L&S MAJORS

Biology, the Science of Life

Man's fascination with biology is almost as old as man himself. In ancient pictographs, cave paintings and hieroglyphs one finds a vivid celebration of man's relationship to the animals and plants around him. No less today, whether we are interested in our health, our environment, or are simply fascinated by the beauty and mystery of living things, we yearn to understand life and thereby to understand ourselves.

Perhaps no biological advance has greater potential to change our world than the discovery, fifty years ago this year, of the structure of DNA. It has already impacted every aspect of modern biology and the biotechnology revolution that it spawned promises to benefit everything from health care to agriculture. Nonetheless, as with any revolutionary technology, there are potential risks and, even without a formal involvement in biology or one of its related professions, the responsible citizen must understand the implications of science in order to evaluate new developments and make informed decisions about them. In this sense, an understanding of biology is almost a prerequisite for life in the 21st century.

Berkeley's biological majors balance breadth and rigor to meet the needs of its students, whether they be planning professional careers as scientists, or simply seeking to appreciate the beauty of nature, past and present. Because modern biology is interdisciplinary in nature, there is no single way to study it, so we have created multiple paths. You may concentrate on the biochemistry and structural biology of the molecules that confer function on cells; you may study how the central nervous system is organized to support an organism's function and behavior; you may focus on the evolution of species and the molecular events that led to evolution; you may study the environment and the interrelationship of plants and animals.

We also go an important step further. We seek to promote the integration of a broad range of biological disciplines with other sciences such as physics, mathematics, engineering and psychology. Our purpose is to provide a richer and more diverse perspective on biological questions and to ensure familiarity with the multiplicity of tools used in modern biological research. With a full understanding of the nature of scientific inquiry and an appreciation for both the diversity and the unity of life on earth, we can meet the challenges of the future with confidence and enthusiasm.

- DEAN W. GEOFFREY OWEN

Dean W. Geoffrey Owen is a professor of Molecular and Cell Biology and the Dean of Biological Sciences. He specializes in membrane biophysics and retinal neurophysiology.