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Choose Your Genetics Adventure
Why choose Genetics at Iowa State? The small program size and associated learning community provides students with support and a sense of community, while offering the benefits and opportunities of a major research university. At Iowa State, faculty in 3 different departments (BBMB, EEOB, and GDCB) administer the undergraduate Genetics major. These faculty provide undergraduates with a multidisciplinary perspective on genetics and a broad range of possibilities to become involved in cutting edge genetics research. Students can begin working in research labs as early as their freshman year! In addition, the Genetics Program offers freshmen the unique opportunity to participate in state-of-the-art research by enrolling in a developmental biology lab utilizing the CRISPR/Cas 9 system to perform gene editing in a model organism, the zebrafish. The program also offers internships for students to conduct semester or summer research projects in faculty labs. Looking for more research experience? Our Experiential Learning Coordinator will assist students with identifying research opportunities in faculty labs on campus and internships at local and regional companies. Finally, completion of the genetics degree meets the admissions requirements for most graduate and professional programs!
Whether you are interested in pursuing a career in a medical field (human medicine or pre-vet), genetic counseling, genetic engineering, or other genetics-related research fields, the Genetics Program at Iowa State will prepare you for the next step in your career.
Areas of Study
Year: Junior
Career: Genetic Counseling
Campus Activities: Genetics Learning Community Peer Mentor, Biological Sciences Club President, Tri Beta Biological Honors Society Officer, Biology 211 Lab Undergraduate Assistant
Internship Spotlight
Additional Internships: University of Virginia Med School Summer Research Program: Stem Cell Research, PowerPollen: Plant Research, Mayo Clinic: Polycystic Kidney Disease models, University of Minnesota: Plant Research
Recent News
Genetics Graduates
accepted into graduate and professional programs or immediate employment.
participated in undergraduate research.
choose to continue to participate in the genetics program as alumni through informational interviews, career panels, etc.