• Biological scientists study living organisms and their relationship to the environment.
• They perform research to gain a better understanding of fundamental life processes and apply that understanding to developing new products or processes.
• Research can be broken down into two categories: basic and applied.
• Basic research is conducted without any intended aim; the goal is simply to expand on human knowledge.
• Applied research is directed towards solving a particular problem.
• Most biological scientists specialize in one area of biology, such as zoology (the study of animals) or microbiology (the study of microscopic organisms).
• Basic research in biological sciences advances our knowledge of living organisms so that we can develop solutions to human health problems and improve the natural environment.
• These biological scientists mostly work in government, university, or private industry laboratories, often exploring new areas of research. Many expand on specialized research they started in graduate school.
• Many biological scientists involved in basic research must submit grant proposals to obtain funding for their projects.
• Colleges and universities, private foundations, and Government agencies, contribute to the support of scientists whose research proposals are determined to be financially feasible and to have the potential to advance new ideas or processes.
• Biological scientists who work in applied research or product development apply knowledge gained through basic research to develop new drugs, treatments, and medical diagnostic tests; increase crop yields; and develop new bio-fuels.
• They usually have less freedom than basic researchers do to choose the emphasis of their research, and they spend more time working on marketable treatments to meet the business goals of their employers.
• Biological scientists doing applied research and product development often work in teams, interacting with engineers, scientists of other disciplines, business managers, and technicians.
• Those working in private industry may be required to describe their research plans or results to non-scientists who are in a position to veto or approve their ideas. These scientists must consider the business effects of their work.
• Some biological scientists also work with customers or suppliers and manage budgets.
• Scientists usually conduct research in laboratories using a wide variety of other equipment. Some conduct experiments involving animals or plants.
• This is particularly true of botanists, physiologists, and zoologists.
• Some biological research also takes place outside the laboratory. For example, a botanist might do field research in tropical rain forests to see which plants grow there, or an ecologist might study how a forest area recovers after a fire.
• Some marine biologists also work outdoors, often on research vessels from which they study fish, plankton, or other marine organisms.
• Swift advances in knowledge of genetics and organic molecules spurred growth in the field of biotechnology, transforming the industries in which biological scientists work.
• Biological scientists can now manipulate the genetic material of animals and plants, attempting to make organisms more productive or resistant to disease.
• Those working on various genomes (chromosomes with their associated genes) projects isolate genes and determine their function.
• This work continues to lead to the discovery of genes associated with specific diseases and inherited health risks, such as sickle cell anemia.
• Advances in biotechnology have created research opportunities in almost all areas of biology, with commercial applications in areas such as medicine, agriculture, and environmental remediation.
• Most biological scientists specialize in the study of a certain type of organism or in a specific activity, although recent advances have blurred some traditional classifications.
• Aquatic biologists study micro-organisms, plants, and animals living in water.
• Marine biologists study salt water organisms, and limnologists study fresh water organisms.
• Much of the work of marine biology centres on molecular biology, the study of the biochemical processes that take place inside living cells.
• Marine biologists are sometimes called oceanographers, a broader field that also includes the study of the physical characteristics of oceans and the ocean floor.
• Biochemists study the chemical composition of living things.
• They analyze the complex chemical combinations and reactions involved in metabolism, reproduction, and growth.
• Biochemists do most of their work in biotechnology, which involves understanding the complex chemistry of life.
• Biophysicists study how physics, such as electrical and mechanical energy, relates to living cells and organisms.
• They perform research in fields such as neuroscience or bioinformatics (the use of computers to process biological information, usually at the molecular level).
• Microbiologists investigate the growth and characteristics of microscopic organisms such as bacteria, algae, or fungi.
  • Most microbiologists specialize in environmental, food, agricultural, or industrial microbiology; virology (the study of viruses); immunology (the study of mechanisms that fight infections); or bioinformatics.
  • Many microbiologists use biotechnology to advance knowledge of cell reproduction and human disease.
• Physiologists study life functions of plants and animals, both in the whole organism and at the cellular or molecular level, under normal and abnormal conditions.
  • Physiologists often specialize in functions such as growth, reproduction, photosynthesis, respiration, or movement, or in the physiology of a certain area or system of the organism.
• Botanists study plants and their environments.
  • Some study all aspects of plant life, including algae, fungi, lichens, mosses, ferns, conifers, and flowering plants;
  • Others specialize in areas such as identification and classification of plants, the structure and function of plant parts, the biochemistry of plant processes, the causes and cures of plant diseases, the interaction of plants with other organisms and the environment, and the geological record of plants.
• Zoologists and wildlife biologists study animals and wildlife—their origin, behaviour, diseases, and life processes.
  • Some experiment with live animals in controlled or natural surroundings, while others dissect dead animals to study their structure.
  • Zoologists and wildlife biologists also may collect and analyze biological data to determine the environmental effects of current and potential uses of land and water areas.
  • Zoologists are usually identified by the animal group they study—ornithologists study birds, for example, mammalogists study mammals, herpetologists study reptiles, and ichthyologists study fish.
• Ecologists investigate the relationships among organisms and between organisms and their environments.
  • They examine the effects of population size, pollutants, rainfall, temperature, and altitude.
  • Using knowledge of various scientific disciplines, ecologists may collect, study, and report data on the quality of air, food, soil, and water.

