Department of Biology

College of Humanities and Sciences

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VCU welcomed thousands of new students at the start of the academic year, from first-year undergradates to professional students.

Welcome to the Ramily

Sept. 13, 2023

Get to know a few of this year’s roughly 8,000 new students who add to VCU’s diverse and expansive community.

Madison Cruz, a biology major, is working at VCU Health as a patient care technician, helping patients and getting hands-on experience. (Tom Kojcsich, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

With talent ranging from the lab to the stage, VCU senior sees a future in medicine and mental health advocacy

Sept. 5, 2023

Madison Cruz has mixed research, patient care, volunteer work and even the Miss Virginia pageant in her undergraduate experience.

More than 10,000 students will take up to 70 courses each semester in VCU’s new STEM building on Franklin Street, starting this fall. (Photo by Kevin Morley, Enterprise Marketing and Communications.)

Take a video tour of VCU’s new STEM building on Franklin Street

Sept. 1, 2023

The College of Humanities and Sciences’ building dedicated to STEM will serve more than 10,000 students in up to 70 courses each semester.

Back Row: Penelope Sayago (McNair Scholar), Stanley Cheatham (McNair Graduate Assistant), Aceyonna Watkins (McNair Scholar), Ayana Carter (McNair Scholar), Nyla Anderson (McNair Scholar), Saron Bereket (McNair Scholar), Cindy Vigil (McNair Scholar), Jamie Graves (McNair Scholar). Front Row: Juanita Agbenouwope (McNair Scholar), Skye Thurston (McNair Scholar). Front Center: Shay Lumpkin (McNair Program Coordinator). (Photo by Kevin Morley, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

First undergraduate McNair Scholars at VCU use summer research program to propel doctoral dreams

Aug. 23, 2023

Recent federal grant promotes graduate studies for underrepresented students, and their interests cover a range of disciplines.

Ellie Bavuso is working to “gamify” a treatment that can help autistic individuals learn effective social behaviors. (Kevin Morley, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Through undergraduate research program, student works to shift paradigm for disability inclusion in virtual reality research

Aug. 15, 2023

Ellie Bavuso, a biology major, is designing and developing a virtual reality game that's custom-made to support individuals with autism.

‘Learn, discover, and innovate’: VCU celebrates the opening of its new STEM building

April 26, 2023

VCU held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its 168,000-square-foot building dedicated to STEM with space for more than 10,000 students who will take up to 70 courses each semester.

Professor Carr and students standing in a river studying sediments.

Scenes from Footprints on the James

Jan. 12, 2023

Kayaks. Campfires. Microscopes. Students soaked up knowledge of the James River’s natural history and biodiversity over five adventure-filled weeks.

fernando tenjo-fernandez peering into a microscope in a lab

Fostering student success motivates biology professor Fernando Tenjo-Fernandez as he approaches his 20th year at VCU

Sept. 12, 2022

Enthusiasm from his students encourages Tenjo-Fernandez to find new and innovative ways to keep them engaged.

jill reid and catherine hulshof

Faculty awards announced for 2020-21

July 22, 2022

Please join us in congratulating our faculty for their recognitions and awards in the 2020-21 school year.

Vineeth Vaidyula. Photo by Thomas Kojcsich, University Marketing.

Honors student starts club to assist refugees in Richmond, raise awareness

March 7, 2022

‘Through volunteerism, and through conversations, we want VCU students to gain a better understanding of this local population of people that are often very underserved and falling through the cracks.’