It was part of the university's Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division.

[1] The department housed the Oxford University Herbaria that consists of two herbaria:[2] In total the collections contain 800,000 specimens[3] and benefits from close links with the university's Oxford Botanic Garden.

[7] In January 2021, the Oxford City Council approved the £200m construction of the Life and Mind Building,[10] which will be the university's largest building project and combine the Departments of Experimental Psychology and Biology.

[11] It will replace the Tinbergen Building on South Parks Road, which was closed and demolished when asbestos was discovered in 2017.

Work is expected to start in June 2021, with the building opening in September 2024.