Find out everything you need to know about Master of Biological Sciences degree requirements, plans B and C, and courses.
Plan Requirements
You can choose to follow Plan B (Research with a Final Project) or Plan C (Coursework Only).
| Courses | Credits | Plan B | Plan C |
|---|---|---|---|
| MBS 6001 Introduction to Graduate Studies in the Biological Sciences | 2 | Required | Required |
| BIOC 6021 Biochemistry | 3 | With evidence of proficiency, may be substituted with another 3-credit course | With evidence of proficiency, may be substituted with another 3-credit course |
| Final Project Course | 3 | MBS 6002 required | MBS 6003 required |
| Career Exploration Courses | 1-2 | One course of MBS 6101, MBS 6103, or MBS 6110 required (1 cr) | MBS 6103 and MBS 6110, required (2 cr) |
| Biology Courses | 9-20 | Will be selected with advisor help | Will be selected with advisor help |
| Directed Research/Study | 0-6 | 3 cr of MBS 6993 and/or MBS 6994 required. | Optional |
| Elective Professional Development Courses | 3-6 | One course (3 cr) of ASCL 6313, ASCL 6314, ASCL 6315, or ASCL 6316 required. Additional courses may be taken to support career goals | One course (3 cr) of ASCL 6313, ASCL 6314, ASCL 6315, or ASCL 6316 required. Additional courses may be taken to support career goals |
| Total Credits | 30 | 30 |
Capstone Projects
Master of Biological Sciences students either complete a research project under the guidance of a faculty mentor (Plan B) or write a scientific review paper where they explore, in depth, a topic in their area of concentration (Plan C). Take a look at some of the wide ranging capstone projects from our recent graduates.
Research Projects (Plan B)
2025
- Characterizing the influence of management practices and soil properties on the diversity and structure of microbial communities in Minnesota agricultural soil – Mark Timper
Advisor: Dr. Devanshi Khokhani (Plant Pathology) - Contrast-enhanced micro-computed tomography imaging for the visualization of Bachmann’s bundle in human hearts: those with and without a clinical history of atrial fibrillation – Audrey Wethington
Advisor: Dr. Paul Iaizzo (Surgery) - Incorporating probabilistic Bayesian analysis into ProportionTeller, a new software package for kinase substrate preference analysis from proteomics data – Milton Andrews
Advisor: Dr. Laurie Parker (Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Biophysics) - CAR T cells engineered using lentiviral vectors are functional and may increase safety of HIV immunotherapies – Max Cantor
Advisor: Dr. Pamela Skinner (Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences) - Characterization of lactulose fermentation by the human gut microbiota – Maradi Pho Advisor: Dr. Levi Teigen (Food Science & Nutrition)
- Discovery of pathway-level genetic interactions associated with colorectal cancer – Sophie Si
Advisor: Dr. Chad Myers (Computer Science & Engineering) - Subtomogram averaging and refinement of the immature HIV-2 gag lattice – Luoan Xu Advisor: Dr. Louis Mansky (Institute for Molecular Virology)
- High-throughput screening to identify small molecule modulators of cardiac muscle calcium ATPase – Nathan Peterson
Advisor: Dr. Robyn Rebbeck (Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics)
2024
- Beta oscillations of the basal ganglia-thalamocortical network are associated with motor and vigilance symptoms in Parkinsonism – Kit Acedillo
Advisor: Dr. Luke Johnson (Neurology) - Characterization of X-family DNA polymerase for predictable genome editing in plants – Khadijah Alhobaidaa
Advisor: Dr. Fang Zhang (Plant & Microbial Biology) - Evaluating storage variables of potentially exceptional species to further support ex-situ conservation and species protection – Betsy Custis
Advisor: Dr. David Remucal (Horticulture) - Don’t judge a nongame fish by its cover-age: An assessment of Minnesota native fish coverage and user engagement on a social media platform – Faith Kelly
Advisor: Dr. Solomon David (Fisheries, Wildlife & Conservation Biology) - Mouse Behavior Core Database Project – Tessa Nichols-Meade
Advisor: Dr. Chad Myers (Computer Science & Engineering) - Dopaminergic signaling in the spinal cord suppresses locomotion in larval zebrafish development – Deborah Walters
Advisor: Dr. Mark Masino (Neuroscience) - High resolution imaging of human hearts presenting with ischemic cardiomyopathy and/or atrial fibrillation: Generating high resolution disease models for uses within the Visible Heart® Laboratories’ free-access heart app – Madeline Wethington
Advisor: Dr. Paul Iaizzo (Surgery) - HD and SCA1: A cross-disease comparative analysis using mouse model transcriptomes – Praseuth Yang
