Undergraduate Research

How to Find a Research Lab

You should look for faculty who conduct basic research in areas of biology that interest and excite you.  Within the Biology Department, start with the Research page of the Biology Department website.  Outside of the Department, start with the links that are listed at the bottom of this page.  As you identify faculty doing research in your area of interest, check out their lab’s website to learn more about the specific research they do and their lab culture.  Some faculty may even advertise open positions on their lab’s website.

Once you have a list of possible research mentors, send each one an email to inquire about research opportunities.  In this email you should include the following: your year, what you hope to gain from a research position, what type of position you are interested in (hourly pay, work-study, credit), and why you are specifically drawn to the faculty member’s research. Attach a copy of your resume. Note that you need not have a perfect GPA nor prior research experience to do research. Many jobs you might have had previously (e.g., food service) can offer great preparation for the day-to-day of a research position. 

If you do not hear back, follow-up after ~one week with a polite email forwarding your original inquiry. Faculty may not have openings at the time, but you can ask them to keep you in mind if future positions open up. 

It can be hard to find an open position, so it is best practice contact multiple faculty members. 

Positions for hourly pay

Faculty will often hire undergraduates for specific research tasks or projects. These positions are paid by the hour and are a great way of getting introduced to a faculty's group and research. Keep an eye out for positions advertised in your Biology classes or on the websites of faculty members. The description of the position will specify the nature of the work and the process for applying. 

Federal Work-Study

Work study positions are posted on Handshake, with details of the position and how to apply. Eligible students are also encouraged to inquire with faculty about the possibility of a work study position even if a position is not listed on Handshake. 

Research for credit

NEW! Starting Fall 2026, the Biology Department will offer BIOL 3920 and BIOL 3910 for those who are interested in getting introductory, hands-on experience in a research lab environment. These courses are specifically for those students who need to learn basic experimental approaches and techniques prior to engaging in the more advanced experimental design and data acquisition/ interpretation expected in BIOL 4920/4910. BIOL 3920/3910 are restricted to instructor permission. Prior completion of BIOL 2100 or 2200 is strongly recommended.  BIOL 3920/3910 are graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory, and cannot count toward the Biology major.

BIOL 4920 and 4910 are graded, independent research courses that emphasize experimental design and data acquisition and interpretation. Independent Research courses build on the foundational knowledge found in the required core courses in Biology (BIOL 3000, 3010,  3020) and provide students with opportunities to develop the critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in every aspect of research. For this reason, prior completion of BIOL 3000 or BIOL 3010 or BIOL 3020 is expected. Students can expect to gain experience formulating hypotheses, designing and carrying out experiments to test that hypothesis, and analyzing the results of those experiments to extend or modify the hypothesis. A maximum of 6 credits of BIOL 4920/4910 can count toward the major, and a maximum of 4 credits can count toward the minor. Students are strongly encouraged to present their research at UVA’s Undergraduate Research Symposium, the Biology Department’s Annual Symposium, and/or a relevant conference. 

Students whose mentors are within the Biology Department should take BIOL 4920 and those whose mentors are outside the Biology Department should take BIOL 4910. Students may enroll once in either BIOL 4910 or 4920 course per semester or summer session term, and students are expected to stay within the same laboratory during any semester of BIOL 4910 or 4920.

Students receive 2 credits for each semester of BIOL 4910/4920. These are graded courses, with students expected to devote 8 hours per week on their research.  At the start of the semester, students should discuss expectations with their research mentor. Students are advised to work with their mentor to draft a research plan detailing what a successful semester should look like. For 4920, grades are assigned by the research mentor. For 4910, grades are assigned by the Biology Department Director of Independent Research, Prof. Mike Wormington (ww2t@virginia.edu) in consultation with the research mentor. Two semesters of Independent Research completed in the same laboratory may be used to satisfy the Biology laboratory course requirement for the B.A. major.

