Programs

Biology

Saint John campus

  • Degree Offered: MSc & PhD
  • Application Deadline: Open
  • Study Options: Thesis
  • Length: 2 (MSc) / 4(PhD) Years
  • Entry Terms: Fall, Winter, Summer

Our degrees are based on the development and completion of an original research project though mentorship. Study on our campus offers opportunities for terrestrial, freshwater, estuarine, and marine research, with diverse and dynamic field sites in our back yard. The faculty is also diverse, from chemists through ecologists, with expertise in these ecosystems.

Our graduates are well prepared for careers as researchers, program co-ordinators, research managers, consultants, data analysts and policy advisors in universities, governments, industry and environmental organizations; many become professors at universities. We have close collaboration with several research centres: Canadian Rivers Institute, Huntsman Marine Science Centre, and the New Brunswick Museum.

We normally have about 25 MSc students in the program and about 30 PhD students; many are well-funded from external sources.

Research areas

Marine biology:  Drs. Hunt, Major, Rochette, Speers-Roesch

  • Ecology and conservation of marine birds
  • Roles of dispersal and behaviour in regulating marine bird populations
  • Ecophysiology and biochemistry of seaweeds
  • Ecophysiology of fishes
  • Aquaculture (integrated multi-trophic aquaculture)
  • Suspension feeding in marine invertebrates
  • Recruitment and early post-settlement processes in marine invertebrates
  • Evolutionary ecology of coastal marine invertebrates

Environmental biology: Drs. Zimmer, Houlahan, Kieffer, Speers-Roesch

  • Effects of multiple stressors on aquatic systems
  • Effects of habitat loss and degradation on populations, communities and ecosystems
  • Environmental physiology of fishes
  • Chemical contamination of aquatic food webs; aquatic toxicology
  • Impacts of anthropogenic effects (low oxygen, effluents, elevated temperatures) on fish metabolism and swimming abilities.
  • Effects of forest management on biodiversity (plants, amphibians)

Natural products chemistry: Dr. Gray

  • Marine & terrestrial chemical ecology
  • Endophytic fungi and their bioactive/antimicrobial properties
  • Secondary metabolites and novel drug leads

Genetics: Dr. Pavey

  • Aquatic molecular ecology
  • Ecological genomics

Cancer Research: Dr. Reiman

  • Pre-clinical and clinical studies of novel therapies and biomarkers in:
    • Multiple Myeloma
    • Lymphoma
    • Lung Cancer

 Application requirements

  1. Students must contact faculty prior to applying to secure research supervision.
  2. MSc applicants should hold a B.Sc., PhD applicants should have a M.Sc.; with a minimum cumulative GPA 3.0 (B average).
  3. Applicants are required to submit a complete application, including three references and a one-page statement describing their research interests and name of supervisor.
  4.  International Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to submit language scores. If applicable, a minimum TOEFL score of 600, and TWE of 4.0 (writing rubric mean) or 25 (scaled score), or a minimum IELTS score of 7.0. 

Funding 

Funding from teaching and research assistantships is typically around $22,500 depending on the program and top-ups from other sources are possible.

Contact us

For more information, contact Dr. Christopher Gray, Director of Graduate Studies

Office: Hazen Hall, Rm. 306

Or Tetiana Saravelo, Administrative Assistant

Office: Ganong Hall, Rm. 31

Phone: 1-506-648-5970

Related: Biology Department