Advisor: Dr. Harry Orr (Laboratory Medicine & Pathology)
2023
- Hemodynamic and sympathetic reactivity to isometric exercise in females: the influence of early menopause, menopause duration, and age – Miguel Anselmo
Advisor: Dr. Manda Keller-Ross (Rehabilitation Medicine) - Students who experience CUREs that use a digital evolution platform frame their research in terms of evolution – Dhanya Attipetty
Advisor: Dr. Anita Schuchardt (Biology Teaching & Learning) - The timing, abundance, location, and phenotype of SIV-producing cells in lymphoid tissues after release from suppressive antiretroviral drugs – James Berg
Advisor: Dr. Pamela Skinner (Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences) - Reactivity of anthracyclines with abasic sites in DNA: A novel mechanism in chemotherapy – Kyle Brandt
Advisor: Dr. Robert Turesky (Medicinal Chemistry) - Exploring deep neural networks for image registration of whole mouse brain datasets: a comparative framework & challenges with state-of-the-art methods – Nadia Kane
Advisor: Dr. Thomas Pengo (Minnesota Supercomputing Institute) - An analysis of the size and surrounding land of USDA Conservation Reserve Program sites in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota – Cathy Wiegand
Advisor: Dr. Daniel Larking (Fisheries, Wildlife & Conservation Biology)
Scientific Review Paper (Plan C)
2025
- Climate-driven genetic adaptations in marine zooplankton populations - Maham Bashir
- Datasets in disguise: impacts of data structure and computational methodology on single-cell RNA sequencing analyses - Margaret Donovan
- Genetics provides insight into the molecular basis of unexplained female infertility - Katie Duncan
- The potential of molecular methods to improve accuracy of postmortem interval (PMI) estimation - Bailey Otto
- The impact of compounding natural disturbances on plant diversity in temperate forests - Megan Ullery-Brux
- Investigating DNA repair mechanism mutations in the development of prostate cancer - Michael Gutman
- Obesity and its effects on immunity and development of severe diseases - Anna Tran
- Impacts of climate change on species with temperature-dependent sex determination - Sydney Blitz
- The effectiveness of fungal control for emerald ash borer - Nicole Ruppert
- Entomopathogenic endophyte-mediated resistance to salinity in crops - Allison Scott
- A persistent threat: the liver graft microenvironment drives T cell residency phenotypes during rejection episodes - Michael Simeon
2024
- Green solutions for poultry production: utilizing plant-derived antimicrobials to combat Salmonella contamination – Megan Andorfer
- Sustainable production of vinblastine and precursors using S. cerevisiae as a microbial production host – Noah Kincs
- Sequencing the human Y chromosome: strengthening ethics and identification capabilities in forensic science – Sophie Leaf
- The use of monoclonal antibody therapy to target the mechanism of action and side effects of opioids in opioid overdose – Daniela Leon Vargas
- Regulating neuroinflammation as a method of treating substance use disorders – Brad Marcy
- Buried macroinvertebrates: how we’re choking our streams – Elena Schlechte
- Marmosets as a model for neurocognitive disease research – Nubia Silva
- A multidisciplinary look at celiac disease and a potential new treatment – Jason Vollmer
- The ineffectiveness of current animal models in preclinical drug trials. An innovative human-based approach through organ-on-chip – Kevin Williams
2023
- Physiological contributions to ACL injuries and reconstructive graft failure in female athletes – Victoria Adams
- Working memory, the basal ganglia, and memory deficits in Parkinson’s Disease – Madeline Blumenfeld
- Building the future of protein engineering on the back of SPINE – Taylor Christian
- Mechanisms used by the gut microbiome to influence the brain via the gut-brain axis – Maeve Dowdle
- Application of GWAS/GWAX for identifying novel Alzheimer’s Disease risk alleles – Ana Kostovic
- The impact of corticosterone on the stress response of the HPA axis – Debra Kulhanek
- Another watershed moment for mRNA technology: creating transient CAR-T cells in vivo – Katherine Mares
- Precision base editing for point mutation correction in spinal muscular atrophy: advances and rescue strategies – Jennifer Yoo
Sample Specializations
One of the MBS program's strengths is its flexibility. The program allows you to take courses across a variety of disciplines, like biotech, biomedical, and environmental specialties. The program areas described below are suggestions. Pursue your own interests and objectives and talk with your academic advisor to map out your plan.