Eligibility

• BIOL 4920 is intended for declared students in any major 
• BIOL 4910 is restricted to the following majors: Biology, Kinesiology, and Global Studies.  
  • Students majoring in Cognitive Science, Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, Neuroscience, Chemistry or Biomedical Engineering should enroll in the appropriate independent research course(s) provided by their major department, unless a faculty member provides a compelling reason why BIOL 4910 would be a better fit.  More details are in the tab immediately below.
• Students cannot take multiple independent research courses simultaneously for the same lab.
• Please note that independent studies in strictly clinical settings generally do not satisfy the requirements for Independent Research. 

How to enroll in Independent Research

For students in labs within the Biology Department

NEW BIOL 3920 Research in Biology (In Biology Labs)

• BIOL 3920 is a 2 credit S/U graded course intended for students with no prior research experience and/or who have not yet declared a Biology major or minor who want to work in research laboratories within the Biology Department. 
• Prior completion of either BIOL 2100 or 2200 is expected. BIOL 3920 is repeatable but does not count towards Biology major or minor requirements. Note: not all programs or majors will allow BIOL 3920 credits to satisfy their degree requirements. Non-biology majors should check with their program director to confirm if they should enroll in BIOL 3920 or in the appropriate independent research course offered by their major department. 
• Students are expected to work a minimum of 8-10hr/week (12.5 hr/week in summer) according to a mutually agreed upon schedule with your faculty research advisor (Lab PI) as well as the person in the lab (e.g., graduate student, postdoc or technician) who is directly training you.  
• Once students have arranged to work with a Biology Department faculty member who will serve as that student's research mentor, students should request permission through SIS to enroll in the BIOL 3920 section that is associated with that faculty member.  

UPDATED BIOL 4920 Independent Research in Biology (In Biology labs)

• BIOL 4920 is a letter graded, 2 credit course intended primarily for students with prior research experience, irrespective of their major or minor, who want work in research laboratories within the Biology Department. Note: not all programs or majors will allow BIOL 4920 credits to satisfy their degree requirements. Non-biology majors should check with their program director to confirm if they should enroll in BIOL 4920 or in the appropriate independent research course offered by their major department. 
• Irrespective of your major, prior completion of any one of BIOL 3000 (Cell Biology), BIOL 3010 (Genetics & Molecular Biology), BIOL 3020 (Evolution & Ecology) is expected. BIOL 4920 is repeatable and does satisfy certain Biology Biology major or minor requirements. Students can enroll in BIOL 3920 while taking their first Biology core course and can then subsequently enroll in BIOL 4920 to continue their research.
• Students are expected to work a minimum of 8-10hr/week (12.5 hr/week in summer) according to a mutually agreed upon schedule with your faculty research advisor (Lab PI) as well as the person in the lab (e.g., graduate student, postdoc or technician) who is directly training you. 
• Once students have arranged to work with a Biology Department faculty member who will serve as that student's research mentor, students should request permission through SIS to enroll in the BIOL 4920 section that is associated with that faculty member. 

For students in labs outside of the Biology Department

NEW: BIOL 3910 Research in the Life Sciences (Outside Biology labs) 

• BIOL 3910 is intended for students who have not yet declared a major or who are non-Biology majors. It is highly recommended that students with no prior research experience, enroll in BIOL 3910 instead of volunteering to work in a lab without receiving any academic credit. Prior completion of either BIOL 2100 or BIOL 2200 is strongly recommended.
• BIOL 3910 emphasizes learning basic experimental approaches and techniques relevant to your proposed research project.
• BIOL 3910 is a 2 credit, S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory) graded course. As such, BIOL 3910 cannot be applied towards satisfying Biology major or minor degree requirements. The Biology Department Director of Independent Research, Prof. Michael Wormington (ww2t@virginia.edu) assigns S/U grades based on the recommendation of the student's faculty research advisor. Their recommendations are based on a standardized rubric that will be provided to them at the beginning of the semester.   
• Students are expected to work a minimum of 8hr/week (12.5 hr/week in summer) according to a mutually agreed upon schedule with your faculty research advisor (Lab PI) as well as the person in the lab (e.g., graduate student, postdoc or technician) who is directly training you. 
• Prospective students must request instructor permission to enroll in BIOL 3910 in SIS. Your request should include a brief description (3-4 sentences) of your proposed research and both the name and computing ID of your faculty research advisor. This should be the lab PI, not the graduate student, postdoc or technician who may be directly training you. You do not need to accept permissions immediately. You can wait to accept the permission and enroll until SIS increases the enrollment limit from 15 to 18 credits on August 3, 2026. Unaccepted permissions will expire on the add deadline. 

