Meet Us
Department Leadership
Susanne Lindgren
Chair & Professor
![Photo of Susanne Lindgren](_internal/_groups/leads/susannelindgren-headshot_fall2023.jpg)
- Location: TSC 4023
- Phone: (916) 278-6152
- lindgren@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Microbiology, Prevalence and Pathogenic Mechanisms of Salmonella and E.coli, Vaccine Development, and Biosource Tracking of Bacterial Contaminents in Water
Robin Altman
Assistant Chair & Associate Professor
![Photo of Robin Altman](_internal/photos/full-time/robin-altman.jpg)
- Location: TSC 3009
- Phone: (916) 278-2138
- altman@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Cardiovascular Physiology, Blood-Brain Barrier, Alzheimer's Disease, Cognitive Dysfunction
Robert Crawford
Graduate Coordinator & Professor
![Photo of Robert Crawford](_internal/photos/full-time/crawford-rob.jpg)
- Location: TSC 4011
- Phone: (916) 278-6438
- robert.crawford@csus.edu
- Specialty & Interests: Tales From the Microbe-Host Interface
Full-Time Faculty
Evangeline Ballerini
Assistant Professor
![Photo of Evangeline Ballerini](_internal/photos/full-time/ballerini-anji.jpeg)
- Location: TSC 4015
- Phone: (916) 278-4067
- ballerini@csus.edu
- Website
Jim Baxter
Professor
![Photo of Jim Baxter](_internal/photos/full-time/baxter-photo-2015.jpg)
- Location: TSC 5005
- Phone: (916) 278-4047
- jbaxter@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Plant-Mycorrhizal Interactions, Community Ecology, Biodiversity
Ron Coleman
Professor
![Photo of Ron Coleman](_internal/photos/full-time/s_coleman_costa_rica_75x100_dsc_9330.jpg)
- Location: TSC 3023
- Phone: (916) 278-3474
- rcoleman@csus.edu
- Pronouns: he/him/his
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Evolutionary Ecology, Behavior, Fishes, Amphibians, Reptiles, Fisheries, Conservation
Clint Collins
Assistant Professor
![Photo of Clint Collins](_internal/photos/full-time/collins_clint.jpeg)
- Location: TSC 4019
- Phone: (916) 278-5836
- clint.collins@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: functional morphology of vertebrates and movement ecology
Tim Davidson
Associate Professor
![Photo of Tim Davidson](_internal/photos/full-time/davidson-bio-pic1.jpg)
- Location: TSC 4003
- Phone: (916) 278-4785
- davidson@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Marine Ecology, Invasive Species, Environmental Science, Biological Conservation
Arik Davidyan
Assistant Professor
![Photo of Arik Davidyan](_internal/photos/full-time/arik-davidyan-picture1.jpeg)
- Location: TSC 5009
- Phone: (916) 278-4068
- a.davidyan@csus.edu
- Pronouns: he/him
- Specialty & Interests: Biology Education, Diversity Equity and Inclusion in STEM Education, Exercise and Stress Physiology, Science Communication
Anna Doty
Assistant Professor
![Photo of Anna Doty](_internal/photos/full-time/anna-doty-picture.jpeg)
- Location: TSC 5011
- Phone: (916) 278-XXXX
- anna.doty@csus.edu
- Pronouns: she/her
- Specialty & Interests: Ecophysiology, Ecology, Mammalogy, Conservation physiology
Jonathan Gilkerson
Assistant Professor
![Photo of Jonathan Gilkerson](_internal/photos/full-time/dr-gilkerson-picture.jpg)
- Location: TSC 5013
- Phone: (916) 278-(916) 4452
- gilkerson@csus.edu
- Specialty & Interests: Plant Physiology, Arabidopsis thaliana, Physcomitrella patens, Cell Signaling, Abiotic and Biotic Stress
Lani Gleason
Associate Professor
![Photo of Lani Gleason](_internal/photos/full-time/lani-gleason.jpg)
- Location: TSC 4017
- Phone: (916) 278-3633
- lani.gleason@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Ecological & Evolutionary Genomics, Molecular Ecology, Ecophysiology, Marine Biology
Enid Gonzalez-Orta
Professor & SEE Director
![Photo of Enid Gonzalez-Orta](_internal/photos/full-time/gonzalez_orta.jpg)
- Location: TSC 3011
- Phone: (916) 278-6438
- gonzalezorta@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: microbial ecology and plant-bacterial interactions
Brett Holland
Professor
![Photo of Brett Holland](_internal/photos/full-time/s_holland_brett.jpg)
- Location: TSC 5015
- holland@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Experimental Evolution, Evolutionary Genetics, Sexual Selection, Social Behavior (BIO 20)
Christine Kirvan
Professor
![Photo of Christine Kirvan](_internal/photos/full-time/s_kirvan_christine.jpg)
- Location: TSC 3015
- Phone: (916) 278-6438
- ckirvan@csus.edu
- Specialty & Interests: Infectious Disease, Autoimmunity, and Molecular Mimicry
Jamie Kneitel
Professor
![Photo of Jamie Kneitel](_internal/photos/full-time/jamie_kneitel2.jpeg)
