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

Graduate Programs

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

For a full list of news articles, visit our Announcements page.

Latest News

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.

EECB Seminar

Date: Friday, February 20, 2026
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Location: Gilmore 306
Microbial and Social Drivers of Phenotypic Diversity in Hawaiian Drosophila (and Friends)

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Life Sciences Friday Seminar Series

Fridays 3:30 pm – 4:20 pm at BIL 150
Join via Zoom

DateTitleSpeaker Zoom Info
(if different from above)
1/16/26Resolving trophic interactions and energy channels in aquatic ecosystems using amino acid isotope analysisDr. Chris Wall,
SOEST Early Career Research Fellow, Assistant Research Faculty, UH Mānoa, Earth Sciences		https://hawaii.zoom.us/j/86023724143
(Passcode: MBIOCW)
1/23/26Wastewater Surveillance: The Information Highway for Public HealthSandra McLellan, Professor, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee In-person only
1/30/26Unraveling the Migrations and Vertical Diving Behavior of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna: Insights from Pairing Electronic Tagging with Satellite Oceanographic DataDr. Camille Pagniello, Assistant Professor, Ocean & Resources Engineering, UH Mānoahttps://hawaii.zoom.us/j/85426228873
(Passcode: MBIOCP)
2/6/26Origins of Diversity: The Evolutionary Assembly of Hawaiian Arthropod CommunitiesDr. Rosemary Gillespie, University of California BerkeleyIn-person only
2/13/26Developing the Pacific Ciguatera NetworkDr. Eileen Nalleyhttps://hawaii.zoom.us/j/81901782149
Passcode: MBIOEN
2/20/26Will coral restoration save Hawaiian reefs?Dr. Mark Hixonhttps://hawaii.zoom.us/j/94431784293
Passcode: sols
2/27/26Dr. Sydney Glassman, University of California, Riverside
3/6/26TBAAna Flores
3/13/26Marine stewardship through the lenses of loko iʻa and mauka-makai interactionsDr. Nākoa Farrant
3/20/26Spring break
3/27/26TBADr. Rachel Brem, University of California, Berkley
4/3/26Good Friday
4/10/26“Gaze into the eyes (of Daphnia) and you shall glimpse … Evolution”Dr. Jeff Dudycha, University of South Carolina
4/17/26TBAJustin Walguarnery
4/24/26The Forest Mycobiome in the Era of Global ChangeDr. Claire Willing, University of Washington
5/1/26SoLS defenses

Special Seminar

Date:
Time:
Location:

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