Biology

Make it full of possibility.

Biology

Biology is a field as diverse as it is practical.

Students in the biology department find that they are empowered to pursue a wide variety of aspirations and career paths, ones that they develop and curate throughout their studies at Lake Forest College. Our approach to the study of life combines rigorous lab experience with access to cutting-edge technology that ensures students are prepared for the world beyond the College—all with the benefits of a liberal arts curriculum.

Biology majors don’t just learn facts about living things, they learn how to be scientists. This means they can often be found in the lab, actively engaged in research with faculty.

Course Descriptions Requirements Careers Faculty

The Liberal Arts Advantage

The liberal arts provide a path of study that nourishes students as a whole human, not just a career path. A focus on scientific inquiry with the encouragement to consider and apply other disciplines to their studies ensures that students are empathetic, globally minded, and multi-faceted in their interests. A liberal arts degree ultimately sets graduates apart in applicant pools for jobs, medical school, or other avenues of pursuit.

Learning Outcomes

Preparation for Your Path

Students have exciting opportunities for internships and research at world-class Chicago institutions like the Field Museum, Chicago Botanic Garden, Shedd Aquarium, and Rosalind Franklin University of Medical Sciences. Biology students are well-trained by hypothesis-driven coursework. While a major or minor in biology is great preparation for postgraduate training in academic research or the health professions, our students also become competitive graduates and professionals in industry and fields like environmental policy, education and museum administration.

Laboratory Skills and Access to Cutting-Edge Equipment

Our approach to learning means giving students hands-on access to professional lab instruments early in their studies. Our trust in and respect for our students means they regularly work with high-level scientific instruments early in their careers, providing a foundation of skills that will help them land successful placements after graduation. The cutting-edge instrumentation and techniques we familiarize our students with are not often available to undergraduates. These include techniques such as: PCR (polymerase chain reaction), western blot, molecular imaging, electrophysiology, field data collection, experimental design and data analysis, cell culture, DNA sequence analysis, and fluorescence microscopy.

Opportunities for Published Work

Students working in research labs have published their research in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Each year, students also publish their work in Lake Forest’s life sciences journal, Eukaryon. The student editorial board for Eukaryon is a great way to become involved in journal publishing by conducting peer reviews, editing submissions, and designing the layout for this award-winning student research journal.

“

Lake Forest College gave me a breadth of critical thinking skills that taught me the basic laboratory techniques I was able to apply to a job at University of Chicago where I got to know a little bit more of the molecular biology side of the lab.

Brian Kinsman ’09

Biology at Lake Forest College

Sophistication of research is at the core of our approach to teaching students in the field of biology. In the Department of Biology at Lake Forest College, we prioritize student learning in hands-on environments and provide access to scientific instruments early in the undergraduate career to set our students apart with experiential knowledge and proven skills.

Lake Forest College’s partnerships with Rosalind Franklin University and funding from institutions such as the National Science Foundation, Sherman Fairchild Foundation, and more give students access to ample opportunities that help shape and guide their career paths.

Plus, thanks to our small class sizes, students forge close mentorship bonds with their professors.

Careers

Our graduates have gone on to pursue a variety of careers in biology.

Physician scientist in child neurology
Soil conservationist
Public health worker in cancer research
Toxicologist for Environmental Protection Agency
Nurse practitioner in women’s health
Forensic entomologist
Physical therapist in sports medicine
Ethnobotanist
Veterinarian
Biotechnologist at a pharmaceutical company

Internships

Experiential learning is a core fundamental at Lake Foest College. Students in the Department of Biology have had the opportunity to intern with organizations across the Chicago area.

Chicago Botanic Garden
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital
Illinois Bone & Joint Institute
Horsefeathers Therapeutic Riding
Lake Forest Acute Care
Horizon Pharma
The Field Museum
Shedd Aquarium

Research

Our biology students complete high-level research at the undergraduate level. This research is supported by our outstanding faculty, access to cutting-edge technology, and the students' own interests and curiosity.

Molecular genetics of telomere mutants in Aspergillus
Evolution and development of body and organ size in Drosophila
Biogeography and niche determinants in ant communities
Cell volume regulation in red blood cells
Misfolding of alpha-synuclein protein in yeasts and implications for Parkinson’s disease
Sexual selection and acoustic communication in insects