Institute of Arctic Biology • (907) 474-7649

The Institute of Arctic Biology, established by the Alaska Legislature and the University of Alaska Board of Regents in 1962, supports faculty research and graduate education in biological, wildlife and health sciences at UAF. IAB provides platforms for research in programs from ecology and ecosystems to molecular biology and genetics, including field stations, small and large animal facilities, and core laboratories for graphical interface systems (GIS) and DNA sequencing.

Major programs include the Alaska Cooperative Fisheries and Wildlife Research Unit, Center for Alaska Native Health Research, Alaska Basic Neuroscience Program, Human Dimensions of Arctic Systems, and the Center for Molecular Genetic Studies of Hibernation. IAB faculty deliver the entire curriculum for undergraduate majors in biology and wildlife biology, an increasing component of chemistry and biochemistry majors, and provide UAF undergraduates with opportunities for hands-on research experiences in the field and laboratory. IAB sponsors the weekly Life Science Seminar, and the yearly Irving-Scholander Memorial Lecture and Jay Hammond Lecture in Wildlife Biology series.

In support of UAF’s research excellence goal, IAB operates several specialized research centers and facilities. The Robert G. White Large Animal Research Station (LARS), houses breeding herds of muskoxen, caribou and reindeer for programs in research and public education. IAB Animal Quarters and Veterinary Services provides holding and experimental facilities and care for small animals. The Toolik Field Station is an internationally recognized long term ecological research site and serves research programs from universities throughout the U.S. The Spatial Ecology Lab is a state-of-the-art resource for the spatial analysis of ecological data and the development, testing and application of spatially explicit ecological models. The Alaska Geobotany Center is dedicated to understanding northern ecosystems through the use of geographic information systems, remote sensing and field experiments. The Bonanza Creek Long Term Ecological Research program focuses on understanding the long-term consequences of climate change and disturbance regimes in the Alaska boreal forest. IAB’s Research Greenhouse provides a reliable year-round environment for research and educational projects and includes four separate zones and three climate-controlled growth chambers. The Core Lab for Nucleic Acid Analysis keeps UAF at the cutting edge of molecular analysis in evolutionary biology, molecular biology, and wildlife and fisheries management. The Institute is located in the Irving and Arctic Health Research buildings.