Department of Biology

98% med school acceptance. Research with faculty from day one. Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth, and 700+ biomedical companies in your backyard.

At JCU Biology, you do real research from your first year. Work alongside faculty mentors in the Dolan Science Center, presenting your findings at Academic Discovery Day and regional conferences. Our students achieve a 98% acceptance rate to medical and health professional schools.

Cleveland puts you at the center of world-class healthcare and research. Intern at Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, or Holden Arboretum. Partner with Cleveland Metroparks Zoo or Lubrizol. Our graduates work at University Hospitals, Regeneron, EnviroScience, and the World Food Programme.

Go beyond the lab with field courses in the Appalachian Mountains and California deserts, plus our annual medical immersion trip to Honduras. Small upper-level labs (8-12 students) and early assurance pathways to LECOM, NEOMED, and Toledo mean personalized mentorship toward your goals.

Dr. Michael Martin

Professor/Chair

Michael Martin is a Professor/Chair in the Department of Biology at John Carroll University.
Dr. Ralph Saporito

Professor/Chair

Ralph Saporito studies the chemical ecology and defensive strategies of tropical poison frogs in the Department of Biology at John Carroll University. His research examines how these frogs use bright colors, defensive behaviors, and toxins to deter predators and pathogens.
James Watling

Associate Professor/Coburn Chair

James Watling is an Associate Professor/Coburn Chair in the Department of Biology at John Carroll University.
Dr. Erin Johnson

Professor

Erin Johnson investigates small molecules that can enhance the immune response to viral and bacterial pathogens in the Department of Public Health at John Carroll University.
James Lissemore, Ph.D.

Professor

James Lissemore is a Professor in the Department of Biology at John Carroll University.
Christopher Sheil, Ph.D.

Professor

Christopher Sheil is a Professor in the Department of Biology at John Carroll University.
Cyrilla Wideman, Ph.D.

Professor

Cyrilla Wideman is a Professor in the Department of Biology at John Carroll University.
Pam Vanderzalm

Associate Professor

Pamela Vanderzalm studies how the nervous system develops proper connectivity using fruit flies as a genetic model organism in the Department of Biology at John Carroll University. Her research examines how neurons form the right number and strength of connections, a process linked to neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders.