UMBC Department of Biological Sciences

What UMBC Department of Biological Sciences does

The UMBC Department of Biological Sciences is an academic department within the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), a public research university and part of the University System of Maryland. Established alongside UMBC in 1966, the department is one of the university's largest, comprising 40+ tenured and tenure-track faculty members and lecturers across seven research disciplines: Cell Biology, Computational Biology, Developmental Biology & Immunology, Evolutionary Biology, Molecular Biology & Genetics, Neuroscience, and Plant Biology. The department serves undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows, offering B.A. and B.S. degrees in Biological Sciences, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, and Biology Education, as well as M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Applied Molecular Biology, Biological Sciences, Marine/Estuarine/Environmental Sciences, Molecular and Cell Biology, and Neurosciences and Cognitive Sciences.

The department's core technology consists of research laboratory facilities spanning the seven biological disciplines, supported by specialized resources such as the Keith R. Porter Imaging Facility and Research Graphics Services. Notable differentiated programs include the UMBC Phage Hunters bacteriophage research initiative and a Barcelona study abroad program in phage biology led by Dr. Ivan Erill. The department's revenue model is twofold: tuition and fees set by UMBC and the University System of Maryland for degree programs, and external research grants from federal agencies including the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the U.S. Department of Energy. Customer segments are entirely educational — undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows — with no commercial B2B or B2C revenue streams.

The department markets to prospective students primarily through UMBC's institutional channels, including the departmental website, social media accounts (@UMBCBiology on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn), the myUMBC internal platform, and university-wide admissions events. Distribution occurs through on-campus programs at the Baltimore campus, the Barcelona study abroad program, and research program offerings. Recent strategic activity includes the August 2023 appointment of Dr. Michelle Starz-Gaiano as the department's first female chair, a $1.8 million NSF research grant to Dr. Steve Freeland in 2023, and capital expansion via the Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building groundbreaking in 2017.

Name

UMBC Department of Biological Sciences

Legal name

University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) Department of Biological Sciences

Website

https://biology.umbc.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The UMBC Department of Biological Sciences is a public university academic department offering undergraduate and graduate (M.S./Ph.D.) programs in biological sciences across seven research disciplines, serving students and postdoctoral fellows at the UMBC campus in Baltimore, Maryland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education — Biological Sciences

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Biomedical Sciences & Medical Research Institutes (University-Based) (EDAHAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA)

Keywords

• Biological sciences education
• Undergraduate biology programs
• Graduate biology research
• Molecular biology training
• Neuroscience graduate programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from student tuition and fees for undergraduate and graduate programs leading to B.A., B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees
2. Research Grants: External funding from agencies including NSF, NIH, Department of Energy, and other research grants supporting faculty research programs

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The UMBC Department of Biological Sciences delivers undergraduate and graduate academic degree programs (B.A., B.S., M.S., Ph.D.) in biological sciences and affiliated disciplines, supported by faculty-led research laboratories across seven biological research areas. Students receive classroom instruction, hands-on laboratory training, undergraduate research opportunities, and access to specialized facilities such as the Keith R. Porter Imaging Facility and the UMBC Phage Hunters program.

Product overview

The UMBC Department of Biological Sciences offers a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs across undergraduate and graduate levels. The department provides B.A. and B.S. degree programs in Biological Sciences, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, and Biology Education. Graduate offerings include Master's and Ph.D. programs in Applied Molecular Biology, Biological Sciences, Marine/Estuarine/Environmental Sciences, Molecular and Cell Biology, and Neurosciences and Cognitive Sciences. Research programs span Cell Biology, Computational Biology, Developmental Biology & Immunology, Evolutionary Biology, Molecular Biology & Genetics, Neuroscience, and Plant Biology. The department also maintains specialized facilities like the Keith R. Porter Imaging Facility and offers unique programs including the UMBC Phage Hunters research initiative and a study abroad opportunity in Barcelona focused on phage biology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UMBC Phage Hunters: Undergraduate research program focused on phage discovery and genomics
• Applied Molecular Biology (AMB) Master's Program
• Biology Outreach Program

Products and services

• B.S. in Biological Sciences Four-year Bachelor of Science degree program in Biological Sciences for undergraduate students, recognized for emphasis on research, scientific approach, faculty contact, and extensive laboratory offerings.
• B.S. in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology

Quantifiable outcome

• Programs recognized for emphasis on research, scientific approach, faculty contact, and extensive laboratory offerings
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Carnegie Mellon University — Department of Biological Sciences: R1 private research university with a Biological Sciences department emphasizing computational biology, biochemistry, and neuroscience. Comparable as a research-intensive biology program with strong quantitative/biological overlap.
• University of Pittsburgh — Department of Biological Sciences: Public R1 university biology department offering BS, MS, and PhD programs with strengths in molecular biology, neuroscience, and evolutionary biology. Highly comparable in faculty scale and research portfolio.
• Johns Hopkins University — Department of Biology: Premier research biology department in the same Baltimore metro area offering undergraduate and PhD programs across molecular biology, neuroscience, and cell biology. Comparable as an R1 biology unit with overlapping research strengths.
• Georgia Institute of Technology — School of Biological Sciences: R1 research-intensive school with interdisciplinary biology programs including bioinformatics, neuroscience, and molecular biology. Comparable in its integration of computation with biological sciences research.
• Virginia Tech — Department of Biological Sciences: Large public R1 university with a comprehensive biology department covering molecular, cell, ecology, and evolution research. Comparable in faculty scale and breadth of research areas.
• University of Delaware — Department of Biological Sciences: Mid-Atlantic public R1 university with a biology department offering BS, MS, and PhD programs across molecular biology, ecology, and neuroscience. Comparable in size, geographic positioning, and program structure.
• George Mason University — Department of Biology: Virginia-based public R2/DRU university with a biology department offering BS, MS, and PhD programs with research strengths in molecular biology, ecology, and bioinformatics. Comparable as a Mid-Atlantic public research university biology unit.
• University of Maryland, College Park — Department of Biology: Same University System of Maryland flagship biology program offering BS, MS, and PhD degrees with broad research foci. Directly comparable as a sister public research university biology department serving a similar Maryland student market.
• University of Virginia — Department of Biology: Mid-Atlantic public R1 biology department offering BA, BS, MS, and PhD programs spanning molecular, cellular, and ecological biology. Comparable in scale, mission, and research breadth to UMBC's biology unit.

Regional players

• Towson University — Department of Biological Sciences: Same Baltimore metropolitan area public university with a Biological Sciences department focused primarily on undergraduate teaching. Comparable geographically and as a regional biology program serving overlapping Maryland students.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UMBCBiology
• Facebookfacebook.com/umbcbio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/umbcbiology

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about UMBC Department of Biological Sciences