About the Biology Department

The Biology Department at Bates is a vibrant group of teacher-scholars dedicated to instilling in our students a love of biology and respect for the natural world while working earnestly to develop a program that embraces anti-racism, equity and inclusive pedagogies to deliver an excellent STEM education in which all of our students will thrive. Our Statement on Equity and Inclusion  summarizes our recent efforts toward these goals.

Our challenging curriculum of innovative coursework and research experiences prepares our students well for postgraduate training in a wide variety of professions including the health sciences, research and education. We are also enthusiastic about helping non-science majors see the value of science to society and to their everyday lives.

We invite you to explore our Biology program website to learn more about who we are and the exciting research and teaching we do. You will be inspired by reading about our students and alumni, their accomplishments, and the exciting educational opportunities we offer through research and community engaged learning.

Projected course offerings in Biology for the next three years can be found here: 3 Year Projected Course Offerings

Dr. Lori Banks
Dr. Lori Banks is Assistant Professor of Microbiology in the Biology Department. Her research aims to understand the key structural features of selected microbial proteins that can be exploited in the design of new anti-microbial agents.Learn  more about Lori’s interests and student research opportunities in her lab here.
In a sign of the times, senior Emily Woods chats with her remote lab partner, Dessy Yang who is in Shanghai, China.
In a sign of the times, senior Emily Woods chats with one of her lab partners, Dessy Yang ’22, who is taking classes remotely from Shanghai, China, during an animal physiology lab session.