The Department of Biology
Fiscal Year 2024-2025 College
Dear Donor,
Thank you once again, from the bottom of our hearts, for your support of SDSU Biology.
Our big news this year is the approval to build a new 79,700 sq. ft. Sciences Building that will house much of our department’s research and teaching. If you visit campus, you may see early excavation stages on the northeast corner. This long-awaited construction was catalyzed by donor support—we cannot thank you enough.
We also launched two new ventures supported by your generous gifts: Darwin Day in February and Earth Day in April. Each featured a guest research seminar, followed by graduate student presentations and program-specifc events—an image competition for evolutionary biology or Earth-inspired confections. Both events were packed with students, staf, and faculty. Now that we’ve ironed out the wrinkles, we plan to host these events annually and open them to broader audiences. I hope to see you there!
These accomplishments are made possible through philanthropy. Alongside grant and state support, donor generosity is one of the three essential funding sources that sustains our internationally recognized research and teaching.
Richard Cripps, Ph.D. Department Chair
Fred Henry Professor of Life Sciences Department of Biology College of Sciences
Propelling the SDSU Community Forward
Michael Edward and Ann Rosner Sixtus Scholarship in Science
The College of Sciences received generous contributions to support the Michael Edward and Ann Rosner Sixtus Scholarship in Science, which provides support to students in multiple departments, including the Department of Biology, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and the Department of Earth and Environmental Science.
The scholarship supports frst-generation college students who are interested in pursuing a career in the sciences. The departments are looking forward to selecting the frst recipient for this prestigious award in the 2025–2026 academic year.
Maxson Family Biology Undergraduate Research Endowment
The Department of Biology received additional signifcant contributions to the Maxson Family Biology Undergraduate Research Endowment, which supports undergraduate students who are conducting research within the department. The endowment provides valuable funding for students to pay for lab fees, supplies and equipment, travel and accommodations, registration fees for conferences and workshops, and other related research expenses.
SDSU Biology students pose with Dr. Angelica Riestra in her research lab
Thriving in the Aztec Experience
Tim Haddad, Undecided Class Level: Ph.D. Candidate College: College of Sciences Major: Cell and Molecular Biology
Tim Haddad, a frst-year Cell and Molecular Biology Ph.D. student in Assistant Professor Catherine Schrankel’s lab, was one of two students across the CSU system to receive the Crellin Pauling Student Teaching Award. This accolade was presented at the annual CSU Biotechnology Symposium in January.
Haddad, who graduated from the master’s program last year, also won the Don Eden Graduate Student Research Award after presenting his research exploring the mechanisms behind the development of human germline cells — cells that will eventually become eggs or sperm in adults. By blocking the function of certain ABC transporters, Haddad and his team observed a decrease in the production of germline stem cells, a fnding that could have implications for infertility treatments in the future.
“It was a privilege to present some of SDSU’s groundbreaking research at the CSU Biotechnology Conference,” Haddad said. “As I pursue my journey toward becoming a professor of biology, I am dedicated to contributing novel discoveries to the feld. With the guidance and mentorship of the exceptional biology faculty at SDSU, I am confdent in my ability to make meaningful advancements in research and education.”
As I pursue my journey toward becoming a professor of biology, I am dedicated to contributing novel discoveries to the feld. – Tim
Sophia Butler, Class of 2025 Class Level: Undergraduate Student College: College of Sciences Major: Biology
Sophia Butler was selected by the Department of Biology as the Most Outstanding Undergraduate Student, recognized for her exceptional academic performance, leadership, and deep commitment to community engagement.
Throughout her time at SDSU, Sophia actively participated in a range of meaningful experiences, including volunteering at community events, presenting her research at multiple conferences, and mentoring fellow students as a peer advisor at the Health Professions Advising Ofce (HPAO).
