The Department of Life Sciences comprises a team of investigators conducting cutting edge research in numerous realms of modern biology. Topics being addressed in departmental laboratories span the entire size range of biology, beginning with the determination of protein structures at atom-level resolution, continuing to the examination of single-celled organisms and multi-cellular systems and reaching the study of whole animals and communities. In tackling questions related to protein science, microbiology, development, physiology, neurobiology, genomics, structural biology, ecology and other fields, Department of Life Sciences researchers rely on a wide variety of experimental systems, including Bacteria, Archaea, Yeast, Plants, Insects, Fish and other forms of marine life, rodents, and mammals, to unravel the mystery of life at the gene, protein, cell, system and organism levels.
As such, the on-going basic research efforts of department scientists are helping to provide solutions to problems related to the molecular basis of disease, cellular architecture, aging, life in extremes and wildlife conservation. At the same time, others are helping to advance aquaculture, to create enzymes capable of performing novel functions, to make biofuels and to develop an artificial visual system.
While the bulk of departmental activity is concentrated in the Zoltan Toman Building, found on the
Marcus campus in Beersheva, member and allied laboratories are located at the Ben Gurion University
Eilat and Sde Boker campuses, respectively. The Henwood-Oshry Life Sciences Teaching Laboratories
Building is situated adjacent to the main research building.
With a commitment to teaching excellence, the Department of Life Sciences offers programs of study leading to the awarding of B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees. Qualified exceptional students can apply for acceptance into the combined M.Sc./Ph.D. program or for direct entry into the Ph.D. program following successful completion of a B.Sc. degree.
