Biology Research and Study Opportunities

Thousands of study and academic opportunities in Biology are available internationally. Conferences and summer schools in Biology are organized regularly in the best academic centers of the world. The majority of universities and many foundations also offer BA, MA, and Ph.D. programs in Biology as wells as postdoctoral research grants, awards, and fellowships. Below you will find the updated list of international opportunities available in Biology.

Biology Scholarships

Biology Fellowships

Biology Conferences

Biology relevant accounts on Twitter

Biology as an academic discipline

It may sound controversial, but humans know very little about the life they live. Often, people are not even aware of their organism: how it works, what are the reasons for their diseases, what is useful and harmful for them. The situation has also been critical with the life around us. Over the years, people harmed the surrounding environment and other living organisms so harshly, that today numerous organizations are working to lighten the negative human impact. 

However, life is a complex process, where all the participants should act in collaboration to build a healthy and secure environment for all. The key to increasing the life quality is having the proper information about our life, and biology is proposed exactly for that. 

Biology consists of two Greek words: “bios,” which means life, and “logos,” which means study. Therefore, biology is the study of life. It explores all the life aspects of all living organisms. Biology studies life durations, life cycles, main activities, and patterns of even the smallest microorganisms. As there are numerous species alive on the planet, biology is also divided into many branches, each dedicated to studies of specific directions. The main subdivisions of biological discipline include:

  • Biotic Factors: studies the living organisms that shape their environment. 
  • Anatomy: focuses on the structure of organisms and the separate parts.
  • Physiology: studies physics and chemistry behind human body functions.
  • Cytology: is usually used for cancer diagnosis and studies of the cells.
  • Ecology: explores the human operation in their surrounding physical environment. 
  • Evolutionary Biology: studies the evolutionary processes such as natural selection, common descent, etc. 
  • Taxonomy: grouping the organisms into groups and subgroups.
  • Genetics: studies the genes and how they participate in inheritance processes. 
  • Molecular Biology: explores the composition, structure, and interactions of cellular molecules. 
  • Biotechnology: explores how living organisms can be turned into substances useful for human health. 
  • Paleontology: studies the remains of extinct organisms. 

The mentioned fields of biology do not represent its whole breakdown structure. According to some classifications, there are even more than 25 biology branches. So, if you are interested in a study area narrower than the mentioned ones, you will probably be able to find them by a bit of additional research. 

Biology Studies

Modern biology studies are constructed on four main principles. 

Cell theory implies that all the living organisms on the planet have the fundamental units, cells, in their base. All the cells are derived from preexisting cells. 

Gene theory is rounded over the idea that all living organisms have DNA, the molecules responsible for the structure and functions of cells and their inheritance. 

The principle of homeostasis proves that all living organisms can survive in the environment because of their ability to maintain a certain level of balance. 

Evolution is what is continuously happening in life. This principle studies the new traits that develop over time in living organisms and allows them to survive better in the environment. 

All the academic biology programs are based on the mentioned principles and usually start with introducing the main characteristics of living organisms. Therefore, the courses on the first studying years usually include cell theory, molecular biology, evolution, gene theory, homeostasis, and physiology. After the initial investigation stage, you will choose the field you want to study in more detail. The options for Biology majors include the above-mentioned biology brunches and more. Biology is one of the studying disciplines where you will have fewer lectures and practical, lab-based activities, especially for the courses like cellular biology, genetics, and epidemiology. 

The primary skills biology students acquire include: 

  • General knowledge on how to use laboratory equipment
  • Strong analytic skills
  • Ability to draw conclusions from complex data sets
  • Skills for navigating among scientific literature
  • Ethical issues of the scientific research
  • Numeracy and technology literacy, etc. 

Biology Careers

Biology is about lifelong learning and discoveries. It’s one of the disciplines where there are plenty of unstudied or not fully revealed aspects, the discoveries of which can significantly improve life. That’s why one of the common career paths of Biologists is continuing the research in the field. 

The most common is the research in the sphere of health care, thanks to which many diseases which lead to death in the past are easily cured or made compatible with life currently. The main areas in medical and life sciences research include health and disease, neurology, microbiology, pharmacology, etc. Your findings of those spheres will enrich societal knowledge and contribute to the improvement of medical and biological institutions and the business sector. 

For careers in more practical fields, you can use the opportunities of work placements offered by the majority of the biology academic programs for a year duration. There are numerous internships in organizations like conservational facilities, museums, pharmaceutical companies, laboratories, etc. 

The most common career options for biologists include:

  • Biologist
  • Ecologist
  • Biotechnologist
  • Teacher
  • Science writer
  • Government agency worker
  • Nature conservation officer
  • Pharmacologist
  • Microbiologist
  • Nanotechnologist
  • Laboratory technician, etc. 

Use the opportunities in this section of ARMACAD to advance your academic and career paths in Biology, and contribute to all life spheres.