Diverse scientific teams do more productive and high-impact science. Here we present student and staff ethnicity and disability data from the UK Higher Education Statistics Authority (HESA) for subdisicplines within biology. We identify significant underrepresentation of Black, Asian and disabled staff at senior academic levels, and a disproportionate loss of ethnic minority and disabled talent in the academic pipeline. We explore reasons that might underpin this from curriculum design to lack of role models to discrimiation and exclusionary practice. We offer recommendations for action, providing practical suggestions for how our disciplines can become less exclusionary and more welcoming to all students.