UPDATED: BIOL 4910 Independent Research in the Life Sciences (Outside Biology labs)

• BIOL 4910 is intended primarily for Biology majors, and minors, and certain non-Biology majors. Irrespective of your major, prior completion of any one of BIOL 3000 (Cell Biology), BIOL 3010 (Genetics & Molecular Biology), BIOL 3020 (Evolution & Ecology) is expected. Students can enroll in BIOL 3910 while taking their first Biology core course and can then subsequently enroll in BIOL 4910 to continue their research.
• Students majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Cognitive Science, Neuroscience, or Psychology cannot enroll in BIOL 4910 and instead should enroll in the appropriate independent research course offered by your major department. Global Studies and Kinesiology majors can enroll in BIOL 4910 only with prior approval from their program director. 
• BIOL 4910 emphasizes experimental design, data acquisition and interpretation. 
• BIOL 4910 is a 2 credit, letter graded course. The Biology Department Director of Independent Research, Prof. Michael Wormington (ww2t@virginia.edu) assigns letter grades based on the recommendation of the student's faculty research advisor. These recommendations are based on a standardized rubric that will be provided to them at the beginning of the semester.  
• Students are expected to work a minimum of 8hr/week (12.5hr/week during summer) according to a mutually agreed upon schedule with your faculty research advisor (Lab PI) as well as the person in the lab (e.g., graduate student, postdoc or technician) who is directly training you. 
• Prospective students must request instructor permission to enroll in BIOL 4910 in SIS. Your request should include a brief description (3-4 sentences) of your proposed research and both the name and computing ID of your faculty research advisor. This should be the lab PI, not the graduate student, postdoc or technician who may be directly training you. You do not need to accept permissions immediately. You can wait to accept permission and enroll until SIS increases the enrollment limit from 15 to 18 credits on August 3, 2026. Unaccepted permissions will expire on the add deadline. 

Summer Independent Research 

The Biology Department can offer, in consultation with the relevant faculty members, BIOL 4920 and 4910 in the summer. These 2-credit, Summer Independent Research courses are 8 weeks long, and can span Summer Session I and II, or Summer Session II and III. 

Once you have made an arrangement to work with a faculty member within (4920) or outside of (4910) the Biology Department, please contact Prof. Dave Kittlesen by email (djk3w@virginia.edu). Please see the Summer Session website https://summer.virginia.edu for tuition fees and the summer calendar.

Independent Research Paths for the Biology BA, BS and BA/BS DMP

Regulatory Issues For Animal or Human Subject Research

Work with live animals requires Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approval prior to initiating research. ‘Animals’ in this context includes all animals with a spine. For additional information contact your research mentor and consult this link.

Human subject research requires specific Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals prior to initiating research.  Human subject research includes research with living subjects and work with human-derived data that can potentially be identifiable. For more specifics, contact your research mentor and consult this link.

These regulatory approvals can take considerable time to process. Make sure your lab initiates the approval process for you early to avoid delays.

Scholarships and Fellowship Opportunities

Please visit the Center for Undergraduate Excellence's page on opportunities for Scholarships and Fellowships as well as their Awards Database. Students in the Biology Department take advantage of many of these opportunities, including the Harrison Award and the Double Hoo award to support research over the summer. 

Other Departments for Independent Research Opportunities

Environmental Sciences

Chemistry

Basic Science Departments in the School of Medicine

• Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics
• Molecular Physiology & Biological Physics
• Microbiology, Immunology & Cancer Biology
• Cell Biology
• Neuroscience
• Pathology
• Pharmacology