Helen Hansma, adjunct professor of physics with a background in biochemistry, runs a biophysics lab in the department of physics, at the forefront of the new field of atomic force microscopy. There she delves into the secrets of DNA, learning how to manipulate it with the goal of replacing diseased genes with healthy ones. She loves working with the beautiful, aesthetic images she sees through the microscope.

Hansma describes DNA, "which is a really long stringy molecule that's in danger of being cut by enzymes in the body. To get the DNA into the nucleus of a chromosome, you have to make it into a tiny package like a ball of string."

Her lab employs undergraduates, graduates and post-doctoral researchers. "I enjoy working with students and fitting their strengths with certain projects."

She counts herself as lucky that she was able to take a few years off in order to raise children -- and to enjoy a few other activities like teaching yoga -- and still return to the cutting edge of her field.