- Location: TSC 5003
- Phone: (916) 278-6535
- kneitel@csus.edu
- Website
- CV / Bio
- Specialty & Interests: Community Ecology, Seasonal Wetlands, Disturbance Ecology, Spatial Ecology, Conservation Biology
Marina LaForgia
Assistant Professor
![Photo of Marina LaForgia](_internal/photos/laforgia_marina_pic.jpeg)
- Location: TSC 3013
- marina.laforgia@csus.edu
- Pronouns: she/her
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: community ecology, plant ecology, seed banks, functional traits, temporal variability, climate change, invasive species, grasslands
Chris Lopez
Assistant Professor
![Photo of Chris Lopez](_internal/photos/full-time/chris-lopez-picture.jpg)
- Location: TSC 4009
- Phone: (916) 278-
- c.lopez@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Microbiology; pathogenic bacteria; host-microbiota interactions; food microbiology
Jennifer Lundmark
Professor
![Photo of Jennifer Lundmark](_internal/photos/full-time/s_lundmark_jennifer.jpg)
- Location: SQU 320
- Phone: (916) 278-7235
- lundmark@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Cardiovascular Physiology; Northmanology
Kelly McDonald
Professor & CSMS Director (on sabbatical 2023-24)
![Photo of Kelly McDonald](_internal/photos/full-time/kelly-mcdonald1.jpg)
- Location: SQU 320
- Phone: (916) 278-5836
- mcdonald@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Biology Education, Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Biotechnology and Bioinformatics
Joya Mukerji
Assistant Professor
![Photo of Joya Mukerji](_internal/photos/full-time/joya-mukerji-photo.jpeg)
- Location: TSC 3005
- joya.mukerji@csus.edu
- Specialty & Interests: Inclusive STEM Success, Biology Education, Molecular & Cellular Biology / Virology, CUREs (course-based undergraduate research experiences)
Kimberly Mulligan
Associate Professor
![Photo of Kimberly Mulligan](_internal/photos/full-time/k-mulligan.jpg)
- Location: TSC 4021
- kimberly.mulligan@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Molecular and Cellular Biology, Cell to Cell Communication, Neurodevelopment and Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Hao Nguyen
Professor
![Photo of Hao Nguyen](_internal/photos/full-time/s_nguyen_hao.jpg)
- Location: TSC 3003
- Phone: (916) 278-6569
- hao.nguyen@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Cell and Molecular Biology; Colon Carcinogenesis
Erin Olsan
Assistant Professor
![Photo of Erin Olsan](_internal/photos/full-time/erin-olsan-picture1.jpg)
- Location: TSC 4005
- Phone: (916) 278-4069
- e.olsan@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Molecular and Cellular Biology, Microbiology, Host-Microbiota Interactions
Tom Peavy
Professor
![Photo of Tom Peavy](_internal/photos/full-time/s_peavy_tom.jpg)
- Location: TSC 5007
- Phone: (916) 278-7276
- trpeavy@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Molecular Genetics
Andrew (Drew) Reams
Associate Professor
- Location: TSC 4007
- Phone: (916) 278-7678
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Genetics, Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Cancer Genetics, Experimental Evolution
Adam Rechs
Professor
![Photo of Adam Rechs](_internal/photos/full-time/adam-rechs-headshot.jpg)
- Location: TSC 5017
- Phone: (916) 278-6244
- rechs@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Neurophysiology, Digestive Physiology
Rosalee Sprowls
Professor (FERP)
![Photo of Rosalee Sprowls](_internal/photos/full-time/s_carter_rosalee.jpg)
- Location: TSC 3017
- Phone: (916) 278-7391
- sprowls@csus.edu
- Specialty & Interests: Human Anatomy, Neuroscience, Electron Microscopy
Clayton Visger
Associate Professor
![Photo of Clayton Visger](_internal/photos/full-time/visger_cropped.jpg)
- Location: TSC 4013
- clayton.visger@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Evolution, Bioinformatics, Genomics, Ecological Modeling
Michael Wright
Associate Professor
![Photo of Michael Wright](_internal/photos/full-time/wright.jpg)
- Location: TSC 3007
- Phone: (916) 278-2138
- terrence.m.wright@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Cellular Neuroscience, Motor Pattern Generation
Part-Time Faculty
Ruth Ballard
![Photo of Ruth Ballard](_internal/photos/full-time/ruthballardf18.jpg)
- Location: TSC 5003
- Phone: (916) 278-6535
- ballardr@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Human Molecular Genetics, DNA Forensics
Christine Bendorf
![Place holder image for faculty/staff member.](https://www.csus.edu/newcsus2019-global-assets/_internal/images/default-member-sq.jpg)
- Location: TSC 3001
