Welcome
The School of Life Sciences is housed within the University’s College of Natural Sciences and conducts research and training across five academic disciplines including Biology, Botany, Marine Biology, Microbiology, and Molecular & Cell Biology. We administer a cohesive set of undergraduate degrees (BA and BS) across these disciplines, along with graduate programs (MS and PhD) in Botany, Microbiology, Marine Biology, and Zoology. The School of Life Sciences promotes the understanding, appreciation and preservation of biological diversity through excellence in research, education, service and outreach.
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About
The life sciences are of fundamental importance in a science or liberal arts education, as they provide students with insight into and a deeper appreciation for the many facets of living systems that underlie our world. Learn More →
Explore Our Programs:
The School of Life Sciences of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa was formed in the Fall of 2019 by the merger of the Departments of Biology, Botany and Microbiology, and began operations on January 1, 2020. Life Sciences is home to 5 Undergraduate Majors and 4 Graduate Programs:
Undergraduate Majors
- Molecular and Cell Biology (BS)
- Biology (BA, BS)
- Botany (BA, BS)
- Marine Biology (BA, BS)
- Microbiology (BA, BS)
Graduate Programs
- Botany
- Marine Biology (with SOEST)
- Microbiology
- Zoology
Students may also Minor in Biology, Botany and Microbiology, obtain a certificate in the Marine Option Program (MOP), Mathematical Biology, or become certified as a Clinical Microbiologist.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to investigate all living things by promoting learning and discovery through scientific research. Read Full Mission →
Announcements
- Call for Abstracts: 2025 SURE SymposiumThe Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) at the University of …
- Showcase Your Achievements: Submit Projects and Photos for the School of Life Sciences Annual Highlights ReportHelp Us Celebrate the Achievements of the School of Life …
For a full list of news articles, visit our Announcements page.
Latest News
- Award-Winning Research: UH Mānoa Students Recognized at International Biomedical SymposiumTwo University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa undergraduate students earned an award an …
- UH Mānoa School of Life Sciences’ Dr. Michael Norris and Team Play Key Role in Linking Dolphin Strandings to Disease That Can Spread to HumansPhoto: Striped dolphins in the wild. Credit: Robin W. BairdVideo Link: https://go.hawaii.edu/p2r …
For a full list of all announcements, visit our News page.
Upcoming Seminars and Events
For a full list of all departmental seminars and events, visit our Events & Seminars page.
Special Seminar
Date:
Time:
Location:
EECB Seminar
Date: Friday, January 16, 2026
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Location: Gilmore 306
Funding Workshop
Life Sciences Friday Seminar Series
Fridays 3:30 pm – 4:20 pm at BIL 150
Join via Zoom
| Date | Title | Speaker | Zoom Info (if different from above) |
| 1/16/26 | Resolving trophic interactions and energy channels in aquatic ecosystems using amino acid isotope analysis | Chris Wall | https://hawaii.zoom.us/j/86023724143 (Passcode: MBIOCW) |
| 1/23/26 | TBA | Sandra McLellan | |
| 1/30/26 | Unraveling the migrations and vertical diving behavior of Atlantic bluefin tuna: Insights from pairing electronic tagging with satellite oceanographic data | Camille Pagniello | |
| 2/6/26 | |||
| 2/13/26 | TBA | Eileen Nalley | |
| 2/20/26 | |||
| 2/27/26 | |||
| 3/6/26 | TBA | Ana Flores | |
| 3/13/26 | Marine stewardship through the lenses of loko iʻa and mauka-makai interactions | Nākoa Farrant | |
| 3/20/26 | Spring break | ||
| 3/27/26 | |||
| 4/3/26 | Good Friday | ||
| 4/10/26 | |||
| 4/17/26 | TBA | Justin Walguarnery | |
| 4/24/26 | Hung Vo | ||
| 5/1/26 | SoLS defenses |