{"id":215,"date":"2023-09-11T12:53:45","date_gmt":"2023-09-11T16:53:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/?page_id=215"},"modified":"2026-04-17T10:05:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T14:05:29","slug":"biology-chemistry-dept","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/biology-chemistry-dept\/","title":{"rendered":"Biology &#038; Chemistry Department"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The Biology &amp; Chemistry department invites students to work collaboratively with faculty inside and outside the classroom. Our students do more than just learn about science \u2014 they become scientists. We integrate scientific research projects into our courses to give students the opportunity to practice real, hands-on discovery and experience adding to academic conversation in their field. Our small class sizes allow for intentional interaction between faculty and students and among student groups, helping them develop scientific thinking, communication, and research skills. Our graduates have gone on to successful careers in health care, veterinary medicine, industry, and graduate programs all over the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n  \n<component\n  class=\"accordion\"\n  is=\"accordion\"\n  v-slot=\"accordion\"\n  >\n      <article class=\"accordion__panel\" data-accordion-panel>\n      <h3 class=\"accordion__header\">\n        <button\n            class=\"accordion__button\"\n            data-accordion-button\n            :aria-expanded=\"accordion.active.includes(0) ? true : false\"\n            @click=\"accordion.toggleActive(0, $event)\"\n        >\n          Majors\n          <span class=\"accordion__arrow-btn\">\n                  <svg class=\"\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 10 6\" viewBox=\"0 0 10 6\">\n      <path d=\"M.3.3c.4-.4 1-.4 1.4 0L5 3.6 8.3.3c.4-.4 1-.4 1.4 0 .4.4.4 1 0 1.4l-4 4c-.4.4-1 .4-1.4 0l-4-4C-.1 1.3-.1.7.3.3z\" style=\"fill-rule:evenodd; clip-rule:evenodd;\" \/>\n    <\/svg>\n  \n          <\/span>\n        <\/button>\n      <\/h3>\n      <div\n        class=\"accordion__window\"\n        data-accordion-window\n      >\n        <div\n          class=\"accordion__content\"\n          data-accordion-content\n        >\n          <div class=\"wysiwyg\">\n  <ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/biochemistry\/\">Biochemistry<\/a> (BS)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/biology\/\">Biology<\/a> (BA &amp; BS programs)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/chemistry\/\">Chemistry<\/a> (BA &amp; BS programs)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/conservation-biology\/\">Conservation Biology<\/a> (BS)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/div>        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/article>\n      <article class=\"accordion__panel\" data-accordion-panel>\n      <h3 class=\"accordion__header\">\n        <button\n            class=\"accordion__button\"\n            data-accordion-button\n            :aria-expanded=\"accordion.active.includes(1) ? true : false\"\n            @click=\"accordion.toggleActive(1, $event)\"\n        >\n          Minors\n          <span class=\"accordion__arrow-btn\">\n                  <svg class=\"\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 10 6\" viewBox=\"0 0 10 6\">\n      <path d=\"M.3.3c.4-.4 1-.4 1.4 0L5 3.6 8.3.3c.4-.4 1-.4 1.4 0 .4.4.4 1 0 1.4l-4 4c-.4.4-1 .4-1.4 0l-4-4C-.1 1.3-.1.7.3.3z\" style=\"fill-rule:evenodd; clip-rule:evenodd;\" \/>\n    <\/svg>\n  \n          <\/span>\n        <\/button>\n      <\/h3>\n      <div\n        class=\"accordion__window\"\n        data-accordion-window\n      >\n        <div\n          class=\"accordion__content\"\n          data-accordion-content\n        >\n          <div class=\"wysiwyg\">\n  <ul>\n<li>Biological Sciences<\/li>\n<li>Chemistry<\/li>\n<li>Conservation and Sustainability<\/li>\n<li>Human Biology<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/div>        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/article>\n  <\/component>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">SEA-PHAGES Research Project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The biology department participates in the <a href=\"https:\/\/seaphages.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) program<\/a>, a nationwide research project alliance led by Howard Hughes Medical Institute. This research project is part of two biology courses where students isolate and sequence the genomes of previously undiscovered species of viruses that infect bacteria found in soil samples. All biology and conservation biology students participate in this project, allowing students to &#8220;make significant contributions to the field of genomics as they learn how to think like scientists.