Boston University Department of Biology

Marine Biology

Boston University has a world-class program in marine biology that is active in training students at both the undergraduate and graduate level. The marine biology research group includes professors who are leaders in their subdisciplines, including evolutionary and conservation genetics of marine organisms, sensory biology, ichthyology, evolution and development of marine organisms, marine microbial ecology, marine community ecology, and marine conservation science.

Marine biology faculty and their students are actively engaged in such exciting research topics as biomimicry, functional genomics, ocean exploration, and marine conservation, and are working at the cutting edge of scientific efforts to combat overfishing, global climate change, and marine species extinction. Our research is strengthened by close ties between biology faculty and colleagues from the Earth Sciences and Geography & Environment departments. In addition, both faculty and students enjoy the benefits of Boston University’s formal partnerships with the New England Aquarium, the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, the Sea Education Association, and a variety of government and non-governmental marine conservation organizations.

Faculty with Related Research

• Jelle Atema
  Sensory biology, chemical signals, receptor physiology, animal behavior, behavioral ecology, chemical ecology, biomimetic robotics
• Peter Buston
  Developmental biology; cell signaling and gene regulation; systems biology
• John Finnerty
  Evolution of development, developmental genetics, phylogenetics, evolutionary genomics, invertebrate zoology; coral conservation
• Wally Fulweiler
  Biogeochemistry and Marine Ecology
• Tom Gilmore
  Molecular biology, cell biology, signal transduction, cancer, molecular ecology
• Stjepko Golubic
  Microbial ecology, fossil microorganisms, stromatolites, bioerosion, phycology, cyanobacteria
• Les Kaufman
  Marine biology, evolutionary ecology, and conservation biology
• Phillip S. Lobel
  Ichthyology; behavioral ecology and taxonomy of fishes