Professor David Lohman • Department Office: MR 526 Tel: 212-650-6800

The City College offers the following undergraduate and combined degrees in Biology 

Programs and Objectives

The Department of Biology offers courses in several areas: , Neuroscience; Cellular, Molecular, & Developmental Biology; and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, & Behavior.

The Biology core curriculum covers a broad range of topics from molecular biology to ecosystems. Courses emphasize the fundamental principles of biology and incorporate the scientific method to gain deeper understanding. Evolution is emphasized as an organizing theme throughout.

Elective courses allow students to investigate a variety of biological processes and phenomena, and to explore the relationships among organisms. Qualified advanced students are encouraged to perform Independent Study or Honors research and may also take selected graduate courses.

The Department cooperates with the Program in Premedical Studies (PPS), a program of the Division of Science. PPS features a curriculum that specifically prepares participants to meet medical, dental, optometry, podiatry, and veterinary school admission requirements. Students may major in Biology while participating in PPS.

To help students in making decisions about the career for which they are preparing, City College provides and encourages students to use the following resources:

Choosing a major - Career exploration 

What Can I do with This Major

Research Opportunities

The Department of Biology has an active undergraduate research program. Students who wish to do laboratory research and have been accepted into a professor’s laboratory may enroll for Independent Study (BIO 31001, Bio 31002 or Bio 31003) if their Biology GPA is above 3.0, or Honors (BIO 30100-30300) if their Biology GPA is above 3.5. Up to 6 of the credits from these courses may be applied to the major’s elective requirements. Students interested in research should consult with the Honors and Independent Study Committee. Financial support for research during the academic year and the summer may be available through a variety of college and grant sponsored programs.

Articulation with Bronx Community College, LaGuardia Community College, and Queensborough Community College for the BS Degree in Biotechnology

The Combined AS/BS Degree in BiotechnologyThe goal of the articulations with Bronx Community College (BCC), LaGuardia Community College (LGA), and Queensborough Community College (QCC) is to transition community college students who have earned an A.S. in Biotechnology seamlessly into the Biotechnology degree program at City College.  To transfer into the program at CCNY, students must have completed the following:
An AS degree in Biotechnology from BCC, LGA, or QCC.
One English course with a grade of “C” or better.
At least 2.0 overall GPA.
2.75 minimum GPA in the science and mathematics courses from BCC, LGA, or QCC.
The curriculum that students follow at CCNY will depend on the courses taken at the articulating college.

Courses in other Departments that count towards Biology Elective Requirements

The following non-Biology courses count towards the Biology Major electives and will be used to calculate the GPA in the Biology major, but they do not count towards the Biology Department residency requirement.

Non- Biology Courses

Graduate Courses Open to Undergraduates

Qualified undergraduate students may take selected graduate courses. Permission of the Instructor, and the Biology Department advisors or the Deputy Chair must be obtained before a student may register for these courses. The courses are described in the Graduate Bulletin of The City College.

Biology Minor

Requirements for the Minor

Required Courses:

One of the following three:

Subtotal: 16

All courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher.  At least 50% of the credits must be taken at City College.  Up to 8 biology credits taken as requirements for a major can also count towards the requirements for the biology minor.

Advising

The Department provides advice and information on career opportunities, programs, and opportunities for financial support. Prospective biology majors should email the Head Undergraduate Advisor, who will sign the Majors form. All Biology majors will be assigned a faculty advisor. Students needing advice on planning elective programs should consult with their faculty advisor. Non-majors seeking advice on individual courses should consult with the Head Undergraduate Advisor.

TO DECLARE A MAJOR IN BIOLOGY

Head Undergraduate Advisor (including transfer students)

Yevgeniy Grigoryev

MR 5th Floor - Room 515

212-650-8414

Email: ygrigoryev@ccny.cuny.edu

Head Advisor for B.S. Program in Biotechnology

Christine Li

Room CDI - 3N Room 13384

212-650-8450

Email: cli@ccny.cuny.edu

Head Advisor for B.S./M.S. Program in Biology

Jay Edelman

MR 7th Floor - Room 734

212-650-8461

Email: jedelman@ccny.cuny.edu

Premedical Studies

Belinda Smith, Director

MR 1st Floor (Plaza Level)- Room 1208B

212-650-6622

Email: bsmith@ccny.cuny.edu

ePermits

Christine Stefano

MR 5th Floor - Room 526

212-650-6802

Email: cklusko@ccny.cuny.edu

Tutoring

Special tutoring services are available to those students needing help in Biology. Students seeking to avail themselves of such services are directed to the Division of Science Advising Center/CCAPP Administrative Office located on the first floor of the Marshak Building, Room 108.

