Biology
- Degree Type Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Science
- Department Biology
- Academic Division The College
- Offerings Animal Biology minor Ecology minor Molecular/Cell Biology minor Physiology minor Quantitative Biology minor
The biological sciences play a key role in human society, from the conservation of biodiversity to medicine. The Department of Biology cultivates an exciting academic environment to study, research and contemplate the spectrum of life sciences.
Biology
Biology majors receive a broad education in the biosciences. The curriculum promotes effective scientific communication, the understanding and use of the scientific method, the understanding of the major concepts in biology, the use of the tools and techniques of science, an understanding of the scientific literature and the importance of quantitative techniques. Studying biology at W&L includes hands-on experience, including independent research experience and lab and/or fieldwork, often incorporating original research projects. Graduates are competitive for entry to graduate programs, medical and other professional programs, and employment in all sectors of research, development and commerce.
We believe in the value of a personal educational experience, achieved through small classes and laboratories and opportunities for independent study and research. Faculty embrace the teacher-scholar model and pursue varied research interests with student collaborators.
Student Research
As well as directed-individual study, directed-individual research and honors theses projects, students have the opportunity to work side by side with faculty in the Summer Research Scholars program. Many of our students travel nationally and internationally over the summer to participate in internships encompassing a variety of projects, or to present their research at national society meetings. Students can also take advantage of the Marine Science Educational Consortium with the Duke University Marine Biology Laboratory in Beaufort, North Carolina.
“After I conducted biology research at W&L the summer following my freshman year, I knew that I wanted to major in biology.”
Hannah Archer
Class of 2020
Bill Hamilton Interviewed on CBS Evening News Segment
The John T. Perry Professor in Research Science discussed tourist-animal interactions following a recent bison attack in Yellowstone National Park.
W&L Announces New Fixed-Term Faculty, Fellows and Assistant Coaches
Twenty-eight new faculty and staff members are joining the university this year.
Biology Faculty Member Co-Authors Paper in Global Ecology and Conservation
Jacob Kraus and his research team studied a biodiverse area of China to determine the optimal sizes for nature reserves.
Washington and Lee Names Six Faculty Members to Endowed Professorships in The College and The Williams School
These faculty have been recognized for their outstanding teaching, scholarship and service to the university.
W&L Alumni and Student Awarded NSF Fellowships
Oriana Gutierrez ’24, Connor Lafo ’26 and Gabrielle Ursin ’25 have received pre-doctoral graduate research fellowships from the National Science Foundation to support their research.
Jacob Kraus Publishes Paper in the International Journal of Primatology
The paper examines how differences in the energy and nutrient costs among black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys influences their behavioral and dietary flexibility.
Sarp Sahin ’26 Publishes Research Paper
The senior’s research on Parkinson’s disease was published in Brain: A Journal of Neurology
Mudd Lecture Series to Explore Conservation Practice of Rewilding
The day-long symposium will take place on Feb. 12 and feature talks by faculty and community members.
An Extraordinary Evolution
What started as a Spring Term Abroad class in the Galapagos Islands — and a passion project by biology professor emeritus Cleveland Hickman — received new life as a mobile app.
W&L’s DART Internship Program Places Students in Cutting-Edge Research Labs
At prestigious labs around the country, W&L students have pushed themselves and the frontiers of science to help those with a rare disease.
Two W&L Students Awarded Gilman Scholarships to Study Abroad
The Gilman Scholarship Program offers awards of up to $5,000 to U.S. undergraduate students who are Pell Grant recipients.
Meet the Faculty
At W&L, students enjoy small classes and close relationships with professors who educate and nurture.
Paul Cabe
Biology Department Head and Professor of Biology
- P: 540-458-8894
- E: cabep@wlu.edu
Professor Cabe teaches a number of genetics courses, as well as ornithology. His research interests focus on using modern molecular methods to collect data useful in answering questions in the areas of population genetics and evolutionary biology. He is also interested in ornithology, ecology and conservation biology.
Nadia Ayoub
Professor of Biology
- P: 540-458-8892
- E: ayoubn@wlu.edu
Ayoub teaches Evolution, Genetics, Genomics, Foundations of Modern Biology and Genetic Engineering and Society. Her research focuses on how diversity at the molecular level translates into diversity at the organismal level. Current projects include describing the entire suite of genes needed for silk synthesis in the black widow spider and closely related cobweb weavers and developing phylogenetic markers for spider systematics.
