Department of Biology

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Fourth-year biology major and track and field star Guðru´n Hallgrímsdóttir is hoping to step onto the Olympic stage. (VCU Athletics)

VCU track and field All-American has come a great distance – and throws one, too

Jan. 28, 2025

Hammer in hand, Iceland native Guðru´n Hallgrímsdóttir competes on the world stage and is setting her sights on the Olympics.

Lauren Moncayo, a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, is balancing her scientific education and passion for modeling (Photo by Arda Athman, School of Medicine)

From the lab to the runway: Ph.D. candidate finds confidence through research

Jan. 24, 2025

Graduate student Lauren Moncayo said pursuing a doctorate has made her reevaluate other goals she considered ‘out of reach,’ like becoming a model.

Biology student Naeem Ahmad hopes to pursue a career in the medical field after graduation. (Contributed photo)

Through science, medicine and empathy, junior Naeem Ahmad hopes to serve across borders

Jan. 8, 2025

Influenced by a pre-college experience and VCU’s Diversity P.A.T.H.S. office, the biology major is nurturing his commitment to health care and humanitarianism.

Melanie Cruz’s advocacy mindset is being framed in part by serving as a Virginia Management Fellow, which allows her to complete three eight-month rotations at state agencies. (Thomas Kojcsich, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Class of 2024: With a master’s in public health, Melanie Cruz looks to serve diverse communities

Dec. 18, 2024

VCU faculty and travel opportunities helped shape the two-time graduate, who is serving as a Virginia Management Fellow.

Kathleen Russo has twice studied abroad as a VCU student, including spending a semester in Argentina, where this photo was taken. (Contributed image)

Class of 2024: Nearby and far away, Kathleen Russo expands her horizons and commitment

Nov. 25, 2024

The biology graduate from Chesterfield embraces community service and study abroad ahead of medical school.

(File photo)

A year-end review of students and alums who earned prestigious scholarships through the National Scholarship Office

Nov. 11, 2024

Recipients represent a variety of fields and backgrounds, and their scholarships will provide invaluable opportunities to deepen their studies, gain new perspectives and grow in their fields.

Flyer for VCU Biology Grad Open House. Image Contains date, event highlights, and zoom and in-person meeting information.

Join the Biology Department for a Grad School open house!

Oct. 22, 2024

VCU Biology Grad Open House: Explore Your Future in Science

Aditya Kotha, a senior at VCU, researches alternative and affordable treatments for inflammatory immune disorders. (Thomas Kojcsich, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

How I found my research: Aditya Kotha is exploring if some medications can be repurposed to treat other ailments

Sept. 25, 2024

Kotha, a Goldwater Scholar, hopes that his research in VCU’s Ryan Immunology Lab will one day help ‘improve and advance patient care.’

For the first time since 2021, Spit for Science – the nation’s largest genetic and environmental study of college students – is collecting samples for a new cohort, and researchers hope to recruit more than 1,000 students. (Photo by Emily Komornik, Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation).

VCU’s Spit for Science, the largest genetic and environmental study of college students in the U.S., is expanding

Sept. 25, 2024

Already with more than 13,000 participants, the registry will invite VCU’s new freshman class to join a research project that delivers insight into their health and well-being.

Aleah Nguyen pursued her interest in pediatric cancer research this summer through the Honors Summer Undergraduate Research Program. (Contributed image)

Undergrad Aleah Nguyen embraces the chance ‘to write my own story’ in pediatric cancer research

Aug. 13, 2024

The rising junior in VCU’s Honors College participated in a summer program that paired her with a School of Medicine researcher.