She also took part in the distinguished Cancer Research and Education to Advance HealTh Equity (CREATE) program, a UCSD/SDSU partnership. As a CREATE Intern, Sophia contributed to multidisciplinary cancer research at the Moores Cancer Center, while participating in weekly seminars focused on cultural competency, cancer biology, and health disparities in oncology.
Sophia shared, “I’m beyond grateful for the support of my inspiring peers, dedicated faculty, and the countless opportunities SDSU ofered me to explore, lead, and learn. I truly wouldn’t be who I am today without this community.”
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I’m
beyond grateful for the support of my inspiring peers, dedicated faculty, and the countless opportunities SDSU ofered me to explore, lead, and learn. – Sophia
Celebrating Shared Success
Recent Rankings
U.S. News & World Report ranked SDSU #119 in Biological Sciences
Statistics of Interest
The Department of Biology ofers excellent degree programs, with courses taught by over 50 fulltime, research-active faculty members.
In spring 2025, enrollment in the Department of Biology reached 1,415 students.
Over 300 degrees were awarded in the 2023–2024 academic year.
SDSU ofers over 50 undergraduate courses each semester in cellular and molecular biology, ecology, evolution, and related felds.
Recent Highlights
Mountain lions, steelhead trout, and scarlet monkeyfowers. Through conservation, research, and partnerships with local tribes, SDSU works to protect threatened species and Indigenous traditions alike—all at the Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve.
This spring, Assistant Biology Professor Cristal Zuniga’s lab hosted a two-week exchange with SDSU alum Tracy Beach’s ffth-grade class, introducing students to microalgae research, basic biology, and STEM career paths through hands-on experiments.
SDSU science professors have a worldwide impact with research projects across the globe! This includes Professor of Biology Forest Rohwer’s coral reef restoration project around the Line Islands, south of Hawaii.
As part of the SDSU NextGen program, directed by Associate Professor Lluvia Flores-Renteria, Chula Vista High School students visited SDSU this spring to learn about the university’s food and plant research, meet current students, and explore careers in food, agriculture, and natural resources.
Undergraduates Kinjaal Nagindas, Breana Reyes, Aaliyah Ringor, and Yesenia Rodriguez Reyes from Robert Luallen’s lab presented posters at this year’s West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference.
SDSU students, guided by Biology Professor Donatella Zona and Indigenous partners, travel to Utqiaġvik, Alaska, to study seasonal changes in greenhouse gases, soil, and plants. Their research shows the Arctic emits high methane levels, helping explain its rapid warming.
Biology Excellence
SDSU’s Biology Department, ranked #119 by U.S. News, ofers 50+ research-active faculty, 50+ courses, and enrolled 1,415 students in Spring 2025, awarding 300+ degrees in 2023–24.
Faculty Achievements
Robert Luallen, Ph.D.
Title: Associate Professor of Biology College: College of Sciences
Achievement: Dr. Robert Luallen was one of six SDSU faculty members selected as Presidential Research Fellows, one of the highest research honors on campus. The fellowship awards $25,000 to support each fellow’s research, scholarship, and creative activities.
Dr. Luallen’s research focuses on understanding the benefcial and pathogenic interactions between natural microbiota and their hosts, using small nematodes as model organisms. By combining outreach, ecological sampling, and laboratory research, he and his students aim to uncover the molecular interactions between hosts and bacteria and explore potential applications for treating human and animal diseases.
“I am humbled to receive this award, and I plan to use it to continue our eforts to promote STEM research awareness among early-stage undergraduates and high school students,” Luallen said.
Arun Sethuraman, Ph.D.
Title: Evolutionary Biology Program Area Chair, Associate Professor of Biology College: College of Sciences
Achievement: Arun Sethuraman was recognized as this year’s Outstanding Faculty Member for the Academic Year 2024-2025.
His peers shared the following sentiments:
“Dr. Sethuraman takes on a great deal of service, both within and outside of the Department of Biology, while publishing many papers. He consistently puts others before himself and does it all with a smile on his face and a positive attitude."
