Department of Biological Sciences

Research Areas

The Department of Biological Sciences emphasizes the integrative nature of the biological sciences, focusing on programs that unite five major areas: Biology Education Research; Cellular & Molecular Biology; Ecology, Evolution, & Conservation Biology; Genetics, Genomics, & Bioinformatics; and Physiology & Behavior.

Faculty research programs reflect the interdisciplinary strength of our department, while providing a firm foundation in theoretical focal areas. Recent faculty hires support our rich tradition of research training in these traditional fundamental disciplines while providing the specializations to foster interdisciplinary relationships.

	Biology Education Research Jaime Sabel: Biology student learning, scaffolds, metacognition Judith Cole: Course Embedded Research Experience, CURE Shawn Brown: Course Embedded Research Experience, CURE
	Cell & Molecular Biology Amy Abell: Epigenetic regulation of gene expression, EMT, signaling networks Judith Cole: Signal transduction, receptor pharmacology, cell physiology Lewis Coons: Parasitology Bernie Daigle, Jr.: Bioinformatics, computational systems biology Carlos Estrano: Signal transduction, protein trafficking, parasitology Charles Lessman: Cell physiology, reproductive biology, development Steven Schwartzbach: Protein trafficking, chloroplast evolution Omar Skalli: Cytoskeleton, cell motility and division Carrie Sutter: Aryl hydrocarbon receptor in skin, genetics of skin disease Thomas Sutter: Cancer prevention, environmental science, signal transduction
	Ecology, Evolution, & Conservation Biology Jim Adelman: Avian disease ecology, ecological immunology, behavior Randall Bayer: Plant systematics and evolution E. Keith Bowers: Avian evolutionary, physiological and behavioral ecology Shawn Brown: Microbial ecology, environmental microbiology, mycology Michael Kennedy: Wildlife ecology, mammal systematics Jennifer Mandel: Population genetics, ecological and evolutionary genetics Duane McKenna: Insect-plant interactions, insect systematics, evolution Cassandra Nuñez: Animal behavior, behavioral ecology, stress physiology Matthew Parris: Evolutionary ecology, herpetology Emily Puckett: Evolutionary genetics, population genomics, phylogeography
	Genetics, Genomics & Bioinformatics Randall Bayer: Plant systematic and evolution Melvin Beck: Genetics Shawn Brown: Microbial ecology, environmental microbiology, mycology Bernie Daigle, Jr.: Bioinformatics, computational systems biology Jennifer Mandel: Population genetics, ecological and evolutionary genetics Duane McKenna: Insect-plant interactions, insect systematics, evolution Emily Puckett: Evolutionary genetics, population genomics, phylogeography Carrie Sutter: Aryl hydrocarbon receptor in skin, genetics of skin disease Thomas Sutter: Cancer prevention, environmental science, signal transduction
	Physiology & Behavior Jim Adelman: Avian disease ecology, ecological immunology, behavior E. Keith Bowers: Avian evolutionary, physiological and behavioral ecology Judith Cole: Signal transduction, receptor pharmacology, cell physiology Michael Ferkin: Animal behavior, animal cognition, hormones and behavior David Freeman: Circadian rhythms, mammal neuroendocrinology Charles Lessman: Cell physiology, reproductive biology, development Cassandra Nuñez: Animal behavior, behavioral ecology, stress physiology