Glossary
Biology Professor Terms & Vocabulary
15 essential biology professor terms with plain-English definitions: the vocabulary you’ll hear in training and on day one.
Key biology professor vocabulary
These 15 terms come up constantly in biology professor training, on the job and in interviews. Knowing them helps you follow instructions, document accurately and sound prepared.
- Cell biology
- Study of cells.
- Course-based research
- Research built into classes.
- CRISPR
- Gene-editing tool.
- Ecology
- Study of organisms and environments.
- Evolution
- Change in species over time.
- Gene expression
- Gene activity.
- IACUC
- Animal research oversight.
- IRB
- Human research oversight.
- Manuscript
- Draft research paper.
- NIH
- National Institutes of Health.
- PCR
- DNA copying technique.
- Postdoc
- Research after a Ph.D.
- R01
- Major NIH research grant.
- Teaching lab
- Hands-on class lab.
- Tenure
- Permanent status.
Practice these terms
Test yourself with the free Biology Professor practice test: it includes vocabulary questions built from this list. For a complete course, see Biology Professor training.
Browse terms from every career in our career glossary.