Undergraduate RESEARCH | University of Kentucky College of Arts & Sciences

Students are encouraged to get involved in research early on in their program. Research is integrated into the undergraduate program.

Freshmen and Sophomores

BIO 199: Research Experience in Biology

Juniors and Seniors

BIO 395: Independent Research in Biology

BIO 397: Independent Research in Microbiology

BIO 398: Research and Writing in Biology

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Research FAQs

WHY RESEARCH?

Research has been shown to be a high-impact undergraduate experience. Students who are engaged in research are more likely to remain in college, stay interested in STEM fields, and be successful in achieving their goals. research helps students hone their critical thinking and problem solving skills, which are highly desirable qualities for the job market.

WHAT DOES RESEARCH DO FOR ME?

There are multiple benefits of doing research. In terms of science and skills, the benefits are:

Discover more about the field of science
Develop a deeper understanding of the science and concepts
Learn specific laboratory skills and techniques
Learn how to:
- objectively test hypotheses and design experiments
- find and read scientific literature
- analyze data, interpret and report results
- write and or present your research
Develop analytical and critical thinking skills
Learn to trouble shoot through systematic and rational thinking

From a personal and career perspective, the benefits are:

Be part of a group that can guide you professionally
Your research mentor gets to know you closely and is able to write you strong letters of recommendation
Get to know people in different stages of their research career and get professional advise from them
Get a glimpse into the world of scientists and scientific careers

WHO CAN DO RESEARCH?

Any Biology major is eligible to do research. It is not restricted to students with specific career goals or GPAs or status. You do not need to have completed any particular sequence of Biology courses to begin research.

You need three things to do research:

Interest in science
Self motivation and self direction
Ability to be logical

If you have these three things, you can do research!

HOW DOES A RESEARCH COURSE WORK?

There are two types of research classes: (1) CURE: Course-based Undergraduate research, and (2) Independent Research.

(1) CURE

These are classes scheduled to meet at specific times and at a specific location. The class instructor will have a research project planned for the class. Students will be guided through the research and will collect data, analyze data, interpret results, and write or present the results as a group. It is a structured environment for students who are less comfortable in self-directed situations.

In the course catalog, the CURE sections will have meeting days, time, and location listed. Read the description carefully before registering.

(2) Independent research

These are not structured classes. Rather, students will identify a lab to work in and develop a project with their research mentor. Students plan their tasks and the times when they work on their research in consultation with their research mentor. Expect to spend an average of 3 hours per week on research for every credit of research you are registered for. So, it will be a good idea to discuss your schedule and time availability with your research mentor. Students are responsible for an entire project from start to finish but a closely guided by their research mentor and other lab members.

In the course catalog, the independent research sections will have meetings days, times, and location listed as TBD. Students cannot register for these sections without an approved contract. They must find a lab to work in, discuss the project with their mentor, complete a contract in consultation with their mentor, and then receive approval to register for the section.

WHICH RESEARCH COURSE SHOULD I TAKE?

Freshmen and Sophomores can do research and earn course credit through BIO 199. BIO 199 is a one-credit P/F course. It does not count towards your degree requirements but is a great stepping stone to doing more intensive research. It is aimed at helping you become more comfortable with research and learn how happens in a research lab.

Juniors and Seniors can do research and earn course credit through BIO 395, BIO 397, or BIO 398.

BIO 395 is Independent Research in Biology.
BIO 397 is Independent Research in Microbiology.
BIO 398 is Research and Writing in Biology, and includes a technical writing component.

These are 1-3 credits and are taken for letter grade. They count towards your upper-level electives and can also count towards Honors College requirements (discuss with Honors advisor). You do not have to have taken BIO 199 to register for BIO 395, BIO 397, or BIO 398.

WHEN SHOULD I DO RESEARCH?

Which semester/ year should you do research in? This is entirely up to you and the answer varies according to the individual. In general it may be a good idea to wait until the Spring semester of Freshman year because you can use your Fall semester to get settled, get familiar with campus, and find a lab to work in. But you do not have to begin research in your Freshman year. Many students like to do research in their Sophomore or Junior year, and these are the ideal years to do research in. It's best to not wait until your Senior year. Research can open a lot of doors and lead to many discoveries about yourself and the science you are interested in, so it can help you determine your path. Senior year may be a little late to change paths or discover more if you need to; but hey, it's never too late to learn, explore, and discover, right? So don't let timing stop you from doing research if you want to.

