Ball State University Department of Biology

09/14/2026

Our next seminar speaker in the fall 2026 series is our very own Dr. VJ Rubenstein!

Dr. Rubenstein’s research explores how cells maintain protein quality by identifying and removing dysfunctional proteins. This work has many important implications for understanding human diseases like diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders. His seminar will focus on “A new member of the cellular tow truck crew: Dfm1.”

We hope to see you there!

09/08/2026

Our fall seminar series kicks off THIS Friday! At these weekly talks, you’ll have the opportunity to hear from (and sometimes network with!) experts in a variety of fields of biological study. These seminars are free to attend and take place in FB 101 at 4pm.

Our first speaker of the semester is Dr. Amy Jo Marcano-Reik from the University of Jamestown. She will be sharing her research on “Precision medicine, AI, and translational innovation in neuropodiatry.” 🦶

We hope you’ll join us!

09/04/2026

We’re very proud of Dr. Venturelli for receiving the 2026 Ball State University Outstanding Research Award! 👏🎉

08/27/2026

Congratulations to BSU alum, Megan Crecelius, for receiving the Rising Leader Award from the Natural Areas Association! 🥳

Megan worked with Professor Emeritus Dr. Donald Ruch, specializing in botany. We love to see our graduates thriving and making a difference in the scientific community!

08/24/2026

Welcome to a new school year from our Biology faculty and staff! 🥳

Whether you are back in the lab, taking on a new research project, or diving into biology classes for the first time, we are so excited to kick off a new academic year with you.

If you need help finding your way, have questions, or just want some candy, we’ll have a welcome table in the Foundational Sciences Building lobby from 7:45am to 3pm today and tomorrow (Aug. 24 and 25). Come say hi!

08/13/2026

This is a great opportunity for our community!

If you're subscribed to our E-News ... you heard it there first!

The Fall 2026 Indiana Master Naturalist course with Red-tail Land Conservancy & Ball State University Field Stations in officially open and accepting registrations!

This year's course runs every Thursday between September 3rd - November 5th, 2026.

For more information or to register form IMN, please go to https://fortheland.org/imn/

08/06/2026

We are saddened to hear that Professor Emeritus, Dr. Tom McComish, recently passed away.

Tom was an integral part of our Biology department from 1968-2000. Through 32 years of teaching and research, as well as establishing Ball State’s Aquatic Biology and Fisheries Program, he helped shape both our department and generations of students. His legacy continues through the Thomas S. McComish Scholarship in Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, which supports undergraduate and graduate students studying in the field.

To read more about Tom’s life and make a memorial contribution, please see: thestarpress.com/obituaries/psbn1532765

06/29/2026

This summer, the Biology Department joined forces with the Department of Mathematical Sciences for STEM X-Ploration Camp! This week-long camp gave local 4th through 9th graders a fun and engaging experience with science and math through various games and activities.

Drs. Mager and Chamberlain helped campers explore chemical digestion using baker’s yeast as a model. First, students created yeast spheres (think “boba tea” style!), then they observed how enzymes in the yeast break down table sugar into a cell’s fuel source - glucose!

Drs. Miller and O’Hara taught campers about mechanical digestion using primates (including humans!), bats, and birds as models. Students played a feeding frenzy game using 3D-printed animal jaws to understand how teeth and beaks help animals obtain and process food. To explore birds’ unique digestive systems, students then got to dissect owl pellets and figure out what their owls had been eating!

06/23/2026

Amazing work by our very own Dr. Mackie O’Hara, now published in Nature! 👏

Links to the publication and a segment about this work on NPR’s All Things Considered can be found in the story, below.

A Ball State University faculty member helped lead a new study that sheds light on how tooth enamel changed as human diets evolved over millions of years.

06/22/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Michelle Cline, Gem Sambugaro, and Gino Trujillo on these outstanding achievements!

We’re proud to celebrate Dr. Cline’s 2026 Excellence in Teaching Award, Gem’s selection as a 2026-27 Udall Scholar, and Gino’s selection as a 2026-27 Gilman Scholar. Way to represent Biology so well! 👏🎉