Faculty Expertise
Throughout your time at Washington College, you will work with faculty in classes, lab and field work, internships, and more. Faculty serve as teachers and mentors, and as advisors for your Senior Capstone Experience (SCE). Explore the research interests of our faculty below.
Biology Faculty
Jennie Rinehimer
Associate Professor of Biology
Chair of Department of Biology
Jennie Rinehimer
Associate Professor of Biology
Chair of Department of Biology
Areas of Expertise
Behavior and Physiology
Research
My research examines how birds alter their behaviors with changing ecological conditions. Much of this work is done in the field with the assistance of undergraduates. Current projects focus on trade-offs between foraging and predation risk in ruby-throated hummingbirds and the effects of parent age and breeding experience on reproductive success of field sparrows.
Martin Connaughton
Associate Professor of Biology
Associate Chair of the Department of Biology
Martin Connaughton
Associate Professor of Biology
Associate Chair of the Department of Biology
Areas of Expertise
Aquatic Ecotoxicology
Research
Students in my lab examine the effects of environmental toxicants and pharmaceuticals on fish development, function of the visual system and exploratory behavior using larval or adult zebrafish. Recent research projects have examined the effects of nicotine, alcohol, fluoxetine (active ingredient in Prozac) and some common agricultural pesticides. In addition we have examined the effects of aflatoxin, a fungal toxin that can affect crops, on visual development and behaviors.
Mindy Reynolds
Alonzo G. and Virginia Gent Decker Professor of Biology
Director of the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program
Mindy Reynolds
Alonzo G. and Virginia Gent Decker Professor of Biology
Director of the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program
Areas of Expertise
Toxicology; Cadmium Exposure; Nickel Exposure
Research
My wet-bench research is focused on chronic exposure to metal compounds, such as nickel,
cobalt, and cadmium. Exposure to these metals has long been known to increase cancer
incidence but the mechanisms by which they induce cancer are not well understood.
My lab examines cytotoxicity and genotoxicity following co-exposure to these metals.
To understand these processes, we use molecular and genetic approaches in a human
cell culture model. Altogether, our improved understanding of the mechanisms of DNA
damage and toxicity will enhance our knowledge in the development of cancer.
Aaron Krochmal
Associate Professor of Biology
Aaron Krochmal
Associate Professor of Biology
Areas of Expertise
Sensory Ecology; Animal Migration; Evolution of Complex Cognition
Research
I am a broadly-trained, integrative organismal biologist interested in the behavior, physiology, and ecology of reptiles. Specifically, I combine these disciplines to investigate how reptiles perceive, interact with, and navigate their environments.
Mala Misra
Associate Professor of Biology
Director of Neuroscience Program
Mala Misra
Associate Professor of Biology
Director of Neuroscience Program
Areas of Expertise
Neuron growth and development
Research
I’m interested in how neurons, a critical cell type in the nervous system, grow into their unique shapes. Many neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders are characterized in part by changes in neuron shape, and these changes are thought to contribute directly to disordered or atypical neurological function. Understanding how neurons make decisions about their shapes during development can help us create better models of these disorders and, hopefully, better treatments.
Jennifer Wanat
Associate Professor of Biology
Jennifer Wanat
Associate Professor of Biology
Areas of Expertise
Molecular Genetics and Cellular Aging
Research
I study how telomeres, the specialized structures at the ends of linear chromosomes,
affect cellular senescence and aging. I am also collaborating with ecologists on a
project exploring the connection between land use (urban, agricultural, forested)
surrounding salamander habitat and salamander health (infectious disease incidence
and metabolism differences).
Suzanne Thuecks
Biology Instructor and Laboratory Coordinator
Suzanne Thuecks
Biology Instructor and Laboratory Coordinator
Areas of Expertise
Biology Laboratory Instruction
Research
My presentations and publications focus on science education. I am especially interested in how to teach writing in the science classroom, curricular and lab design, and instructional coaching practices. My areas of biological interest are molecular biology, virology, and forensic applications of biology.
Katherine Hovanes
Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology
Katherine Hovanes
Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology
Areas of Expertise
Plant Ecology
Research
My research focuses on 1) processes regulating population growth and spatial pattern formation of grasses and 2) how plant species interactions influence competitive outcomes and potential for coexistence. I primarily do research in the field, but I also conduct greenhouse experiments. Students who work with me will probably spend plenty of time outdoors at RAFC exploring how fire disturbance influences grassland plant diversity, composition, and trait expression.