Biology Resources for Teaching and Research
NMU's Department of Biology houses the majority of its courses and labs in one of three campus buildings: The Science Building, Weston Hall, and Jamrich Hall. Scroll down to explore the uniquely Northern learning spaces that are found in these facilities and elsewhere, which facilitate hands-on learning by students at all levels.
Other Departmental Resources
Biology Stockroom - In addition to learning spaces, the Biology Department Stockroom maintains an extensive collection of field and lab equipment that is available to students for use in class work and independent research. Certain departmental resources, including vans, are available to the NMU community for rent as long as there is not a conflict with existing departmental needs.
Freezers, cold rooms, warm rooms - The department maintains numerous freezers and other systems designed to maintain stable temperatures for experimental applications. These systems are tracked remotely with real-time data available here (original sensor system) and here (new sensor system under which all sensors will be consolidated over time).
Departmental Facilities
The Northern Museum of Zoology, housed in the Biology Department, includes zoological collections that cover the breadth of diversity of the animal Tree of Life.
Our department laboratories are vast and varied, offering students of all levels the opportunity to explore hands-on learning in their area of interest.
Jamrich Hall is a state-of-the-art academic building on the Northern campus. In this building, students may attend lecture or seminar courses for the Department of Biology, in addition to many other general education courses.
The aquatics lab is the perfect place on campus for students to get their hands wet alongside expert faculty.
NMU's Lydia Olson Library offers two stories of space for students to research, study, and meet in groups. This facility is conveniently located next to the majority of the Department of Biology's main buildings.
Our learning spaces aren't confined to traditional lecture halls and laboratories. Rather, students get outside and explore the natural surroundings of Michigan's Upper Peninsula while getting an education unlike those available at more urban campuses.
The NMU greenhouse is a 166 square meter (1790 square foot) glass-covered greenhouse split equally into a "research" side and a "teaching" side.
Animal Rooms
The Biology Department maintains several animal holding facilities including an animal room suite with areas for rodent (primarily mouse) colonies. We also have an area dedicated to culture of aquatic species, primarily fish. In addition, the department maintains displays of live organisms, including fish and invertebrates, for teaching purposes.
Aquatics Lab
The Aquatics Laboratory is a 2045 square foot facility designed to house and grow aquatic animal species. Located in West Hall, the Aquatics Lab a highly flexible facility used to support undergraduate and graduate research projects as well as hands-on work in Biology courses.
Learn more about the Aquatics Lab
Greenhouse
The Biology Department maintains a greenhouse that is used extensively by students and faculty for teaching and research. This facility supports numerous Botany courses at NMU, and serves students in diverse disciplines (e.g., Biology, Chemistry, Art and Design, and Earth, Environmental, and Geographical Sciences).
Learn more about the Greenhouse
Northern Museum of Zoology
The Biology Department houses zoological collections that cover the breadth of diversity of the animal Tree of Life, ranging across most major groups of invertebrate and vertebrate animals. These collections provide an important record of the ecological communities of the Great Lakes Region since the mid-1900s. Recent efforts to build a rich specimen-base for biodiversity research are further expanding the geographic scope of the collections. Faculty curators and student collection managers maintain the collections, which support teaching and research here at NMU and at institutions across the United States.
Learn more about the Northern Museum of Zoology
Labs
NMU's Weston Hall offers both research and teaching laboratory space to the Biology Department.
Twelve dedicated teaching laboratories (approximately 10,000 total square feet) are supported by an extensive stock room, modern cellular and molecular biology core rooms (complete with autoclaves, ultracold freezers and centrifuges), a tissue culture facility and storage areas for field and laboratory equipment.
Twelve research laboratories support the research programs of the faculty as well as undergraduate and graduate student researchers. These research laboratories are supported by animal/fish culture areas, a tissues culture facility and the core area.
Confocal Microscope
The Biology Department maintains an Olympus laser-scanning confocal microscope for advanced imaging fluorescently-labeled tissues. The microscope is equipped with a four-channel detector that allows for acquisition of three-dimensional (3D) images using up to four different dyes. Mosaic imaging is available using a high-magnification objective to acquire continuous 3D images of adjacent fields of view using an automated motorized stage.
Confocal image of a sciatic nerve with four different proteins fluorescently-labeled.
University Lands
Northern Michigan University maintains several properties that serve as outdoor laboratories for teaching and research.
View maps and descriptions of the university lands