RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP
The Department of Biology supports research in a wide range of subdisciplines from the molecular and cellular to the organismal to the ecosystem level.
AREAS OF RESEARCH
Aaron M. Bauer, PhD, Phylogenetic systematics and biogeography of squamate reptiles; evolutionary morphology of tetrapod vertebrates
Robert L. Curry, PhD, Vertebrate behavioral, population, & molecular ecology; ornithology; conservation biology
Samantha Chapman, PhD, Ecosystem processes and influencing biotic factors; Impacts of plant biodiversity on carbon and nutrient cycling and microbial diversity
Vikram K. Iyengar, PhD, Behavioral ecology, entomology, chemical ecology, sexual selection and its consequences, evolution of arthropod mating systems
Todd Jackman, PhD, Evolutionary genetics of salamanders and lizards using DNA sequence data
Adam Langley, PhD, Global change ecology, microbial ecology, marsh sustainability
John Olson, PhD, Metabolic & muscle physiology; ecophysiology; thermogenesis in birds and mammals; mechanical muscle performance of invertebrates and vertebrates
Dana Opulente, PhD, Microbial ecology, evolution, genomics, and bioinformatics.
Michael Russell, PhD, Basic and applied marine ecology, population biology, and fisheries science
Alyssa Stark, PhD, Functional morphology and biomechanics.
R. Kelman Wieder, PhD, Ecosystem ecology & biogeochemistry, wetland ecology; carbon cycling & accumulation/release in boreal peatland ecosystems
Anil Bamezai, Regulation of CD4+ T lymphocyte development in the thymus and responses to protein antigens in the peripheral lymphoid tissues
Angela J. DiBenedetto, Molecular and cellular biology; genetics; developmental neurobiology, especially programmed cell death
Russell M. Gardner, Endocrinology; pharmacology; mechanisms of hormone action, development of hormone responses; hormonal control of uterine growth and differentiation
Louise A. Russo, PhD, Cell biology & physiology; establishment of the uterine receptive state and fertility; regulated expression of specific cell surface adhesion receptor proteins and degradative enzymes
Troy R. Shirangi, Neural circuit structure, function and development in Drosophila
James W. Wilson, Bacterial pathogens, novel bacterial genes, rotating wall vessel (RWV) culture. Cloned type III secretion systems
Dennis D. Wykoff, Molecular genetics of yeast, bioinformatics
Elaine M. Youngman, PhD, Exploring connections between small RNA biology, genome surveillance and fertility using molecular biology, genetics and genomics approaches
Matthew J. Youngman, PhD, Molecular genetics and cell biology of aging; innate immunity and stress resistance
THE GREENHOUSE
The Greenhouse features 2950 square feet of climate-controlled growing space for various projects, including faculty and student research and instructional laboratory use, and houses some of our permanent teaching and research plant collection.