About Our Department

Why We Study Biology?

The question “what is life” has long puzzled human beings. Biology tries to solve this puzzle by analyzing life forms at the molecular, cellular and organism levels as well as by investigating their interactions with each other and with their environment. However, we are not merely trying to satisfy our philosophical curiosities but also to solve practical issues important for achieving widespread sustainability. From the history of science, it is easy to see that basic research in biology has not only contributed to the cultural and academic progress of human society but also contributed to social change through innovations in the fields of applied disciplines, such as agricultural, medical, and environmental technologies. Thus, there is no doubt that basic biology, of which the Department studies, plays a critical role in improving the welfare of humanity on Earth.

A Brief History of the Department

The Department of Biology was founded in 1922 as the first institute intended to provide biological research and education at Tohoku University, which was founded in 1907 as the third national university in Japan. Due to its diverse curriculum and quality of the faculty, our department is currently regarded as one of the best centers for basic biological sciences in Japan. Over the past 90 years of the department, over 2000 students have earned bachelor’s degrees in biology, and most of them have gone on to earn M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees. Alumni of the department have contributed to society through their activities as professors, teachers, researchers, engineers, generalists, and so forth in private companies and public institutes.

Mission

The educational mission of the Department of Biology at Tohoku University is to support scholarly endeavors in disciplines across a broad range of biologies from molecular and cellular biology to ecology and evolutionary biology, thereby cultivating future faculty members as well as professionals and generalists, who pave the way for a new era in life sciences and other fields.

Curriculum and Student life

The Department of Biology offers undergraduates students a broad range of learning opportunities so as to provide both a strong foundation in biology and a broad liberal arts education. The quality and diversity of education that we provide in the Department have improved continually through innovations in the curriculum and by attracting outstanding faculty. Currently, the faculty consists of 40 academic staff members, including 18 professors, whose research specialties cover molecular, cellular, individual, developmental, evolutionary and environmental biology. Each of the 40 academic staff members is responsible for teaching classes of a total of 40 biology undergraduates per grade and supervises the students during their individual research programs in a personal manner. In the student’s fourth grade, they have the opportunity to attend graduate-level classes in the Graduate School of Life Sciences at Tohoku University. We hope that you will find the learning in our department exciting, enjoyable and vital to your future career.

Access

The Department of Biology at Tohoku University is located in Sendai, a beautiful historic city full of greenery with a population more than one million. The main office of the department is housed in the Biology Building (H16) on the Aobayama Campus, which will be linked to downtown by a new subway line in 2015.

Message from the Chair

April 1, 2026

Biology, Studying the “Kotowari” of Life

Science is the study of "kotowari" (the underlying principles of nature) ?a discipline that seeks to understand the world by dividing and organizing its complexities. Within this field, biology is the science that confronts the fundamental question: "What is life?" Our department offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to explore the diverse phenomena of life. From the precise mechanisms of life at the molecular and cellular levels to the formation of organisms, animal/plant behavior, and the dynamics of ecosystems, we investigate the essence of life across a vast range of scales.

As a key feature of our department, we emphasize fundamental research and education. Understanding biological phenomena requires a scientific approach: identifying a problem, forming a hypothesis, and verifying it through experiments, observations and data analysis. Therefore, we place great importance on laboratory work and fieldwork, providing students with opportunities to take initiative in their research. As early as their third year, students join a research laboratory and engage in cutting-edge experiments and/or field surveys in natural settings. We offer a diverse range of research themes, such as molecular biology to uncover genomic functions, neuroscience to explore the workings of the brain, and field biology to study the ecology and evolution of animals and plants.

Our learning style emphasizes not only "learning from textbooks" but also "verifying and thinking with your own hands." By analyzing data obtained through experiments and observations, you will cultivate the ability to logically test your own hypotheses and generate new insights. We believe that the accumulation of such fundamental research supports the advancement of biology and contributes to the progress of science and technology. Furthermore, the problem-solving skills based on logical and objective thinking will form the foundation for your future as professional experts and active members of society.

Biology is a field with a bunch of mysteries yet to be solved. This means there is such joy in posing your own questions and pursuing your own discoveries. If you "love living things" and/or are "intrigued by the mechanisms of life," why not take a step into the unknown at the Department of Biology, Tohoku University? We provide an environment where you can satisfy your curiosity and achieve your full potential. Join us to challenge the mysteries of life together!

Koji Tamura

Department Head, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Tohoku University

History