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.

Fighting bacteria

Battling the Bacteria that Break the Body

Written by: 
Shayna Nardi

Did you ever wonder what causes river rocks to be slippery? Can you believe it's the same thing that causes plaque on your teeth? Learn about this "biofilm," and how Valerie Stout is fighting it (in some cases) to improve medicine.

Honey bee

Bee Movie Maker

Written by: 
CJ Kazilek

For more than twenty years, making bee movies has been a part of the research work of professor Brian Smith.

An illustration of leaves with pluses and minuses around it

Breaking Cell Boundaries

Written by: 
Challie Facemire
Whether coming up with new methods for microscopes, or finding out new things about photosynthesis, Petra Fromme loves the process of discovery.
Breeding Birds

Breeding Birds and Beyond

Written by: 
Scott Davies

Pierre Deviche's love for the outdoors led him to doing field research on the timing of breeding in birds.

Nanoengineered cage

Building at a Nanoscale

Written by: 
Tyler Rockwood
Nicholas Stephanopoulos works with tiny structures so small you can only see them by using powerful microscopes. Some might say he's a builder, but he actually gets the molecules to do the building themselves.
A video game air craft fights off pathogens

Catching Body Invaders

Written by: 
Challie Facemire
Cancer, damaged DNA, COVID-19... our bodies deal with diseases and damage all the time, and finding that damage as early as possible can be helpful to fighting it. Joshua LaBaer has dedicated his career to solving health puzzles, and learning how to detect diseases earlier than ever before.
Chasing Tiny Tigers

Chasing Tiny Tigers

Written by: 
Tim Elser

David Pearson is a research professor in Arizona State University's School of Life Sciences. A speaker of five languages and capable of getting into trouble in maybe three or four other languages, he's traveled the world studying tiger beetles and recently published the book, A Field Guide to Tiger Beetles in the United States and Canada.

Colorful Partners

Colorful Partners

Written by: 
Jake Harris

The career path for biologist Kevin McGraw was set by a chance sighting through a window of a Costa Rican coffee shop.

Conflict

Cooperation or Conflict?

Written by: 
Ioulia Bespalova
Humans have evolved to work together, but it isn't always straightforward. Some people try to bend the rules, or cheat. Athena Aktipis studies what makes cooperation work, and why cheating sometimes backfires.
wood beetles

Cow Pies, Termites - A Main Attraction

Written by: 
Paul Matthews

Look closely at John Alcock's critter littered yard and you'll be bug-eyed. He decorates the front with cow patties, spends hours watching sleeping bees and occasionally wolfs down a cricket or mealworm to amuse or horrify his guests. "I'm just considered a mildly eccentric person," admits the Arizona State University biology professor.

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Green, yellow, orange, and pink leaves
Why do leaves change color in the fall season?
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