Life on Earth is diverse, amazing, and often awe-inspiring. Biology, the study of living cells and organisms, challenges students to think creatively and analytically, and invites them on a fascinating academic adventure.

During the last century, many exciting discoveries have been made in medicine, genetics, molecular biology, agriculture, ecology, and other areas of the life sciences. Biologists have found solutions to countless problems and uncovered some interesting ethical dilemmas. The 21st century promises even more innovations and opportunities.

Lafayette’s biology program is designed to help students meet the challenges of the future, preparing them for careers in the health professions, research, teaching, and industry.

Biology majors enjoy small classes and may choose from a wide variety of courses as well as independent research and a senior honors thesis. They may also choose between two degree programs. Students in the Bachelor of Arts program, often those seeking a strong science background for work in another field, are given many choices beyond the basic biology courses. Students seeking the Bachelor of Science degree must meet more structured requirements, preparing them for graduate study in biology and related fields.

Also available are interdisciplinary majors in biochemistry and neuroscience. Biology is an equal partner with psychology in the joint neuroscience program. Biology majors may also choose a minor course of study in another subject. The department also participates in two interdisciplinary minor programs: bioengineering and environmental science.

No matter which biology option students choose, all majors have the chance to work closely with active, dedicated faculty members. And those who work hard and earn good grades have the additional opportunity to conduct research with faculty. These students often present their work at professional meetings and publish articles in scientific journals. At Lafayette, teaching does not compete with research—the two go hand in hand.

Facilities

The department is headquartered in Kunkel Hall, a 31,000-square-foot building devoted exclusively to biology. Students have access to a three-laser confocal microscope, a greenhouse, warm and cold animal rooms, two photography suites, two tissue culture suites, a controlled environment room, two refrigerated ultracentrifuges, a Coulter counter, a microplate reader, several research grade spectrophotometers, PCR thermocyclers, DNA sequencing equipment, plant culture facilities, and a liquid scintillation counter.

In addition, a biology computing lab is used for Internet work and computer simulations in laboratory classes. A Chemi-Imager with AlphaEase software photo-documentation system allows standard electrophoretic gel documentation of protein and DNA, as well as bacterial colony counting, immunoassay microtiter results and more advanced applications such as southern and western blots and chemiluminescence. This equipment is used in advanced courses and for student-faculty research.

A variety of funds provide financial support for majors to do research with faculty on campus. Funding is also available for field study and other study off campus.

Talented junior and senior majors may compete for paid laboratory teaching assistant jobs. They take charge of a laboratory section under the direction of a faculty member.

After Graduation

Students are prepared for graduate study leading to careers in biological research, medicine, dentistry, nursing, physical therapy, and other health areas. They are also prepared for teaching, research, working in industry, and the range of options available to all liberal arts majors. Among the graduates in the Class of 2005, 52 percent accepted full-time employment, 14 percent enrolled in graduate schools, 14 percent enrolled in health professions schools and 17 percent were volunteering, traveling, applying to graduate school, or doing something else they wished.

Graduates have a strong track record of acceptance into graduate programs at top universities throughout the United States. Majors in recent years have gone to graduate programs in microbiology, immunology, biology, environmental science, botany, cell and molecular biology, immunology, molecular oncology, nutrition and health science, pharmacology, environmental engineering, epidemiology, and public health at school such as Case Western Reserve, Massachusetts, Oregon, Virginia, Penn, Arizona, Emory, NYU, Penn State, Tufts, and Yale. Law schools that have recently accepted our biology graduates include Iowa, Rutgers, Baltimore, and Widener University.

Jobs for recent new graduates include research assistant positions at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital; UCLA Medical Center; National Institute for Health, Cornell University Medical Center; Drexel University College of Medicine; Fox Chase Cancer Center; Pfizer; Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Merck & Co., Inc., and ICON Clinical Research. Graduates have also accepted jobs such as environmental educator, Clearwater Marine Aquarium; medical sales representative, Merck & Co.; biologist on a commercial fishing boat; teacher, Teach for America; process analyst, Accenture; and laboratory services associate, Bristol Myers Squibb.

