Professors of genetics at colleges and universities teach, perform research, and handle administrative responsibilities. Professors may teach at the undergraduate or graduate levels, or both. Undergraduate teaching involves class lectures, small group seminars, and hands-on laboratory sessions. Professors evaluate students based on their performances on examinations, essays, and laboratory work, and may also work individually with students to advise them about their college careers or to mentor them in independent laboratory studies. Graduate teaching provides advanced instruction in the field of genetics, usually in smaller classes. Professors also act as mentors to graduate students, providing a supportive environment for conducting research.

Research is an integral component of professorship. Professors apply for grants to fund genetic experiments, perform original research, analyze the results, and submit their findings for publication. They must keep current with the published results of other scientists in the genetics field by reading journals...