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

You can look for CURE sections of BIO 199, BIO 395, and BIO 398 in the course catalog (read "How does a research course work?" to learn how you can identify a CURE vs independent research section of these courses). Some faculty may offer it as a BIO 380 (read the course description and course notes in the Course Catalog to determine this). These classes do not require a contract and have open enrollment. CURE sections are not offered regularly, and have limited seats.

If you want to do Independent Research in a Faculty member's lab, you must find a lab to work in.

First, make a list of faculty whose research interest you. Explore the websites of faculty in the Biology Department (this page has faculty divided by research area), or find an interesting lab through ForagerOne. You can work with any faculty on campus that does biological research.
Then contact these faculty and express an interest in working in their lab. Click HERE for a guide on how write an email inquiring about research opportunities. You may be invited to visit the lab and chat with the faculty, or you may have some back-and-forth email discussions with the faculty.
Once accepted in a lab, you will plan your project with your research mentor and decide on your tasks and when you need to come in to do the work. The level of independence that a student is given depends on the research mentor's mentoring style.

You must begin to look for a lab early in the semester prior to the semester when you plan to do the research. Not all faculty are able to take on undergraduate students or have room for students every semester. So, you must contact several faculty to find a spot.

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Undergraduate Student Publications

*Undergraduate students' names in teal font, research mentors' names in red font.

Duncan EM, Nowotarski SH, Guerrero-Hernández C, Ross EJ, D'Orazio JA, Clubes de Ciencia México Workshop for Developmental Biology, McKinney S, McHargue MC, Guo L, McClain M, Alvarado AS (2022) Molecular characterization of a flatworm Girardia isolate from Guanajuato, Mexico. Developmental Biology, 489:165-177. (BIO 395, BIO 398, summer research)

Lay CM, Sindall M, McLetchie SK, McLetchie DN (2022) Sexual and asexual offspring germination in a tropical liverwort is mediated by phytochromes. The Bryologist, 125 (2): 328-336. (BIO 199 and BIO 395)

Tanner H, Atkins DE, Bosh KL, Breakfield GW, Daniels SE, Devore MJ, Fite HE, Guo L, Henry D, Kaffenberger A, Manning KS, Mowery T, Pankau CL, Serrano ME, Shakhashiro Y, Ward RA, Wehry AH, and Cooper RL (2022) The effect of TEA, 4-AP and in combination on primary sensory neurons in a marine crustacean model. Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 17: 14-27. (BIO 446)

McCubbin S, Harrison D and Cooper RL (2022) Glia excitation in the CNS modulates intact behaviors and sensory-CNS-motor circuitry. Neuroglia, 3: 23-40. https://doiorg/103390/neuroglia3010002. (BIO 395)

Pankau C and Cooper RL (2022) Molecular physiology of manganese in insects. Current Opinion in Insect Science, 51(2022): 10088. ISSN 2214-5745. doiorg/101016/jcois2022100886 (BIO 395)

Cooper RL, Thomas M, Vascassenno RM, Brock KE, McLetchie DN (2022) Measuring electrical responses during acute exposure of compounds to roots and rhizoids of plants by using a flow-through system. Methods and Protocols, 5(4): 62. https://wwwmdpicom/2409-9279/5/4/62/htm. (BIO 395)

Ison BJ, Abul-Khoudoud MP, Ahmed S, Alhamdani AW, Ashley C, Bidros PC, Bledsoe CO, Bolton KE, Capili JG, Henning JN, Moon M, Phe P, Stonecipher SB, Tanner HN, Taylor IN, Turner LT, Wagers M, West AK and Cooper RL (2022) The effect of Doxapram, a K2p channel blocker, on proprioceptive neurons: Invertebrate model. NeuroSci, 3(4): 566-588. https://wwwmdpicom/2673-4087/3/4/41/htm. (BIO 446/650).