• Biotechnological research and development continues to drive job growth.
• Biological scientists enjoyed very rapid employment gains over the past few decades—reflecting, in part, the growth of the biotechnology industry.
• Employment growth will moderate somewhat as the biotechnology industry matures, with fewer new firms being founded and existing firms merging or being absorbed by larger biotechnology or pharmaceutical firms.
• However, much of the basic biological research done in recent years has resulted in new knowledge, including the isolation and identification of genes.
• Biological scientists will be needed to take this knowledge to the next stage, understanding how certain genes function within an entire organism, so that medical treatments can be developed to treat various diseases.
• Even pharmaceutical and other firms not solely engaged in biotechnology use biotechnology techniques extensively, spurring employment for biological scientists.
• For example, biological scientists are continuing to help farmers increase crop yields by pinpointing genes that can help crops, such as wheat, grow in more extreme climate conditions.
• In addition, efforts to discover new and improved ways to clean up and preserve the environment will continue to add to job growth.
• More biological scientists will be needed to determine the environmental impact of industry and government actions and to prevent or correct environmental problems, such as the negative effects of pesticide use.
• Some biological scientists will find opportunities in environmental regulatory agencies, while others will use their expertise to advise lawmakers on legislation to save environmentally sensitive areas.
• New industrial applications of biotechnology, such as new methods for producing bio-fuels, also will spur demand for biological scientists.
• There will continue to be demand for biological scientists specializing in botany, zoology, and marine biology, but opportunities will be limited because of the small size of these fields.
• Marine biology, despite its attractiveness as a career, is a very small specialty within biological science.
• Doctoral degree holders are expected to face competition for basic research positions in academia.
• Furthermore, should the number of advanced degrees awarded continue to grow, applicants for research grants are likely to face even more competition.
• In general, applied research positions in private industry are somewhat easier to obtain, but may become more competitive if increasing numbers of scientists seek jobs in private industry because of the difficulty finding positions in colleges and universities.
• Prospective marine biology students should be aware that those who would like to enter this specialty far outnumber the very few openings that occur each year for the type of glamorous research jobs that many would like to obtain.
• Almost all marine biologists who do basic research have a Ph.D.
• People with bachelor's and master's degrees are expected to have more opportunities in nonscientist jobs related to biology, in fields like sales, marketing, publishing, and research management.
• Non-Ph.D.s also may fill positions as science or engineering technicians or as medical health technologists and technicians.
• Some become high school biology teachers.
• Biological scientists are less likely to lose their jobs during recessions than those in other occupations, because many are employed on long-term research projects.
• However, an economic downturn could influence the amount of money allocated to new research and development efforts, particularly in areas of risky or innovative research.
• An economic downturn also could limit the possibility of extension or renewal of existing projects.

Other life science research occupations include including Agricultural and food scientists; Conservation scientists and foresters; Engineering and natural sciences managers; Epidemiologists; Medical scientists; Teachers-postsecondary.

Other health-related specialists with similar levels of education include Dentists; Physicians and surgeons; Veterinarians.