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Human Biology

Stanford
Program in Human Biology
School of Humanities and Sciences

An interdisciplinary approach to understanding human beings from biological, behavioral, social, and cultural perspectives.

Why Choose HumBio

Research Opportunities

Senior Synthesis

Director's Message

Dear Human Biology Alumni, Students, and Friends,

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Will Talbot, and it is my privilege to step into the role of Director of the Program in Human Biology this fall. I look forward to leading our mission of providing extraordinary interdisciplinary education to a new generation of students. 

As we begin the new year, I invite you to explore all that the Human Biology community has to offer – from courses to advising to events such as our upcoming Reunion Open House. Our vibrant community is full of incredibly passionate and talented students, faculty, staff, and alumni who truly care about the program and one another. 

Here is to a great year ahead!

Best,
Will Talbot, PhD
Bing Director, Program in Human Biology 

alumni and faculty chat at reunion open house

SAVE THE DATE: Reunion Open House on Friday, October 17 from 4:30-6pm

Follow your neural pathways back to HumBio (Bldg 20) and reconnect with your A-side and B-side HumBio community of alumni, faculty, students, and staff over light refreshments. See you there!

RSVP NOW

News

After two decades of service, achievements, and contributions to the Program in Human Biology and the greater Stanford community, Dr. Catherine “Cathy” Heaney, an esteemed professor of psychiatry and member of the Stanford Prevention Research Center, will retire from Stanford University at the end of the academic year.

When HumBio senior Peyton Klein ‘25 first stepped onto Stanford's campus as a freshman, the landscape of campus life and community looked a little different from what it had been. The world, including life at Stanford, had been reshaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, which thrust issues of mental health and social isolation into the spotlight.

Friendships might be seen by some as a ‘nice-to-have’–a social bonus rather than a necessity. Yet in reality, loneliness and isolation have become widespread public health crises, even as we live in an era of endless digital connections (

On February 20, 2025, the Human Biology program co-sponsored a seminar given by Dr. Emily Merchant in the series hosted by the Program in Science, Technology, and Society.