105 Biological Sciences Dissertation Topics for Research

Biological Sciences Dissertation Topics

If you’re stepping into your dissertation journey, picking the right topic is the first big move. Biological sciences is a wide and exciting field, so you’ll want a research idea that’s original, relevant, and interesting to you. To help spark ideas, here’s a list of 105 dissertation topics across different areas of biology.

Genetics and Genomics

• Genetic variations influencing resistance to viral infections
• The role of microRNAs in regulating gene expression in cancer cells
• Analysing mitochondrial DNA to trace human evolution
• Gene editing with CRISPR: ethical and scientific perspectives
• Exploring genetic links to obesity and metabolic disorders
• Comparative genomics of primates to study brain evolution
• Impact of single nucleotide polymorphisms on drug response
• Genomic approaches to studying endangered species
• Horizontal gene transfer in bacteria and its impact on evolution
• Identifying genetic markers for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease

Molecular Biology

• Protein folding disorders and their link to neurodegeneration
• The role of heat shock proteins in stress response
• Investigating molecular pathways in stem cell differentiation
• RNA interference as a therapeutic tool
• Signal transduction in cancer progression
• The molecular basis of antibiotic resistance in bacteria
• Structure-function relationships in membrane proteins
• DNA repair mechanisms and their role in preventing cancer
• Epigenetic regulation of embryonic development
• Protein engineering for enzyme design

Microbiology

• The role of gut microbiota in mental health
• Bacterial biofilms in hospital-acquired infections
• Phage therapy as an alternative to antibiotics
• Microbial contributions to soil fertility
• Virulence factors in pathogenic fungi
• Antibiotic resistance genes in agricultural soils
• Microbiome shifts during pregnancy
• The role of archaea in extreme environments
• Probiotics in prevention of gastrointestinal disorders
• Microbial degradation of plastics in oceans

Immunology

• T-cell exhaustion in chronic viral infections
• Role of cytokines in autoimmune diseases
• Immunotherapy for melanoma treatment
• Vaccine development against emerging pathogens
• The gut-immune system connection
• Innate immunity in plants and its applications
• B-cell development and antibody diversity
• The role of natural killer cells in tumour suppression
• Autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus
• Immune checkpoints in cancer treatment

Ecology and Environment

• Climate change and coral reef biodiversity
• Pollinator decline and its impact on agriculture
• Effects of invasive species on freshwater ecosystems
• Conservation genetics of endangered birds
• The role of keystone species in ecosystem stability
• Urbanisation and its impact on biodiversity
• Forest fragmentation and its impact on wildlife populations
• Soil microbial diversity and carbon cycling
• The role of wetlands in mitigating climate change
• Ecotoxicology of pesticides in aquatic ecosystems

Evolutionary Biology

• Evolution of antibiotic resistance in bacterial populations
• Adaptive radiation in island species
• Co-evolution of parasites and hosts
• The role of sexual selection in speciation
• Evolutionary origins of photosynthesis
• Genetic drift in small populations
• Evolutionary basis of human cooperation
• Molecular evidence for common ancestry among vertebrates
• The evolution of flight in insects and birds
• Comparative genomics of ancient hominids

Neuroscience

• Neural mechanisms of memory consolidation
• The impact of sleep on brain plasticity
• Neurobiology of addiction and reward pathways
• The role of glial cells in brain development
• Brain-machine interfaces: future directions
• Neurodegenerative diseases and protein misfolding
• The gut-brain axis in psychiatric disorders
• Functional imaging in language processing
• The role of dopamine in motivation and learning
• Genetic basis of neurological disorders

Biotechnology and Applied Biology

• Stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury
• Biotechnological approaches to crop improvement
• Synthetic biology for renewable energy production
• Industrial enzyme production through recombinant DNA
• Tissue engineering using biomaterials
• Bioplastics as sustainable alternatives
• The role of biosensors in medical diagnostics
• Advances in vaccine production technology
• Genetic engineering of plants for stress tolerance
• Biofuels from microalgae

Developmental Biology

• Embryonic stem cells and organogenesis
• Genetic regulation of limb development
• The role of morphogens in tissue patterning
• Comparative embryology of vertebrates
• Developmental basis of congenital heart diseases
• Maternal factors influencing early embryonic development
• Neural crest cells in craniofacial development
• Epigenetic regulation of foetal growth
• Hormonal control of metamorphosis in amphibians
• Placental development and maternal-foetal interaction

Plant Biology

• Photosynthetic efficiency under stress conditions
• Role of mycorrhizal fungi in plant nutrient uptake
• Genetic engineering for drought resistance in crops
• Phytoremediation of heavy metals by plants
• Plant secondary metabolites in medicine
• Role of phytohormones in seed germination
• Impact of climate change on plant-pollinator interactions
• Plant immunity against fungal pathogens
• Chloroplast DNA in studying plant evolution
• The role of stomata in regulating transpiration

Marine Biology

• Ocean acidification and its effect on shell-forming organisms
• Behavioural adaptations of deep-sea fish
• Marine microbial communities and carbon cycling
• Coral bleaching and reef restoration strategies
• Tracking whale migration with satellite technology