Sarah Blythe
Associate Professor of Biology
- P: 540-458-8342
- E: blythes@wlu.edu
Professor Blythe teaches Addiction and Drugs of Abuse, Vertebrate Endocrinology, Anatomy and Physiology, Food for Thought and Experimental Neurophysiology. Her research explores the physiological and neurobiological effects of obesity. Current projects in her laboratory involve diet-induced cognitive impairments, the gut-brain connection (microbiome), and time-restricted feeding paradigms.
Bill Hamilton
John T. Perry Professor of Biology
Hamilton teaches courses in biology and environmental studies, such as Yellowstone Ecology and Experimental Botany. His research pertains to ecosystem dynamics with a focus on animal-plant-soil interactions in Yellowstone National Park.
Robert Humston
John Kyle Spencer Director for Environmental Studies and Professor of Biology
- P: 540-458-8341
- E: humstonr@wlu.edu
Humston is a dual appointment in the Biology Department and the Environmental Studies Program. He teaches Aquatic Ecology, Ecological Modeling, The Science of Fly Fishing, and other courses. He studies fisheries management, fish ecology, and dispersal/movement behavior of animals and plants.
Lawrence E. Hurd
Herwick Professor of Biology
- P: 540-458-8484
- E: hurdl@wlu.edu
Hurd teaches zoology, ecology and biodiversity conservation. His research is on tropical biodiversity and entomology.
Helen I’Anson
AIM Program Co-Director, John T. Perry Professor of Biology and Research Science
- P: 540-458-8974
- E: iansonh@wlu.edu
Professor I’Anson teaches courses in fundamentals of biology, animal physiology, microanatomy, reproductive physiology and neuroendocrinology. She also supervises W&L students in the Biology Department’s St. Andrews-W&L Partnership Program. She is currently researching the neurobiology of puberty.
Jessica LaPrice
Associate Professor of Biology
- P: 540-458-8974
- E: jlaprice@wlu.edu
LaPrice teaches courses in fundamentals of biology, animal physiology, mammalogy, and ecophysiology. Her research involves understanding controls of energy balance in hibernating mammals in response to changing environmental conditions.
David Marsh
Professor of Biology
- P: 540-458-8176
- E: marshd@wlu.edu
Marsh teaches Disease Ecology, Field Herpetology, Animal Behavior and Statistics for Biology and Medicine, and Modern Computational Biostatistics. His research focuses on the effects of climate change on endemic mountaintop salamanders, the effects of urbanization on amphibian and reptile communities, and the population biology of box turtles living near roads.
Alicia Reigel
Assistant Professor of Biology
- P: 540-458-8896
- E: areigel@wlu.edu
Dr. Alicia Reigel is an interdisciplinary biologist who studies the intricate relationships between marine hosts and their microbial symbionts. Her research explores how anthropogenic stressors impact these partnerships and their connections to surrounding ecosystems.
Natalia Toporikova
Associate Professor of Biology
Professor Toporikova’s courses include Biological Clocks and Rhythms, The Architecture of Living Systems, Dynamics of Biological Systems and Pregnancy: A Kiss in Time? In her research, she applies methods of computational modeling to study a wide range of biological systems. Some recent projects include neural control of breathing, pregnancy initiation in rats, and daily circadian cycle.
Fiona Watson
Associate Professor of Biology
- P: 540-458-8864
- E: watsonf@wlu.edu
Professor Watson’s courses include Cell Biology, Animal Development, Neural Imaging and CSI: W&L. Her overall research interests encompass two main areas of investigation: 1) the recovery of optic nerve axons of adult Xenopus using a nerve crush injury model, and 2) the effects of pesticide exposure on the neurogenesis of sensory neurons.
Gregg Whitworth
Associate Professor of Biology, Data Science Program Head
Whitworth’s courses include Data Science: Visualizing and Exploring Big Data and The Molecular Mechanics of Life.
Charles Winder
Laboratory Instructor
- P: 540-458-8444
- E: winderc@wlu.edu
Winder holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of North Carolina, Asheville, and a master\’s in botany from the University of Tennessee