What is the total number of biology research labs at universities in
the United States?

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 20 Mar 2006 12:44 PST

feyn-ga,

About 72,000 degrees in biological sciences are awarded every year
(bachelors + masters + doctorates).

Since roughly one-fourth of biology students get a degree in any given
year (the rest are only advancing towards the degree), there are
roughly 288,000 biology students in universities in the US.

Assuming one lab for every 20 students, there are about 14,400 biology
labs in the US.


Does that work for you?


pafalafa-ga

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Request for Question Clarification by czh-ga on 20 Mar 2006 14:18 PST

Hello feyn-ga,

I expected that there would be a directory or list of university
research labs that would help answer your question of how many such
labs are engaged in biology research. I'm surprised that I have not
found such a directory/list. Instead, there seem to be directories of
research labs at specific schools or in specific areas of research.
Here are some examples:

http://www.cyberbee.net/research.htm
Bee Research Labs Around the World

http://mbrd.ucsd.edu/
Marine Biology Research Division at Scripps Institution of Oceanography 

http://med.stanford.edu/labs/
A to Z: School of Medicine Faculty Research Labs

http://www.cellbio.com/research.html
Cell & Molecular Biology Online
Research Labs and Research Program Home Pages


This recent article about the current funding picture for university
research may aid you in your explorations.

http://knowledge.wpcarey.asu.edu/index.cfm?fa=viewArticle&id=1207
http://wpcarey.asu.edu/seidman/reports/innovation.pdf
Basic Research by Universities Is Critical to U.S. Innovation, March 15, 2006

It seems that a figure for "the total number of biology research labs
at universities in the United States" is not readilyt available.
Please let me know if some other approach to researching your question
would help you.

I look forward to your clarification.

~ czh ~

Do you mean labs that depend on external funding for their work, or
any lab where some research is being done?

Just those with external funding.

Well, at this point, I'm just intersted in ANY numbers anyone has.