The University of Denver's PhD in biological sciences offers students the opportunity for graduate training in either cell and molecular biology or ecology, biodiversity and evolution. Areas of focus within cell and molecular miology include biophysics, intracellular trafficking and signaling, molecular forensics, RNA biology, virus-host cell interaction, developmental biology, neuroscience and endocrinology. Within ecology, biodiversity and evolution, areas of focus consist of plant-insect interaction, ecology of invasive species, forest ecology and evolutionary biology, including evolutionary ecology, evolution of animal behavior and evolutionary-developmental biology.

Requiring five years of research and coursework, including a public seminar, written thesis and oral thesis defense, the program couples coursework with original research and teaching opportunities. When conducting their original research, students can leverage state-of-the-art facilities and techniques. Our PhD students also have the chance to teach in undergraduate lab environments.