Everson KM, McGinnis RC, Burdine OP, Huddleston TR, Hylick TM, Keith AL, Moore SC, O’Brien AE, Vilardo AL, and Krupa JJ (2002) Disentangling morphology and genetics in two voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus and M. ochrogaster) in a region of sympatry. Journal of Mammalogy (In press). (BIO 199 and BIO 395)

ER Tierney, MN Graebe, AE O’Brien, CW Bullock, and Krupa JJ (2022) Diversity and activity patterns of mammals in Hazeldell Nature Preserve, Pulaski County, Kentucky. Journal of the Kentucky Academy of Sciences (In press). (BIO 395 and BIO 398)

Krupa JJ and O’Brien AE (2022) Habitat preference of prairie deermice (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii) and white-footed deermice (P. leucopus noveboracensis) in an agroecosystem within the Inner Bluegrass Region of Kentucky. Northeastern Naturalist, 29:229-238. (BIO 398)

West K, Xu EM, Nelson MD, Hart TR, Stricker EM, Cones AG, Martin GM, Strickland K, Lambert DL, Burman L, Zhu BH and Schneider ER (2022) Quantitative Evaluation of Tactile Foraging Behavior in Pekin and Muscovy Ducks. Frontiers in Physiology, 13:1-7. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.921657. (BIO 395 and BIO 394)

Pankau, C., Nadolski, J., Tanner, H., Cryer, C., Di Girolamo, J., Haddad, C., Lanning, M., Miller, M., Neely, D., Wilson, R. Whittinghill, B. and Cooper, R.L. (2022) Effects of manganese on physiological processes in Drosophila, crab and crayfish: Cardiac, neural and behavioral assays. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C. vol. 251, 2022, 109209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpc.2021.109209.

Vacassenno RM, Haddad CN and Cooper RL (2023) The effects on resting membrane potential and synaptic transmission by Doxapram (blocker of K2p channels) at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C. Toxicology & Pharmacology, 263 (2023): 109497 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1532045622002320 (BIO 395)

Vacassenno RM, Haddad CN and Cooper RL (2023) Bacterial lipopolysaccharide hyperpolarizes the membrane potential and is antagonized by the K2p channel blocker doxapram. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C, . 266: 2023, 109571, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpc.2023.109571

Wagers M, Starks A, Abul-Khoudoud MO, Ahmed SM, Alhamdani AW, Ashley C, Bidros PC, Bledsoe CO, Bolton KE, Capili JG, Henning JN, Ison BJ, Moon M, Phe P,p; Stonecipher SB, Taylor IN, Turner LT, West AK and Cooper RL (2023) An invertebrate model to examine the effect of acute ferric iron exposure on proprioceptive neurons. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C, 266: 109558. https://doiorg/101016/jcbpc2023109558. (BIO 446/650)

Brock KE, Elliott ER, Abul-Khoudoud MO and Cooper RL (2023) The effects of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial endotoxins on cardiac function in Drosophila melanogaster larvae. Journal of Insect Physiology. 147 (2023):104518
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2023.104518 (BIO 395)

Brock KE, Elliott ER, Abul-Khoudoud MO and Cooper RL (2023) The effects of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial endotoxins on cardiac function in Drosophila melanogaster larvae.Journal of Insect Physiology. 147 (2023):104518
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2023.104518 (BIO 395)

Lindstedt, C., Bagley, R.K., Calhim, S., Jones, M, and C.R.Linnen 2022. The impact of life stage and pigment source on the evolution of novel warning signal traits. Evolution 76: 554-572.

Smith, L.A., Nadolski, J., Jacobs, G., Ogle, J.M., Srinivasan, M.P., Tanner, H.N., Steele, E., Marguerite, N.T., Bierbower, S.,Steen, S., Easterling, I., Greenhalgh, A., Pankau, C., McCubbin, S., Behymer, B. and Cooper, R.L (2024) Examining the reproducibility in analysis of social interactions related to aggression in crayfish. International Journal of Zoology. Vol. 2024, ID 8031535, [PDF] Wiley press.