Biotechnology
For students who want to learn more about how biology can be applied in industry, like the production of biologics, brewing, or biofuels.
Computational Biology and Genomics
For students interested in large-scale data analysis. You'll learn to apply these skills to genomics, proteomics, and evolutionary biology, and in clinical trials.
Environmental Biology
For students who want to learn about biology on the level of ecosystems and populations, with an interest in conserving our natural world.
Biomedical Sciences
For students interested in biomedical biology: physiology and neurobiology, pharmacology, epidemiology, immunology, and cancer biology.
Course Options
The core of the MBS program is biology, broadly defined. The following lists are just a sampling of the courses you can apply to your degree. For detailed course information, visit the U of M Schedule Builder.
Cell Biology
BIOL 4004 – Cell Biology
GCD 4151 – Molecular Biology of Cancer
GCD 5036 – Molecular Cell Biology
MICA 8002 – Structure, Function, and Genetics of Bacteria and Viruses
MICA 8003 – Immunity and Immunopathology
MICA 8004 – Cellular and Cancer Biology
NSCI 5101 – Neurobiology I: Molecules, Cells, and Systems
NSC 5461 – Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
NSC 5661W – Behavioral Neuroscience
PHCL 8026 – Neuro-Immune Interactions
PHSL 5700 – Cell Physiology
PHSL 5444 – Muscle
VPM 4131 – Immunology
Environmental and Population Biology
BIOL 5272 – Applied Biostatistics
CSCI 5465 – Introduction to Computing for Biologists
EEB 5371 – Principles of Systematics
EEB 5409 – Evolution
EEB 5534 – Biodiversity Science
EEB 5601 – Limnology
EEB 5609 – Ecosystem Ecology
ESPM 5575 – Wetlands
FW 8452 – Conservation Biology
MICE 5035 – Personal Microbiome Analysis
Molecular Biology
BIOC 6021 – Biochemistry
BIOC 5309 – Biocatalysis and Biodegradation
BIOC 5351 – Protein Engineering
BIOC 5361 – Microbial Genomics
BIOL 4003 – Genetics
CSCI 5465 – Introduction to Computing for Biologists
GCD 8008 – Mammalian Gene Transfer and Genome Engineering
GCD 8073 – Genetics and Genomics in Human Health
GCD 8131 – Advanced Molecular Genetics and Genomics
NUTR 5625 – Nutritional Biochemistry
MICE 5355 – Advanced Fermentation and Biocatalysis Laboratory
PHCL 5110 – Introduction to Pharmacology
PHCL 5111 – Pharmacogenomics
Organismal Biology and Physiology
BBE 5608 – Environmental and Industrial Microbiology
ENT 5361 – Aquatic Insects
ENT 4251 – Forest and Shade Tree Entomology
FW 5401 – Fish Physiology and Behavior
MICA 8002 – Structure, Function, and Genetics of Bacteria and Viruses
FSCN 5122 – Food Fermentations and Biotechnology
PHSL 5115 – Clinical Physiology I
PHSL 5116 – Clinical Physiology II
PHSL 5510 – Advanced Cardiac Physiology and Anatomy
PMB 5212 – Fungi – A Kingdom of Their Own
PMB 5111 – Microbial Physiology and Diversity
Electives
ASCL 6313 – Data for Decision Making
ASCL 6314 – Leading Projects and Teams
ASCL 6315 – Legal and Ethical Business Issues for Science Professionals
ASCL 6316 – Transformational Leadership in an Intercultural World
BTHX 5100 – Introduction to Clinical Ethics
GRAD 8101 – Teaching in Higher Education
PUBH 6320 – Fundamentals of Epidemiology
PUBH 7415 – Introduction to Clinical Trials
STAT 5021 – Statistical Analysis