1. Overview of the Department

The department of Biology is among the sister departments under College of Natural Sciences, Salale University. The department is committed to run its major activates targeting the three pillars: Teaching-learning, Research and Community Development Support Services in line with mission and vision of Salale University.

2. Establishment

Established in 2016, the department of biology is currently running its programs both in undergraduate and postgraduate studies in regular and weekend. The department also commenced graduation ceremony of 61 Bachelor’s degree graduates for the first time in 2020 Academic Year and 43 Bachelor’s degree Bachelor’s degree graduates for the second time in 2021 Academic Year.

3. Mission and Vision

Mission: To produce competent and qualified biology graduates contributing to the Ethiopian society by pursuing education, learning, research and community development support services in line with the national needs.

Vision: The Department of Biology is eager to be the center of excellence in molecular biosciences research, land restoration and biodiversity conservation.

Motto: Devoted to academic excellence through Co-Creating quality.

4. Staff profile: Academic and supportive

Currently, the department of biology is running its activities by 16 academe staff and 5 supportive staff members. Regarding the academic staff, currently there are: one graduate assistant (on study leave for MSc); 12 MSc. holders (one Assistant professor; one on study leave for PhD); three PhD holders (Assistant professors). Similarly, the supportive staffs have four technical (laboratory) assistants and one office secretary.

5. Program: BSc and MSc (Regular and weekend)

There are both regular and weekend programs in the undergraduate and postgraduate studies. The undergraduates will be qualified in Bachelor of Science Degree after graduation while the postgraduates will be qualified in Masters of Science Degree in Applied Genetics and Biotechnology after successful completion of the program schedule.

6. Students: Undergraduate and Postgraduate

Currently, there are 123 students (49 regular and 74 weekend) in the undergraduate program and 17 students (9 regular and 8 weekends) in the postgraduate program.

7. Available Courses: BSc and MSc

Available Courses for BSc Program (Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology)

Based on the Nationally Harmonized Curriculum, the following major courses are available in addition to common,  elective and supportive courses  General Biology Courses-Biological laboratory and field techniques, Cell Biology, Research Methods and Scientific Writing, Principles of Taxonomy, Senior Project, Internship; Botanical Science courses: Phycology, Bryophytes and Pteridophytes, Seed Plants, Plant Anatomy and Physiology, Introduction to Ethnobiology;  Zoological Science courses: Invertebrate Zoology; General Entomology, Vertebrate Zoology, Applied Entomology, Mammalian Anatomy & Physiology; Genetics and Molecular Biology: Principles of Genetics, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Evolution, Fundamentals of Biotechnology, General Microbiology, Mycology, Principles of Parasitology, Virology, Applied Microbiology, Introduction to Immunology; Fisheries and aquatic sciences: Aquatic Science and Wetland Management, Fisheries and Aquaculture; Ecological and Environmental Biology: Principles of Ecology, Soil science, Wildlife Ecology and Management, Conservation and management of Natural resources.

Available courses for the MSc Program (MSc in applied Genetics and Biotechnology) Advanced Molecular Genetics, Ecological and Conservation Genetics, Population and Evolutionary Genetics, Quantitative Genetics, Human Genetics, Biostatistics and Research Methods  , Genetic Engineering and Biosafety, Techniques in Molecular Biology, Genomics and Bioinformatics, Advanced Plant Breeding, Plant Biotechnology, Techniques in Plant Biotechnology, Plant Stress Physiology, Advanced Animal Breeding, Animal Biotechnology, Feed Biotechnology, Immunology and Immunotechnology, Medical Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Molecular Diagnostic Technology, Microbial Biotechnology, Enzyme Technology, System and Synthetic Biology, Fermentation Technology and Bioreactor Design, Downstream Processing and Product Recovery Environmental Biotechnology, Bioreactor Design and Operation, System and Synthetic Biology, Recent Advances in Applied Genetics and Biotechnology (Seminar), MSc Thesis.

8. Admission Requirements

Undergraduate: In order to be admitted to the Undergraduate Program of the Department of Biology, a candidate must:

1. Have successfully completed freshman program (First year courses); as per the admission rules and regulations of the university and ministry of Science and Higher Education or
2. Have diploma in biology or other related biological disciplines from any accredited higher learning institutions.

