diff --git a/backend/src/api_types.py b/backend/src/api_types.py
index e3ef3310..69152eac 100644
--- a/backend/src/api_types.py
+++ b/backend/src/api_types.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class ProteinEntry(CamelModel):
     name: str
     length: int
     mass: float
-    species_name: str | None = None
+    species_name: str
     content: str | None = None
     refs: str | None = None
 
@@ -58,5 +58,7 @@ class UploadStatus(CamelModel):
 class EditBody(CamelModel):
     old_name: str  # so we can identify the exact row we need to change
     new_name: str
+    old_species_name: str  # so we can identify the exact row we need to change
+    new_species_name: str
     new_content: str | None = None
     new_refs: str | None = None
diff --git a/backend/src/server.py b/backend/src/server.py
index f9537d79..1b00ae08 100644
--- a/backend/src/server.py
+++ b/backend/src/server.py
@@ -213,8 +213,8 @@ def edit_protein_entry(body: EditBody):
         if body.new_name != body.old_name:
             os.rename(pdb_file_name(body.old_name), pdb_file_name(body.new_name))
 
-        name_changed = False
         with Database() as db:
+            name_changed = False
             if body.new_name != body.old_name:
                 db.execute(
                     """UPDATE proteins SET name = %s WHERE name = %s""",
@@ -225,6 +225,15 @@ def edit_protein_entry(body: EditBody):
                 )
                 name_changed = True
 
+            if body.new_species_name != body.old_species_name:
+                db.execute(
+                    """UPDATE species_proteins SET species_id = (SELECT id FROM species WHERE name = %s) WHERE protein_id = (SELECT id FROM proteins WHERE name = %s)""",
+                    [
+                        body.new_species_name,
+                        body.old_name if not name_changed else body.new_name,
+                    ],
+                )
+
             if body.new_content is not None:
                 db.execute(
                     """UPDATE proteins SET content = %s WHERE name = %s""",
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/edit/[proteinName]/+page.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/edit/[proteinName]/+page.svelte
index 9a33f54b..f8c2e781 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/edit/[proteinName]/+page.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/edit/[proteinName]/+page.svelte
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <script lang="ts">
 	import { Backend, UploadError, type ProteinEntry } from "$lib/backend";
-	import { Button, Input, Label, Helper } from "flowbite-svelte";
+	import { Button, Input, Label, Helper, Select } from "flowbite-svelte";
 	import { goto } from "$app/navigation";
 	import { onMount } from "svelte";
 	import ArticleEditor from "$lib/ArticleEditor.svelte";
@@ -9,17 +9,20 @@
 	// and reuploaded/edited
 	export let data;
 
-	let name: string;
-
 	// store original too so we can see if the user changed/edited the content
+	let name: string;
+	let ogName: string;
 	let ogContent: string;
 	let content: string;
 	let ogRefs: string;
 	let refs: string;
+	let ogSpecies: string;
+	let species: string;
 
 	let uploadError: UploadError | undefined;
 	let entry: ProteinEntry | null = null;
 	let error = false;
+	let allSpecies: string[] | null;
 
 	// when this component mounts, request protein wikipedia entry from backend
 	onMount(async () => {
@@ -32,14 +35,25 @@
 			error = true;
 		} else {
 			name = entry.name;
+			ogName = name;
 
 			content = entry.content ?? "";
 			ogContent = content; // log original content
 
 			refs = entry.refs ?? "";
 			ogRefs = refs; // log original refs
+
+			species = entry.speciesName;
+			ogSpecies = species;
 		}
+
+		allSpecies = await Backend.getAllSpecies();
 	});
+	$: changed =
+		name !== ogName ||
+		content !== ogContent ||
+		refs !== ogRefs ||
+		species !== ogSpecies;
 </script>
 
 <section>
@@ -64,6 +78,22 @@
 					>
 				{/if}
 			</div>
+
+			<div class="flex gap-5 mb-2">
+				<div>
+					<Label for="species-select" class="mb-2">Select a Species</Label>
+					{#if allSpecies}
+						<Select
+							id="species-select"
+							items={allSpecies.map((s) => ({ name: s, value: s }))}
+							bind:value={species}
+						/>
+					{:else}
+						<Helper color="red">Error loading species</Helper>
+					{/if}
+				</div>
+			</div>
+
 			<div>
 				<ArticleEditor bind:content bind:refs />
 			</div>
@@ -71,17 +101,12 @@
 				<Button
 					on:click={async () => {
 						if (entry) {
-							if (
-								name === entry.name &&
-								content === ogContent &&
-								refs === ogRefs
-							)
-								return; // no changes no edits!
-
 							try {
 								const err = await Backend.editProteinEntry({
 									newName: name,
 									oldName: entry.name,
+									newSpeciesName: species,
+									oldSpeciesName: ogSpecies,
 									newContent: content !== ogContent ? content : undefined,
 									newRefs: refs !== ogRefs ? refs : undefined,
 								});
@@ -97,10 +122,7 @@
 							}
 						}
 					}}
-					disabled={(name === entry.name &&
-						content === ogContent &&
-						refs === ogRefs) ||
-						name.length === 0}>Edit Protein</Button
+					disabled={!changed || name.length === 0}>Edit Protein</Button
 				>
 
 				<Button outline on:click={() => goto(`/protein/${name}`)}>Cancel</Button
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/upload/+page.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/upload/+page.svelte
index 10fd8ff8..c4b053a9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/upload/+page.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/upload/+page.svelte
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@
 			{/if}
 		</div>
 
-		<!-- Species dropdown (hardcoded, not hooked up to backend for now) -->
 		<div class="flex gap-5 mb-2">
 			<div>
 				<Label for="species-select" class="mb-2">Select a Species</Label>