- Phone: (916) 278-6125
- Specialty & Interests: Genetics
Larissa Eiselein
![Place holder image for faculty/staff member.](https://www.csus.edu/newcsus2019-global-assets/_internal/images/default-member-sq.jpg)
- Location: TSC 4001
- Phone: (916) 278-2818
Rob Titus
![Place holder image for faculty/staff member.](https://www.csus.edu/newcsus2019-global-assets/_internal/images/default-member-sq.jpg)
- Location: Sequoia 114
- Phone: (916) 227-6390
- robtitus@saclink.csus.edu
- Specialty & Interests: California Fish & Game Liason
Cathy Ishikawa
![Photo of Cathy Ishikawa](_internal/photos/part-time/ishikawa_cathy.jpg)
- Location: Sequoia 120B
- ishikawa@csus.edu
- Specialty & Interests: Biology Education, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in STEM Education, Ecology
Staff
Nancy Angell
Administrative Support to the Chair
![Photo of Nancy Angell](_internal/photos/staff/angell_nancy.jpg)
- Location: TSC 3000
- Phone: (916) 278-6539
- nangell@csus.edu
- Specialty & Interests: Administrative Support to the Chair
Nancy Burford
IST-II - Microbiology
![Place holder image for faculty/staff member.](https://www.csus.edu/newcsus2019-global-assets/_internal/images/default-member-sq.jpg)
- Location: TSC 3016
- Phone: (916) 278-6215
- Burford@csus.edu
- Specialty & Interests: IST-II - Microbiology
Don Thompson
IST II - Genetics/Microscopy
![Photo of Don Thompson](_internal/photos/staff/thompson-don.jpg)
- Location: TSC 5029A
- Phone: (916) 278-4625
- d.thompson@csus.edu
- Specialty & Interests: Genetics & Microscopy
Anna Lopez
ASA II
![Photo of Anna Lopez](_internal/_groups/staff/lopez-anna.jpg)
- Location: TSC 3000
- Phone: (916) 278-6535
- anna.lopez@csus.edu
- Specialty & Interests: Administrative Support Assistant II
Laura Zamora
ASA II & Graduate Secretary
![Photo of Laura Zamora](_internal/photos/staff/zamora-laura.jpg)
- Location: TSC 3000
- Phone: (916) 278-7675
- zamora@csus.edu
- Specialty & Interests: Administrative Support Assistant II
Samuel Curtis
IST II - Vivarium
![Place holder image for faculty/staff member.](https://www.csus.edu/newcsus2019-global-assets/_internal/images/default-member-sq.jpg)
- Location: SQU 112
- Phone: (916) 278-7677
- webbcurtis@csus.edu
- Specialty & Interests: Organismal Biology & Live Collections
Daniel Pfarr
IST II- Greenhouse
![Place holder image for faculty/staff member.](https://www.csus.edu/newcsus2019-global-assets/_internal/images/default-member-sq.jpg)
- Location: Greenhouse
- daniel.pfarr@csus.edu
- Specialty & Interests: Botany
Douglas Whited
IST II- Stockroom
![Photo of Douglas Whited](_internal/photos/staff/whited-doug.jpg)
- Location: TSC 5033
- Phone: (916) 278-6539
- d.whited@csus.edu
- Specialty & Interests: Stockroom
Caity Fox
IST-II - Cell/Molecular
![Photo of Caity Fox](_internal/photos/staff/fox-caity.jpeg)
- Location: TSC 4018A
- Phone: (916) 278-2234
- caity.fox@csus.edu
- Specialty & Interests: IST-II - Cell/Molecular
Michael Eisner
ISA II - Stockroom
![Place holder image for faculty/staff member.](https://www.csus.edu/newcsus2019-global-assets/_internal/images/default-member-sq.jpg)
- Location: TSC 5033
- Phone: (916) 278-6104
- michael.eisner@csus.edu
- Specialty & Interests: ISA II - Stockroom
Mikey Davila
IST II - Anatomy/Physiology
![Place holder image for faculty/staff member.](https://www.csus.edu/newcsus2019-global-assets/_internal/images/default-member-sq.jpg)
- Location: SQU 218B
- Phone: (916) 278-6164
- michael.davila@csus.edu
- Specialty & Interests: Anatomy/Physiology
Michael (Squid) Almazan
IST II- Organismal Biology
![Place holder image for faculty/staff member.](https://www.csus.edu/newcsus2019-global-assets/_internal/images/default-member-sq.jpg)
- Location: SQU 34
- Phone: (916) 278-6869
- almazan@csus.edu
- Specialty & Interests: Organismal Biology/Ecology
Emeritus
Mike Baad
![Photo of Mike Baad](_internal/photos/emeritus/baad_mike.jpg)
- Location: Sequoia 114
- Phone: (916) 278-6494
- mbaad@csus.edu
- Website
- Specialty & Interests: Plant Taxonomy, Ecology, Biosystematics
William Avery
Professor (Retired)
![Photo of William Avery](_internal/photos/full-time/s_avery_bill.jpg)
- Specialty & Interests: Community Ecology, Marine Ecology, Invertebrates, and Paleontology
Lee Kavaljian
![Place holder image for faculty/staff member.](https://www.csus.edu/newcsus2019-global-assets/_internal/images/default-member-sq.jpg)
- Specialty & Interests: Botany
Tom Landerholm
Professor (In memoriam)
![Photo of Tom Landerholm](_internal/photos/full-time/s_landerholm_tom.jpg)
- Specialty & Interests: Cell and Developmental Biology