Toni-Marie’s education includes a Bachelor of Science in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from The Johns Hopkins University, and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Brown University. Her expertise lies in the field of 3D in vitro models for drug discovery and development. Toni-Marie has been actively engaged in teaching since her graduate student years and further enhanced her pedagogical skills through the INBRE Teaching Postdoc in the Biology Department at Rhode Island College. Since joining the Brown Faculty in 2016, her courses foster a dynamic learning environment that intertwines theoretical understanding with practical applications in biology. She is passionate about advising undergraduate students in the biology concentrations and providing guidance and support to help students navigate their academic and career paths. Toni-Marie serves as the BEAR Faculty Liaison to several athletic teams at Brown, including Women’s Ice Hockey, where she directly supports student athletes. She was the 2021 recipient of The Elizabeth Leduc Award in Teaching Excellence. She actively contributes to shaping inclusive and equitable educational practices within The Program in Biology, and her dedication to this is exemplified by her role as Co-Chair of the Biology Undergraduate Education DIAP Committee. Toni-Marie teaches: BIOL 0150D Techniques in Regenerative Medicine: Cells, Scaffolds, and Staining, BIOL 0170 Biotechnology, and BIOL 0940G Antibiotic Drug Discovery: Identifying Novel Soil Microbes to Combat Antibiotic Resistance, as well as courses in the Summer@Brown Program.

Aisling’s love for the natural world began as a child while exploring her backyard in rural upstate New York. She studied Biology at Smith College and then worked in a cancer biology laboratory before pursuing her PhD at Brown University and a postdoc at Tufts University. She researched host-pathogen interactions, working to understand the mechanisms viruses and bacteria use to establish infection and evade natural defenses. After a decade at Assumption University as an Associate Professor, Aisling returned to Brown where she currently teaches in the classroom. She prioritizes the joy of learning, rigor, transparency, and intersectionality of the sciences and the humanities. Through her work with the Sheridan Center and its START program, she rejects the “weed-out” culture of STEM courses and instead promotes inclusive teaching practices to build a sense of trust, belonging, and community. Diverse and flexible assignments allow her students to highlight their unique learning styles, hone new skills, and demonstrate growth and mastery of biological content as they develop the foundational skills needed to succeed in their upper-level biology courses and in research laboratories. Aisling teaches: BIOL 0510 Introductory Microbiology, BIOL 0530 Principles of Microbiology, and BIOL 1945 Outbreaks and Infection.

As an undergraduate student, Bill was constantly engaged and inspired by his professors, and he knew he wanted to do the same for another generation of scientists. He earned his PhD here at Brown University with Tricia Serio studying the effects of post-translational modification on prion propagation. He sought pedagogical training as a postdoctoral teaching fellow at The College of the Holy Cross, which informed his teaching as an Associate Professor of Biology at Rhode Island College. Bill has taught a range of topics focusing on cellular biology and biochemistry. It brings him great joy to take the most complex scientific concepts and break them down to make them accessible to every student. He aims to put the concepts in perspective and get students to see how concepts are utilized. Bill strives to have a hands-on element in his classes and tries to have an aspect of inquiry to engage students fully. Bill teaches: BIOL 0200 Foundations of Living Systems and BIOL 0280 Biochemistry.

Diana earned a B.A. in Biology from Assumption College and a PhD in Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology from Brown University with emphasis on ion channel physiology. She joined Brown as a faculty member in 2011 and is a Senior Lecturer in Biology with a primary appointment in Biology Undergraduate Education and a secondary appointment in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Diana teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in physiology, drug discovery and therapeutic science. She is Co-director of the Therapeutic Sciences PhD Program and the 2019 recipient of the Elizabeth LeDuc Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Life Sciences at Brown. Diana teaches: BIOL 1100 Cell Physiology and Biophysics, BIOL 2145 Molecular Targets of Drug Discovery, BIOL 2170 Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, and BIOL 2250 Survey of Modern Therapeutics.

Becky has had a love for the natural world and all things plants since childhood. She studied Biology and East Asian Studies at Oberlin College and earned her PhD in Plant Biology from the University of Georgia in 2013, followed by postdoctoral research at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and Princeton University. She joined the Brown faculty in 2017. In addition to teaching, Becky directs the Brown University Herbarium and the Plant Environmental Center. She enjoys engaging students in hands-on experiences working with plants both inside and outside of the classroom. Becky was the 2023 recipient of the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Advising and Mentoring in the Biological Sciences. Becky teaches: BIOL 0940D Rhode Island Flora: Understanding and Documenting Local Plant Diversity and BIOL 0430 Evolution of Plant Diversity.

Kristina received a BA in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (2010), a MA in Psychology Research from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (2012), and a PhD in Behavioral Science with a track in Research Methods and Statistics from the University of Rhode Island (2015). She has been a member of the Brown faculty since 2015 when she began teaching medical students and evaluating medical school curriculum. Kristina was the recipient of the 2021 Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University faculty award. After transitioning to Biology, Kristina became the co-chair of the Biology Undergraduate Education DIAP committee and works with faculty on evaluating and publishing innovative pedagogical and assessment strategies in their courses. One of Kristina’s passions is making the hidden curriculum visible and accessible to all students at Brown University. From an early age, Kristina loved math. She enjoys spreading her love of “the S-word” (statistics!) with students and illustrating how we use statistics in our everyday lives and in the sciences. Kristina teaches: BIOL 0100 Living Biology at Brown and Beyond, BIOL 0946 Research Design and Quantitative Methods for the Health Sciences & BIOL 1000 Quality Improvement Science and Application.

Jackie received her BS from WPI in biomedical engineering. She then continued on to Brown studying cellular mechanics and its relevance to tissue function and disease. After earning her PhD, she pursued a postdoctoral fellowship at Brown focusing on tissue engineering. In 2012, she joined the faculty at Brown and worked to develop and expand two master's programs (Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology). Currently, Jackie directs the Biotechnology Masters Program which includes oversight of the program’s curriculum and adjuncts, advising, financial leadership, and industry outreach. She is also the chair of the Therapeutic Sciences Graduate Program (TSGP) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and a member of the Graduate Committee. Jackie teaches: BIOL 1070 Biotechnology and Global Health, BIOL 2167 In Vitro Models for Disease, and BIOL 2180 Experiential Learning in Industry.