The Faculty of Biology had its beginning in the biochemistry course of study founded by Dr. Ruth Ben-Ishai in 1958, at that time under the auspices of the Chemistry Department. In 1963, biochemist Dr. Yoram Avi-Dor joined the Technion faculty and was appointed head of the Biochemistry Unit. The Technion was then located on the old campus in Hadar and had very limited facilities for biology research. With the move to the Neve Sha’anan campus, the situation improved. In 1971, the unit was separated from the Chemistry Department and the Technion’s Senate announced the establishment of the Biology Department. In 1989 the Department became a Faculty.