Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Faculty

Department Chair: Catherine Volle | Contact info

Core faculty

  • Photo of Collin O'Leary

    Collin O'Leary

    Assistant Professor of Biochemistry

    Teaches courses in biology and chemistry. He earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry from Iowa State University. His research focuses on identifying and characterizing structured RNA elements within messenger (m)RNAs that influence transcript stability and translation. His prior investigations have centered on mRNAs within viral and human host-cell environments. His future research will explore the structure and function of mRNAs within the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast).

    Learn more about Collin O'Leary

  • Photo of Catherine Volle

    Catherine Volle

    Associate Professor of Biochemistry

    Teaches introductory and advanced courses in biology and chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry. She and her students use chemical techniques to investigate biological problems. They investigate new and exciting ways to kill bacteria and how viral proteins can disrupt non-canonical DNA structures. Ph.D., molecular and cellular biology and biochemistry, Brown University.

    Learn more about Catherine Volle


Affiliated faculty in Biology

  • Photo of Sophie Gillette

    Sophie Gillette

    Assistant Professor of Biology

    Taught biology at Lake Forest College in 2021-22 and, just before that, was a postdoctoral scholar in Genomic Engineering at Tempus Labs, Inc. in Chicago and in Genetic Medicine at the University of Chicago. She holds a doctoral degree in genetics from the University of Iowa and a bachelor’s degree in biology and mathematics from Cornell, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa.

    Learn more about Sophie Gillette

  • Photo of Nicole Green

    Nicole Green

    Assistant Professor of Biology

    Teaches courses in biology. Has conducted research in the role of nuclear actin in germline stem cells of the Drosophila ovary, and the coordination of muscle maintenance and innate immunity through integrated tissue physiology in Drosophila. She earned her Ph.D. in biochemistry from Kansas State University.

    Learn more about Nicole Green

  • Photo of Joshua Otten

    Joshua Otten

    Assistant Professor of Biology

    Teaches courses in biology. He has completed extensive research studying the survival rates and long-term effects of turtles rehabilitated after an oil spill, monitoring threatened and endangered species on the Big Sand Mount Nature Preserve, and examining the habitat preferences of the endangered wood turtle. He earned his Ph.D. in biology from the University of Toledo.

    Learn more about Joshua Otten

  • Photo of Isaac  Winkler

    Isaac  Winkler

    Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology

    Isaac teaches various courses in organismal biology. He studies the evolutionary relationships of insect groups to learn about how biodiversity arises. Ph.D., University of Maryland, B.S. Brigham Young University.

    Learn more about Isaac  Winkler


Affiliated faculty in chemistry

  • Photo of Charley Liberko

    Charley Liberko

    Professor of Chemistry

    Teaches courses in organic chemistry and Chemical Principles I and II. Ph.D., philosophy, organic chemistry, University of Minnesota.

    Learn more about Charley Liberko

  • Photo of Cindy Strong

    Cindy Strong

    Professor of Chemistry

    Teaches Chemical Principles I and II, Accelerated General Chemistry, and Analytical Chemistry. Ph.D., chemistry, California Institute of Technology.

    Learn more about Cindy Strong

  • Photo of Craig Teague

    Craig Teague

    Associate Professor of Chemistry

    Teaches Chemical Principles I and II, Accelerated General Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, and the BMB elective Physical Chemistry. Ph.D., chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

    Learn more about Craig Teague

  • Photo of Bing Yuan

    Bing Yuan

    Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry

    Teaches courses in chemistry. Has conducted research in the response of the global biosphere to climate change using stable-isotope analysis, investigating the reaction of air pollutants in the human body, and identifying the decomposition reaction mechanics and chemical kinetics of rapidly heated diethyl methylphosphonate and triethyl phosphate. Dr. Yuan earned a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of Arizona.

    Learn more about Bing Yuan