Postgraduate: To be admitted in the Applied Genetics and Biotechnology   program, the applicant must have a Bachelor (BSc) degree with CGPA of 2.0 and above or its equivalent ECTS from an accredited institution of higher education in the biological sciences, agricultural sciences, veterinary medicine; health sciences and related fields of study. Thus, applicants with bachelor degree in Biotechnology, Biology, Plant Science, Animal Science, Food and Nutrition Science, Laboratory Technology, Veterinary Medicine and related sciences could apply for admission. Applicant that do fulfill basic requirement, but did not take basic courses during their undergraduate degree may apply and sit for supportive bridge courses as prescribed by the program/department. Moreover, applicants are expected to pass a written entrance examination prepared by department. Other admission criteria to the MSc program will follow the general admission requirements of the respective Higher Learning Institutes (HLI).

9. List of staffs and their profile

10. Research and Community Development Services

In addition to the actual teaching-learning activities, the department is running a number of research and community developments service activities.

Ongoing Research Projects

Among the ongoing researches; biodiesel production from microalgae; medicinal plant extraction technologies (medicinal plant ethnobotanical assessment, extraction, biological activity testing, molecular characterization); research on indigenous plant species, eucalyptus and its ecological impacts; research on barley genetic diversity; research on  the status of evolution and genetics education in school curricula; research on Ecological Study of Benthic Macroinvertebrates as Bio-Indicators.

Community Development Support Service Projects:

The department is currently running a big regular mega multipurpose project on land restoration and mountain greening. The mega project is multidisciplinary, multipurpose, all inclusive, and participatory at university level. The mega project under the title “Making Salale Mountains Green through Land Restoration: Implications for Reforestation, Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Utilization”. There are many sub projects under the mega project which includes establishment of botanic gardens and roadside tree planting and mountain foresting projects.

11. Facilities

The department has both field and laboratory facilities under establishment for teaching learning, research and community development support services.

Field facilities: Botanic garden with a number of medicinal plant collections is available in the main (General Taddesse Biru) campus of Salale University. The department has a plan to expand the botanic garden by establishing nurseries for different plant species by giving priority to endemic, endangered, rare, medicinal, multipurpose, wild edible plant species where it can also serve as field gene banks and ex-situ conservation. The plants kept in the botanic garden can serve as major sources of raw materials of plant samples collected for the purpose of herbarium specimen deposits, plant tissue culture and plant molecular biology research.   .

Laboratory facilities: Aimed at multiple services in both teaching-learning and research, the department has a number of laboratories which are found in a large building with multiple laboratories of sister departments under the college of natural sciences. These include:

1. General purpose laboratory: This is laboratory for teaching the practical session in undergraduate program in all subjects given in the department. In addition, it can also serve as training center for staff capacity building, post graduate students and any other service as required.
2. Molecular bioscience laboratory: This laboratory is majorly for teaching advanced post graduate courses and research. It is where MSc students and staff with molecular biology based research projects can conduct their practical activities. Three sub laboratories presents under molecular bioscience laboratory: molecular biology laboratory, plant tissue culture laboratory and bioinformatics laboratory.
3. Botanical science laboratory: This laboratory is where plant based teach-learning and research can be carried out. There is also mini-herbarium under this laboratory with major function of academic and research. Plant field samples collected, pressed, dried, identified, authenticated, mounted and deposited in this mini-herbarium where they can be used as reference materials for students and researchers. Server based big plant database (usually the botanical/scientific names, ecological and economic uses) will be created which are direct internet connected with the molecular bioscience laboratory where plant-based data can be easily be accessible to researchers and students.
4. Zoological Science Laboratory: This laboratory is also intended to give a number of services both in teaching-learning and research. Practical activities in fisheries and aquaculture, limnology, invertebrate zoology, vertebrate zoology and general entomology can be carried out in this laboratory.
5. Institutional partnerships and collaborations through collage of Natural Sciences

The department of biology has a number of institutional partnerships and collaborations with sister departments both in academic and research institutions. It is place where staff can share experiences for capacity building. Some of them are: Department of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management and Department of Zoological Sciences, Addis Ababa University; Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute; Holeta National Biotechnology Research Institute; Sebeta Animal Diagnostic Laboratory and Melkasa Agricultural Research Center.

13. Contacts

Current Head, Department: Zewdie Kassa (PhD)

Phone number: +251-911917480

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

College of Natural Sciences

Fourth floor

Department of Biology