Specialization in Life Sciences Research & Technology for Current Undergraduates

Eligible applicants must be current UC San Diego undergraduates, with a declared major in one of the undergraduate degree programs offered by the School of Biological Sciences. Students must demonstrate excellent performance in upper-division biology core courses during their undergraduate program to be eligible to enroll in biology graduate core courses. Eligible applicants will be considered for admissions if they meet the following requirements:

• 3.0 Cumulative UC San Diego GPA
• 3.3 Upper Division Major GPA
• Spring or Summer undergraduate degree completion date

All prospective students must submit a complete application to the BS/MS program by the stated deadline. Application instructions and deadlines are detailed below.

Admission to the Specialization in Life Sciences Research and Technology within the Contiguous BS/MS program is not guaranteed for any applicant and will be selective due to the limited capacity of this program. Admissions decisions are final.

Prospective students must select one of two curricular paths, called "Streams", when applying for admission to the Specialization in Life Sciences Research and Technology. Stream assignments are made at the time of admission and will be communicated to admitted students (placement in a specific stream is not guaranteed). Stream assignments are final and changes are not permitted during the program.

Both streams within the Specialization in Life Sciences Research and Technology Program offer opportunities to learn essential lab techniques, network with Life-Sciences professionals, and create a thoughtful research narrative that will prepare students for positions in the Life Sciences Industry and future graduate, health sciences, or professional programs. Each stream will pursue novel research developed in labs within the School of Biological Sciences, allowing students to explore both the basic principles that underlie fundamental biology and the translational breakthroughs that support modern medicine.

• Stream 1: Research will focus on viral evolution and replication, phage therapy, and host-pathogen interactions in the nematode C. Elegans. Stream 1 will be led by Professor Joe Pogliano in the Fall, Professor Emily Troemel in the Winter, and Professor Justin Meyer in the Spring. 
• Stream 2: Research will focus on protein misfolding and metabolic regulation, and their dysregulation in disease. Stream 2 will be led by Professor Matthew Flagg in the Fall and Winter and Professor Jim Wilhelm in the Spring.

Students interested in the Specialization in Life Sciences Research and Technology must submit a complete application and pay the application fee by the stated deadline.

Fall 2026 Application

Application Opens: February 18, 2026

Application Deadline: April 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM PST

Estimated Decision Release: Late May 2026

Applications must be submitted within Graduate Studies Application Portal before the application deadline. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Prospective students must review and follow the Life Sciences Research and Technology Application Instructions when submitting the graduate studies application. 

Only applicants with an expected undergraduate degree completion date of Spring 2026 or Summer 2026 will be considered for Fall 2026 admission.