25 faculty and 32 courses in Biology at Vassar College.
- Justin C. Touchon, Associate Professor of Biology h-index 21
I study animal behavioral ecology, life-history and phenotypic evolution, embryonic and larval development, and predator-prey interactions. I primarily study amphibians in both tropical and temperate systems. My main research involves using
Notable: “Fish and dragonfly nymph predators induce opposite shifts in color and morphology of tadpoles” (2008) · 114 citations
- Justin Touchon, Associate Professor h-index 21
I study animal behavioral ecology, life-history and phenotypic evolution, embryonic and larval development, and predator-prey interactions. I primarily study amphibians in both tropical and temperate systems. My main research involves using
Notable: “Fish and dragonfly nymph predators induce opposite shifts in color and morphology of tadpoles” (2008) · 114 citations
- Kathleen M. Susman, Professor of Biology h-index 20
To the toxic behavioral and neural effects of common pesticides in soil organisms in response to growing concerns about links of neurodegenerative diseases and pesticide use. My research program has been funded by the National Institutes of
Notable: “Microplastic particles cause intestinal damage and other adverse effects in zebrafish Danio rerio and nematode Caenorhabditis elegans” (2017) · 1,369 citations
- Lynn Christenson, Professor of Biology h-index 19
As an ecologist, I am interested in understanding the complex relationships between multiple biotic and abiotic factors and feedbacks in ecosystems. This is an important challenge to environmental science researchers—the integration of mult
Notable: “Insect Defoliation and Nitrogen Cycling in Forests” (2002) · 271 citations
- Myra Hughey, Associate Professor of Biology h-index 18
Notable: “Antifungal isolates database of amphibian skin‐associated bacteria and function against emerging fungal pathogens” (2015) · 228 citations
- Megan D. Gall, Professor of Biology and Director of Neuroscience and Behavior h-index 18
Notable: “The visual fields of two ground‐foraging birds, House Finches and House Sparrows, allow for simultaneous foraging and anti‐predator vigilance” (2008) · 80 citations
- Colin Echeverría Aitken, Associate Professor h-index 17
Notable: “An Oxygen Scavenging System for Improvement of Dye Stability in Single-Molecule Fluorescence Experiments” (2007) · 885 citations
- Colin Echeverria Aitken, Associate Professor of Biology h-index 17
Notable: “An Oxygen Scavenging System for Improvement of Dye Stability in Single-Molecule Fluorescence Experiments” (2007) · 885 citations
- Jodi Schwarz, Professor of Biology h-index 17
Coral symbiosis and genomics. The beautiful and biodiverse coral reef ecosystem is built upon the back of a symbiotic interaction between corals and photosynthetic algal symbionts. The symbionts produce food and stimulate growth of th
Notable: “Differential gene expression during thermal stress and bleaching in the Caribbean coral Montastraea faveolata” (2008) · 428 citations
- Mary Ellen Czesak, Dean of First-Year Students and Professor of Biology h-index 16
Notable: “Evolutionary Ecology of Progeny Size in Arthropods” (2000) · 826 citations
- Jennifer Kennell, Professor of Biology h-index 14
Genetics, cell biology, molecular biology, genetic engineering, stem cell biology, and epigenetics. All cells in an animal contain the same set of genes, yet each cell has unique characteristics based on how those genes are actually
Notable: “Wnt Signaling Inhibits Adipogenesis through β-Catenin-dependent and -independent Mechanisms” (2005) · 251 citations
- Hayley Affronti, Lecturer in Biology h-index 13
In identifying metabolic therapeutic vulnerabilities for treatment of pancreatic cancer. Her focus is on identifying and testing therapies that target one carbon metabolism and polyamine biosynthesis. Polyamines are small metabolites th
Notable: “Acetyl-CoA Metabolism Supports Multistep Pancreatic Tumorigenesis” (2019) · 322 citations
- David Justin Esteban, Associate Professor h-index 13
Research in my lab focuses on two main areas. 1) The gut microbiome (the collection of microbes that reside in the gut) is known to impact, and be impacted by, the health of the host. The effects of microbial activity and host response to t
Notable: “A Poxvirus Protein That Binds to and Inactivates IL-18, and Inhibits NK Cell Response” (2000) · 180 citations
- Jesse Delia, Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology h-index 13
Notable: “Patterns of parental care in Neotropical glassfrogs: fieldwork alters hypotheses of sex‐role evolution” (2017) · 88 citations
- Kelli A. Duncan, Professor of Biology h-index 13
Traumatic Brain Injury and Steroid Hormones I consider myself to be a behavioral neuroendocrinologist, that’s the short way of saying that I am interested in how the brain interacts with hormones to alter itself and behavior. My lab examine
Notable: “Neuroprotective actions of brain aromatase” (2009) · 164 citations
- Margaret L. Ronsheim, Professor of Biology h-index 11
Es on the impact and management of invasive vines, forest regeneration, and restoration ecology. Her invasive vine research focuses on two species, Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (porcelainberry or Amur peppervine) and Celast
Notable: “Genetic variation and evolutionary trade‐offs for sexual and asexual reproductive modes in Allium vineale (Liliaceae)” (2000) · 99 citations
- Margaret Ronsheim, Professor h-index 11
Es on the impact and management of invasive vines, forest regeneration, and restoration ecology. Her invasive vine research focuses on two species, Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (porcelainberry or Amur peppervine) and Celast
Notable: “Genetic variation and evolutionary trade‐offs for sexual and asexual reproductive modes in Allium vineale (Liliaceae)” (2000) · 99 citations
- Nancy Jo Pokrywka, Professor and Chair of Biology h-index 10
The proper functioning of many cells depends on the subcellular organization of organelles, proteins, and mRNAs. The cytoskeleton plays a central role in establishing cell polarity and in the localization of important RNAs and proteins, but
Notable: “Microtubules mediate the localization of bicoid RNA during Drosophila oogenesis” (1991) · 253 citations
- Dianne Pater, Assistant Professor of Biology h-index 6
Plant physiology, climate change effects on agriculture, and science communication. By studying the natural variation in stress responses and phenotypic plasticity of cultivated plants and their wild relatives, we can identify trait
Notable: “The Arabidopsis thaliana aquaporin AtPIP1;2 is a physiologically relevant CO 2 transport facilitator” (2011) · 210 citations
- Jennifer Hayashi, Assistant Professor
- Jennifer M. Hayashi, Assistant Professor of Biology
- John H. Long Jr., Professor
- John Howard Long, Professor of Biology and Professor and Chair of Cognitive Science
A vertebrate physiologist specializing in biomechanics, John has expanded his research program to examine the locomotor evolution of early vertebrates. New techniques include robotics, cognitive science, physics-based computer simulation, a
- Leroy Cooper, Associate Professor of Biology and Director of Science Technology and Society
- Timothy Lampasona, Lecturer in Biology
Roster/catalog compiled from the college’s public directory. Faculty counts are directory headcounts; the named list may be a subset. h-index shown only for ORCID-backed or high-confidence OpenAlex matches. Data as of 2026-07-02.