorable mention in the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program, one of the nation's most competitive graduate fellowships. Fellows will receive three years of support, a $37,000 annual stipend plus a cost-of-education allowance, to pursue a doctorate in chemical engineering, biomedical engineering or cell and molecular biology in Fayetteville. The first cohort arrives in August 2027.
Meet Dr. Shilpa Iyer
Meet Dr. Shilpa Iyer, a mitochondrial disease researcher with the University of Arkansas
and member of the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation’s (UMDF) Scientific and
Medical Advisory Board.
News
Dr. Kimberly G. Smith Memorial Funds Information
Donations to ONSC can be made online at https://www.onsc.us/donate. Please use the optional note field to mark that this is for Dr. Kim Smith otherwise there we not be a way for them to track your gift.
Kimberly G. Smith Memorial Scholarship in Ecology
Donations to the Kimberly G. Smith Memorial Scholarship in Ecology can be made online at https://onlinegiving.uark.edu/. In the designation section, select “other department, program or fund” and enter "Kimberly G Smith Scholarship in Ecology". If you would like to send a check, please make it out to the U of A Foundation with the name of the scholarship in the memo line and mail it to:
Office of Development and External Relations
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525 Old Main
Fayetteville, AR 72701