Meet Our Biologists

Read about some of the ASU biologists who make this site work. We have included profiles about some of our biologists and their research. Check out what they are doing and how they are doing it. Later, if you have any questions, you can submit them to Ask A Biologist using our question submission form.

Keys to the Coronavirus

Written by: Ioulia Bespalova

Coronaviruses can cause the common cold, or worse infections, like COVID-19. Brenda Hogue studies how these viruses replicate and infect, and uses this information to try to make vaccines and other medicines.

Learning to Remember

Written by: Pierce Hutton

Alzheimer’s disease makes it difficult to remember many things – like where you live, the names and faces of family members, and even your own name. ASU professor Diego Mastroeni’s job is to study Alzheimer’s disease, and to hopefully find a way to cure it.

Looking for Life

Written by: Challie Facemire

Where might we find life, and what should we even be looking for to see if life exists on other planets?. Sara Walker is going where others have not gone before in the search for life.

an illustration of bags of trash showing microbes inside

Manipulating Microbes

Written by: Challie Facemire

It's a gassy, microbe-filled world out there. How can we control or even use these gases for good? That's what Hinsby Cadillo-Quiroz is figuring out.

Cleaning up the environment with bacteria

Mending with Microbes

Written by: Pierce Hutton

Microbes are all around us, and some have the power to hurt or to help. Rosa Krajmalnik-Brown studies the ability of microbes to help, whether deep in our guts or in the environment.
Also in: Español

Mutations Matter

Written by: Christopher Albin-Brooks

Mutations can change how genes work and produce big changes in our bodies. Kerry Geiler-Samerotte is tracking how mutations affect cells at the microscopic level.

On the Lookout for Locusts

Written by: Karla Moeller, Michelle Schwartz

Arianne Cease isn't just any locust biologist. She's also a sustainability scientist, as she's bringing together all kinds of researchers to work on reducing the number of locust swarms, which affect 1 in 10 people across the globe.

Panama Kate

Written by: Margaret Coulombe

For biologist Kate Ihle the rainforest holds the secret of her favorite insect. Wearing their their irredesent greens and blues, orchid bees are slowing sharing their story of life in the jungle.
Also in: Nederlands | Español

Peeking Into Ant-Plant Pacts

Written by: Andrew Burchill

Elizabeth Pringle grew up in a family of biologists, but didn't think she would end up as a biologist until she fell in love with research.

A cartoon house with wastewater going from the sink into the sewer

Secrets in Sewers

Written by: Challie Facemire

Most of us don’t think of the sewers as an exciting place. But these and other waterways are where Rolf Halden is finding and solving many mysteries.

Smarter Ways to Battle Bacteria

Written by: Ioulia Bespalova

Battling bacteria can be tough, as they can evolve quickly and resist many of our treatments. But Shelley Haydel is working on new ways to fight bad bacteria.

Smashing Success

Written by: Kathy Khoury

Tucked away inside steel-gray cabinets in the Life Sciences Building is a different kind of library known as the ASU herbarium. The stacks upon stacks of color-coded folders contain more than 210,000 plant specimens -- a kind of botanical history of Arizona and the world.

Studying Monster DNA

Written by: Ally Carr

Melissa Wilson never expected that her love for both math and biology would lead her to studying genetics and sex chromosomes. But the newest surprise in her work comes from finding out about some very colorful monsters.

The Angelic Creature With Devilish Charm

Written by: Gail Maiorana

A tiny creature that flies and swims at the same time caught the attention of Arizona State University Professor Richard Satterlie a few years ago.

The Interest of Insects

Written by: James Waters, Karla Moeller

Humans and insects have more in common than you might think. We share a broad range of similarities, covering everything from muscle and nerve structures to the ways our cells communicate.

An illustration of a digestive tract merged with a globe

The World Inside You

Written by: Christopher Albin-Brooks

The microbes that live inside us affect more about our lives than we might think. Taichi Suzuki is learning how these hitchhikers have been changing alongside humans.

Tobacco's Wild Ride

Written by: Dianne E. Price

Tobacco may have a bad reputation, but that is starting to change. Learn more about how Charles Arntzen is using this plant to treat the often-fatal disease Ebola.

Toxic Response

Written by: Amanda Acuna

What are sickness behaviors and how are they tied to toxins and our immune system? Learn about the work Esther Florsheim is doing to find out how toxins are making us sick.

Treating Cancer with a Rabbit Trick

Written by: Ben Petersen

Could a virus that is deadly in rabbits be used to treat cancer in people? That is exactly what Arizona State University researcher Grant McFadden is trying to figure out.

What Lies Beneath

Written by: Jake Harris

What life lies below the surface of the water? A question that marine biologist Susanne Neuer has been studying since her childhood days. Now it is a career that she loves.

A white and black seagull with an orange and red beak

What do the different calls of gulls mean?

Answer >>

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