Health Professions Advising

Lafayette’s Health Professions program, available to biology majors as well as students majoring in other areas, provides individual advising, links to physician-alumni mentors, and opportunities for research, internships, and volunteer experience. Internship programs with Easton Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital, Easton Animal Hospital, and other nearby hospitals and dental practices are available for students considering a career in the health professions.

Many majors go to medical school or choose another health profession. Biology graduates from the classes of 2001-05 have gone to the following medical schools: Stanford, Thomas Jefferson, Temple, Drexel, Penn, Georgetown, Wake Forest, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, NYU, Yale, Harvard, Penn State, and Johns Hopkins.

Graduates interested in nursing have gone to: Yale, Penn, and Johns Hopkins; dental schools: Penn, NYU, Temple, and University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; and other health professions programs at: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, NYU, New York Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, University of Delaware, State University of New York Health Science Center, and DeSales University.

Recent graduates have also entered Philadelphia College of Optometry, New York College of Podiatric Medicine, and veterinary schools at Cornell, Illinois, Penn, and Minnesota State.

Faculty and Staff

Wayne S. Leibel, Professor and Head. Ph.D., Yale University. Teaching areas: general biology, evolutionary biology, and evolutionary genetics. Research interests: molecular systematics of neotropical fish, cichlid fish behavior, and evolution. Fellow of the American Cichlid Association.

Laurie F. Caslake, Associate Professor and Acting Head. Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University. Teaching areas: molecular biology, microbiology, and general biology. Research interests: molecular studies on bacterial responses to changes in their environment, particularly the mechanism of perchlorate reduction and mercury resistance.

James R. Dearworth, Assistant Professor. Ph.D., University of Delaware. Teaching areas: vertebrate anatomy, neuroanatomy, and the anatomy of vision. Research interests: functional anatomical mapping and functional morphology of the retina.

John O. Drummond, General Biology Laboratory Coordinator, B.S. Pennsylvania State University. Teaching area: general biology. Research interests: differences in morphology and migration of captive-raised and wild monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus, and raptor ecology.

Bernard Fried, Kreider Professor Emeritus. Ph.D., University of Connecticut. Research interests: trematode and snail biology, physiology, and biochemistry.

Charles W. Holliday, (Home Page), Professor. Ph.D., University of Oregon. Teaching areas: general biology, human physiology, marine biology, and comparative animal physiology. Research interests: comparative animal physiology, problems of salt and water balance in invertebrates, and wasp ecology.

Robert Kurt, Assistant Professor. Ph.D., University of Arizona. Teaching areas: immunology, infectious diseases, and general biology. Research interests: evaluating the effects of tumor cells on T-lymphocytes, and immunological tolerances in mouse/neu/transgenic mice.

Shyamal K. Majumdar, Gideon R., Jr. and Alice L. Kreider Professor Emeritus. Ph.D., University of Kentucky. Research interests: genetics, microbiology, tissue culture, and cell biology.

Manuel Ospina-Giraldo, Assistant Professor. Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University. Teaching areas: general biology, genetics, mycology, and plant pathology. Research interests: molecular plant-fungal and plant oomycete interactions.

Elaine R. Reynolds, Associate Professor and Chair of Neuroscience Program. Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University. Teaching areas: general biology, developmental biology, neurobiology. Research interests: developmental neurobiology, neurophysiology, and behavior of Drosophila melanogaster.

L. Jane Schoeneck, Laboratory Supervisor. M.S., Lehigh University. Teaching area: human physiology laboratory. Research interests: fresh-water ecology, feeding of zooplankton, and zooplankton responses to toxins.

Nancy McCreary Waters, Associate Professor. Ph.D., University of Notre Dame. Teaching areas: general biology, ecology, limnology, and environmental biology. Research interests: freshwater ecology, physiology and trophic interactions of submerged and wetland vascular plants, freshwater invertebrate ecology, and experimental design and analysis.

Lauren Caslake
Acting Head, Biology
(610) 330-5462
caslakel@lafayette.edu

For general information:
Office of admissions
Lafayette College
Easton, PA 18042
(610) 330-5100
FAX (610) 330-5355
admissions@lafayette.edu