Facilities

Resource Center

The Resource Center of the Department of Biology (MR 502) maintains a wide variety of reference materials for student use in conjunction with many of the undergraduate courses. Instructors will inform students as to the availability of materials available for their course. The facility is open Monday through Friday (hours are posted outside MR 502).

Imaging Complex

The Imaging Complex houses a transmission electron microscope, a scanning electron microscope, a confocal microscope, a digital darkroom, and complete support facilities for tissue preparation. In addition to its use in several courses, the facility supports faculty and student research in many aspects of cellular biology.

Departmental Activities

Beta Beta Beta (Tribeta)

Beta Beta Beta (TriBeta) is an honor society for students, particularly undergraduates, dedicated to improving the understanding and appreciation of biological study and extending boundaries of human knowledge through scientific research.

The Biology Club

The Biology Club, affiliated with the Biology Department, aims to aid students with opportunities to further their academic, social, and professional careers.

Awards

The following awards are made annually to deserving students on the basis of merit and superior scholarship in biology:

The Edmund Baermann Scholarship in Natural Sciences
To a sophomore or junior completing the Biology core. Selection is based on performance in the Biology core.

The Sharon D. Cosloy Scholarship
To a junior who demonstrates potential in research and who will pursue graduate work in the biomedical field.

The Eva J. Lindauer and Ira J. Pell Scholarship
To students entering their junior year with superior academic records, demonstrated financial need, and of the first generation of their family to attend college.

The Olivia McKenna Award
To a graduating senior demonstrating the greatest research proficiency in Neuroscience.

The Professor William Stratford Prize
To the student demonstrating the greatest proficiency in both course work in zoology and zoological research.

The Professor Josh Wallman Scholarship
To a student pursuing studies in animal behavior, sensory perception, ophthalmology, neuroscience or related areas, who demonstrates a passion for the subject matter chosen, and with the potential to make meaningful contributions in the field of interest.

Faculty

Robert P. Anderson, Professor
B.A., Kansas State University; Ph.D., University of Kansas

Ana Carnaval, Professor
B.S., Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), M.S.; Ph.D., University of Chicago

Jay A. Edelman, Associate Professor
A.B., University of California (Berkeley), Ph.D. University of California (Berkeley/ San Francisco)

Mark Emerson, Associate Professor
B.A., Oberlin College; Ph.D. Harvard University

Fardad Firooznia, Lecturer
B.S., Yale University; Ph.D. Cornell University

Shubha Govind, Professor
B.S., M.S., Delhi University (India); Ph.D., University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign)

Yevgeniy Grigoryev, Lecturer
B.S., Hunter College, CUNY; Ph.D., Scripps Research Institute

Michael Hickerson, Professor
B.S., The Evergreen State College; M.S., Western Washington University; Ph.D., Duke University

Karen Hubbard, Professor
B.A., Barat College; Ph.D., Illinois Institute Of Technology

Anuradha Janakiraman, Professor
B.Sc., Presidency College (India); M.Sc. University of Calcutta (India); M.S. Kent State University; Ph.D. University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) Medical School

Jonathan B. Levitt, Professor
B.A., University of Pennsylvania; M.A., Ph.D., New York University

Christine Li, Professor
A.B., Columbia University; M.S.; Ph.D., Harvard University

David Lohman, Professor and Chair
B.S., Bradley University; A.M., Ph.D., Harvard University

Mark Pezzano, Associate Professor
B.S., William Paterson University; Ph.D., CUNY

Stefan Pukatzki, Professor
B.Sc., M.Sc., University of Bremen; Ph.D. Columbia University

Shireen Saleque, Associate Professor
B.Sc., M.Sc., Calcutta University (India); M.A., M.Phil., Columbia University; Ph.D., Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Tadmiri R. Venkatesh, Professor
B.S., Univ. of Mysore (India); M.S., Ph.D., Birla Institute of Technology and Science (India)

Bao Q. Vuong, Associate Professor
B.S., Cornell University; M.A., M. Phil., Ph.D., Columbia University

Osceola Whitney, Assistant Professor
B.S., Lincoln University; M.S., Florida A&M University; Ph.D., Florida State University

Professors Emeriti

Jane C. Gallagher

Jerry Guyden

Sally Hoskins

Daniel Lemons