Basic Biology

ASCB is an inclusive, international community of biologists studying the cell, the fundamental unit of life. Ecological systems are studied at several different levels, from the scale of the ecology of individual organisms, to those of populations , to the ecosystems and finally the biosphere The term population biology is often used interchangeably with population ecology , although population biology is more frequently used in the case of diseases , viruses , and microbes , while the term population ecology is more commonly applied to the study of plants and animals.

For subjects like cellular biology, genetics and epidemiology, practical work is likely to be lab-based, while ecology or environmental biology students will be expected to do field work. On this module you’ll attend lectures, practical classes and workshops, and take part in external visits and fieldwork study. The branch of science which deals with the study of living beings. Here, undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty collaborate on laboratory research, fieldwork, and publications with real-world application.

The term biology comes from the Greek βίος (bios), meaning life” and from the Greek λογία (logia), meaning study of”. While more than a third of Oxford biology graduates go on to further study such as a research doctorate or postgraduate course in an applied field, over half embark on a professional career after graduating in areas as diverse as conservation, industry, finance, medicine, media, teaching or the law.

Four unifying principles form the foundation of modern biology: cell theory, evolution, genetics and homeostasis. Students who study the biological sciences will be able to pursue many career avenues particularly within research, teaching, sales and in field work roles. Evolution is the change over time that is the engine of biological diversity. Whatever the initial tension between the two disciplines, newer methods and critical insights made their way into evolutionary biology leading to a new area of research traveling under the new banner of molecular evolution.

These students receive free on-campus housing and a living stipend during their research fellowship, allowing them the freedom to fully devote their time to investigating an area of their own interest. The core strands that unite all the various disciplines and sub-disciplines of the subject are: the study and characterization of living organisms and the investigation of the science behind living things.