The quality of the faculty in the Francisco J. Ayala School of Biological Sciences has remained high while increasing steadily in number over the past few years, giving students a remarkable range of expertise in biology and with it, a large number of different advanced courses and research opportunities.

The School has recently redesigned the curriculum to remain on the cutting edge of biological education. All first-year students are introduced to basic concepts in ecology and evolutionary biology, as well as cellular and molecular biology. 

The core set of courses in biology continues into the second year, featuring genetics, biochemistry, and molecular biology, followed in the third and fourth year by a choice of advanced courses in biology. Since biology is a laboratory discipline, students complete a series of laboratory courses in which they learn both the techniques and approaches needed to solve problems in biology.

The field of biotechnology is now represented by many active and successful companies who share an intense demand for well-trained people with up-to-date research skills in the manipulation of nucleic acids, proteins, immunological reagents, and pathogenic organisms. 

The program in Biotechnology features two tracks leading to an M.S. degree in Biological Sciences. The first is the traditional program, and the second, which takes advantage of a defined area of campus research strength, provides an emphasis in stem cell biology. 

Focus is placed on techniques relevant to industry and seminar exposure to the nature of industry. It is designed to train students to enter the field of biotechnology as skilled laboratory practitioners. Emphasis is placed on learning state-of-the-art technology in protein isolation and characterization, animal and microbial cell culture, virology, immunology, and/or stem cell biology.