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Biology

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Portrait of Vanessa Mbuyi

Vanessa Mbuyi

Cellular and Molecular Biology

"At UW-La Crosse the professors are open to just being there for students. I think it is true when they say they put the students first."

Learn more about Vanessa Mbuyi 

BIO news feed

Chemistry Professor Aaron Monte with students in the research lab in the late 1990s. Monte was part of the wave of new faculty on campus in the 1990s that believed in the value of undergraduate research. The roots of undergraduate research Posted 3:46 p.m. Thursday, April 16, 2026 How a campus idea grew and became a 25-year Universities of Wisconsin tradition Read more about The roots of undergraduate research After earning his undergraduate degree in biology in 2020, Ben Patschull started working for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Earning his master’s degree 2025 led to a full time job as a DNR resource management specialist. Frozen findings Posted 11:19 a.m. Wednesday, March 4, 2026 Biology graduate studies fish winter behavior to inform habitat decisions Read more about Frozen findings UWL Biology Professor Tisha King-Heiden, left, pictured with Eldith Adongo, a 2025 graduate of the biology master’s program. In addition to mentoring students in her lab, King-Heiden teaches courses focused on toxicology and environmental biology. Photo courtesy of Wisconsin Sea Grant. Building the future of toxicology Posted 2:39 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026 UWL professor receives prestigious national award for excellence in undergraduate education Read more about Building the future of toxicology Students in Jaspreet Kaur’s Conservation Biology course got their hands dirty this fall, working with community partners to restore sections of critical prairie habitat in and around La Crosse. The partnership was part of UWL's Community Engaged Learning program. Prairie protectors Posted 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026 Conservation Biology students partner with community to restore crucial habitats  Read more about Prairie protectors UWL Biology Professor Scott Cooper teaches students advanced molecular biology techniques. In the class, students are conducting course-embedded research for UWL faculty client Sumei Liu. Research in the classroom Posted 11:11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 Students gain hands-on experience through course-embedded research for over 20 years Read more about Research in the classroom
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Things our students are doing!

Congratulations to Megan Adams (Best Student Oral Presentation) and Max Monfort (Student Scholarship Award) for their awards at the 2025 Mississippi River Research Consortium meeting. Congratulations to Megan Adams (Best Student Oral Presentation) and Max Monfort (Student Scholarship Award) for their awards at the 2025 Mississippi River Research Consortium meeting.
Congratulations to Thomas Roehl who was the 2023 recipient of The Rosandich Graduate Thesis & Dissertation Award! Thesis title: Examining the genetics of mushroom in the cultivated edible mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) Congratulations to Thomas Roehl who was the 2023 recipient of The Rosandich Graduate Thesis & Dissertation Award! Thesis title: Examining the genetics of mushroom in the cultivated edible mushroom (Flammulina velutipes)

Thesis defense announcements

M.S. Biology

Adam Aker

Objective Measures of Post-Operative Skin Inflammation in the Domestic Cat (Felis catus)

May 7, 2:00 p.m. | Student Union 3135

Major Advisor: Dr. Anita Davelos

M.S. Biology

Jane Addams

Characterization of Orchil Dye-Yielding Lichens and Non-Destructive Identification of Historical Dyes

May 11, 10:00 a.m. | Centennial Hall 2205

Major Advisor: Dr. Anita Davelos

M.S. Biology

Kassie Zimmer

Microplastic Consumption in Birds Across Trophic Guilds from the Upper Mississippi River Watershed

May 12, 10:00 a.m. | Centennial Hall 1401

Major Advisors: Dr. Markus Mika & Dr. Eric Strauss

M.S. Biology

Samantha Lyons

Environmentally relevant PFOS and PFHxS exposures impair innate immune response in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) and fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)

May 14, 12:00 p.m. | Centennial Hall 1403

Major Advisor: Dr. Tisha King-Heiden

Why earn a Master's degree in Biology at UW-La Crosse?

Master's-focused education

At UWL, we specialize in training Master's students, providing individual mentoring and professional development for students preparing for careers or further studies. As a M.S. student at UWL, you will not compete with Ph.D. students for resources, funding, or faculty attention. Many careers require a M.S. rather than a Ph.D., and a master's research project might help you decide whether to pursue a Ph.D. in the future.

Graduate student and mentor work in lab

Diverse research opportunities

Our department has a faculty of nearly 40 instructors with a wide variety of professional interests. Whether you are interested in biomedical sciences, molecular biology, ecology, evolution, fungi, or behavior, you can find a great mentor at UWL. Our colleagues in Microbiology study bacteria, archaea and viruses - you should check out the MS in Microbiology if those organisms are of interest! Our new Prairie Springs Science Center offers state-of-the-art research facilities for both programs.

Graduate student and mentor in the field

A great place to live

With accolades from publications including Forbes magazine and Outdoor Magazine, La Crosse offers a great cultural and natural environment.  La Crosse combines a small-town feel with ample cultural and recreational opportunities. Situated on the Mississippi River in the geologically unique Driftless region, La Crosse offers four-season recreational and research opportunities on water and land.

Drone picture of UWL

Graduate Seminar - 3:20 - 4:15 PM every Tuesday and Thursday in Centennial Hall 3211

Major Advisor: Dr. Anita Davelos Jane Addams Major Advisor: Dr. Anita Davelos

Need additional info?

David Schumann