Dr. Colin Gates is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and an affiliate faculty member of Bioinformatics in the College of Arts and Sciences at Loyola University Chicago, having been a faculty member at Loyola since the fall semester of 2021.  His overarching research focus is the regulation of photosynthesis and inorganic nutrient metabolism in photosynthetic microorganisms.
BA/BA (Honors): Chemistry and Biology, Rutgers University-Newark
PhD/Joint PhD: Chemistry/Computational Biology, Rutgers University
Postdoc: with Jeffrey Cameron, University of Colorado Boulder
Google Scholar

Leslie Castillo earned her B.S. in Chemistry with a minor in Physics, graduating with distinction from Dominican University in River Forest, IL. During her undergraduate studies, she investigated structure–activity relationships of diazeniumdiolates synthesized from primary amines through biological assays. She also explored the structure and synthesis of benzoxanthene derivatives—fluorescent compounds incorporated into commercially available wavelength-shifting fibers such as scintillators used in high-energy physics at Fermilab. Before attending Loyola University Chicago, she worked as a laboratory technician at Tate & Lyle, supporting product development and application efforts. Leslie joined the Gates research group in the fall of 2021, where she studies the functional roles of bicarbonate in Photosystem II and how chloride substitution for other monovalent anions interrelates with bicarbonate depletion.

Grant Steiner graduated magna cum laude from Illinois State University in 2020, where he obtained a B.S. in Chemistry, a B.S. in Neurobiology and Physiology, and a minor in Psychology. Before matriculating at Loyola University Chicago for his PhD, he practiced as an Emergency Department Technician and Surgical Assistant at multiple hospitals throughout Illinois. With Professor Gates, he currently is working towards elucidating the mechanisms and induction of cyclic electron flow around Photosystem II in various photosynthetic organisms. 

Chloe Wilke graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri - Saint Louis in 2023 with her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Biochemistry and Biotechnology. During her undergraduate and masters studies, she worked in the Bauer Lab doing green chemistry organic synthesis of ferrocenophanium and curcumin derivatives. She worked at Bayer in Saint Louis for a year and a half as an associate formulation chemist working on auxin herbicide development before attending Loyola. Chloe joined the Gates Lab in fall 2025 and is studying structural and mechanistic regulation of Photosystem II-cyclic electron flow. 

Madalyn Zagajowski graduated magna cum laude from Olivet Nazarene University (Bourbonnais, IL) in 2023, earning a B.S. degree in Chemistry with a forensic concentration. Prior to attending Loyola as a PhD candidate, she worked as a quality control lab technician at CCi Manufacturing in Lemont, Illinois, running routine tests on automotive fluid products. Madalyn joined the Gates group in Spring 2026, where her research focuses on elucidating the roles of bicarbonate cofactors in the function and regulation of Photosystem II.

Role of calcium in PSII

Role of small monovalent anions in PSII

Inorganic cofactors in PSII

PSII-cyclic electron flow

Vipp1 kinetics and regulation

PSII-cyclic electron flow

Vipp1 kinetics and regulation

Electron transfer regulation within PSII

Plant drought resistance