&#8221; Since acceptance in 2016, Queens students have discovered forty novel species of bacteriophage, leading to publications in GenBank, and <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.asm.org\/doi\/10.1128\/mra.00203-24\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">student-authored manuscripts in Microbiology Resource Announcements<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"832\" data-id=\"5079\" src=\"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/12\/QMacho-phage.jpg\" alt=\"QMacho phage image\" class=\"wp-image-5079\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/12\/QMacho-phage.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/12\/QMacho-phage-288x300.jpg 288w, https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/12\/QMacho-phage-768x799.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Electron Micrograph of QMacho phage, discovered by Queens students in 2021<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"482\" data-id=\"5080\" src=\"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/12\/Students1.jpg\" alt=\"Students in BIO 201, Fall of 2024, discovering new phage species\" class=\"wp-image-5080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/12\/Students1.jpg 450w, https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/12\/Students1-280x300.jpg 280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students in BIO 201, Fall of 2024, discovering new phage species<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"482\" data-id=\"5081\" src=\"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/12\/Students2.jpg\" alt=\"Students in BIO 201, Fall of 2024, discovering new phage species\" class=\"wp-image-5081\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/12\/Students2.jpg 450w, https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/12\/Students2-280x300.jpg 280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Student in BIO 201, Fall of 2024, discovering new phage species<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/phagesdb.org\/institutions\/QUCH\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Queens&#8217; Phages Database<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/nuccore\/OP434443\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Genomic Annotation of QMacho phage with Student Authors<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Department Chair<\/h2>\n\n\n  \n<div class=\"article-grid article-grid--default article-grid--staggered-column \">\n  <div class=\"article-grid__inner grid\">\n          <div class=\"article-grid__item\">\n                                  \n  \n<component\n  is=\"article\"\n  class=\"article article--break-default\"\n>\n        \n<component is=\"context\" class=\"context context--xsmall context--dark \">\n        <h2 class=\"context__heading\">\n                      <a href=\"mailto:koplasp@queens.edu\">\n            <div>Patricia Koplas, Ph.D., PT<\/div>\n      <\/a>          <\/h2>\n        <p>Chair of Biology and Chemistry Department<br \/>\nZ. Smith Reynolds Professor of Biology<br \/>\nPre-Health and Pre-Vet Advisor<\/p>\n\n            \n  \n<component\n  is=\"button-group\"\n  class=\"button-group\"\n>\n            <a class=\"arrow-btn arrow-btn--dark\" href=\"mailto:koplasp@queens.edu\" target=\"\">\n        koplasp@queens.edu\n              <svg class=\"arrow-btn__svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 10\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 10\">\n      <path d=\"M10.3.3c.4-.4 1-.4 1.4 0l4 4c.4.4.4 1 0 1.4l-4 4c-.4.4-1 .4-1.4 0-.4-.4-.4-1 0-1.4L12.6 6H1c-.6 0-1-.4-1-1s.4-1 1-1h11.6l-2.3-2.3c-.4-.4-.4-1 0-1.4z\" style=\"fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;\" \/>\n    <\/svg>\n  \n      <\/a>\n      <\/component>  <\/component><\/component>      <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Department Faculty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/bio-chem-dept-faculty\/\">Faculty Directory<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Biology &amp; Chemistry department invites students to work collaboratively with faculty inside and outside the classroom. Our students do more than just learn about science \u2014 they become scientists. We integrate scientific research projects into our courses to give students the opportunity to practice real, hands-on discovery and experience adding to academic conversation in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page_with-sidebar.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-215","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/215","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=215"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/215\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5414,"href":"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/215\/revisions\/5414"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.queens.edu\/artsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=215"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}