Research is at Our Core

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at the University of Vermont is a nationally-recognized, dynamic community of accomplished scientists and intellectually-driven scholars. CALS research spans the life and social sciences with particular emphasis on human and animal health, the environment, communication, entrepreneurship, sustainable and resilient communities, and the intricate web of food systems.

CALS students graduate with premier training in purpose-driven science and real-world application, working alongside experienced faculty to tackle today's most complex and pressing issues.

Meet the Experts

  • $660K Grant Awarded to UVM Sustainable Agriculture Team

    A University of Vermont team, led by food systems professor Ernesto Méndez, has been awarded a $660,000 grant from the McKnight Foundation to advance research and sustainable practices across its global Collaborative Crop Research Program (CCRP). Read more>>

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Animal and Veterinary Sciences

Community Development and Applied Economics

Microbiology and Molecular Genetics

The Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics (MMG) basic research scientists ask fundamental questions in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell and molecular biology. Our inquisitive and creative faculty and their research teams apply the methods of cell and molecular biology, genetics, microbiology, biochemistry, bio-informatics and structural biology. Our work elucidates mechanisms underlying pathogenesis and disease and seeks innovative paths forward to prevent, treat and improve health. MMG’s translational and human research teams focus extensively on vaccine development and infectious diseases, with the overarching goal of decreasing the burden of global infectious diseases. 

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Nutrition and Food Sciences

Plant Biology

Our commitment to research in basic plant biology, from the molecular to the ecological, stems from our belief that integration of our group of plant-centered scientists into a single community brings together an extraordinary array of perceptions of plants. At the molecular level, faculty explore the biochemistry, molecular physiology, and development of plants. At the cell and organ levels, we are engaged in understanding the physiology of plant processes with special attention to their chemistry and biophysics. At the organismal, community, and landscape levels, department members develop insights into plant diversity and interactions between plants, other members of their biotic communities, and their abiotic environment.

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Plant and Soil Science

Faculty in the Department of Plant and Soil Science work in diverse areas ranging from soil science to genetics, data analysis to watershed pollutants. Students are encouraged to join our faculty-scholars who are engaged in research pertinent to today's agricultural and environmental issues.

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