Biology Faculty & Staff
Our biology faculty have diverse research interests, from investigating how immune system proteins and predatory bacteria take on antibiotic-resistant bacteria, to understanding the genetic changes that are associated with mental illness, to the evolution and ecology of plant-animal interactions to species diversity, and to the ecology and conservation of threatened and endangered turtle species.
Department chair: Catherine Volle | Contact info
Faculty & Staff
Sophie Gillett '12
Visiting 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.
Diane Gingerich Feil
Laboratory Instructor of Biology & Chemistry
403 Russell Science Center
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.
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).
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.
Anna Tansik
Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology
Anna was a visiting instructor in biology from 2020–2022 at Georgia Southern University and from 2018–2020 at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia. She holds a doctoral degree in marine science from the University of Georgia, Athens; a master’s degree in tropical marine ecology and fisheries biology from James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia; and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.
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.
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.
Emeriti Faculty
Barbara Christie-Pope
Professor of Biology Emerita
Ph.D., pharmacology, University of South Alabama.
Jeff Cardon
Professor of Biology and Chemistry Emeritus
B.S., University of Utah; Ph.D., University of California
Martha Condon
Professor of Biology Emerita
Ph.D., University of Texas.
Craig Tepper
Professor of Biology Emeritus
Ph.D., molecular plant pathology, Utah State University.