Research

• Faculty Research Interests
• Research Opportunities for Undergraduates
• Biosciences Student Research Symposium - Poster Session

Research Opportunities for Undergraduates

The following faculty members have research projects that you could participate in for credit through special studies (Bio 400). Special studies projects can be taken on for anywhere from 1 to 5 credits, and can last a semester, a year, or more.

If you are intested:

• read through the descriptions below
• contact faculty by email to set up an appointment to discuss the projects
  

Margaret Anderson

Use electrophysiological techniques and/or in-depth study of original literature to learn about the functions of nervous systems or muscle cells. Please feel free to discuss your ideas with me.

Rob Dorit

1. In vitro engineering of novel antibiotics. This project seeks to develop new antimicrobila compounds, based on naturally occurring bacteriocins, that exhibit high activity and delay the appearance of resistance.This project is also concerned with exploring the relationship between phylogenetic conservation and functional versatility in a colicin model system.
2. In vivo evolution of RNaseP RNA. We have developed a system that allows a single component of bacterial metabolism -- the catalytic RNA moiety of RNaseP -- to evolve de novo in an E. coli cell. This project examines the extent to which existing molecular components reflect globally or locally optimal solutions.

Students interested in research in the broad area of experimental molecular evolution are welcome to contact me to discuss potential opportunities in my laboratory.

Adam Hall

1. Xenopus oocyte expression system : This research involves injecting ion channel RNA or DNA into Xenopus oocytes (frogs eggs), and recording expressed ion channel currents and their modulation by general anesthetic agents.
2. DNA microarray project : This research uses DNA microarrays (genes spotted on to glass slides) to screen for differential gene expression in control/anesthetic- or sedative- treated brain tissue.
   

Dick Briggs

1. Investigation of invertebrate blood cell structure, motility, and phagocytic and bactericidal capacity using light and electron microscopy, cytochemistry, and in vivo and in vitro assays.
2. Examination of the structure and function (divalent cation accumulation?) of botryoidal tissue and chloragogen cells from two groups of Hirudineans.
3. Mechanisms of production and utilization of hydrogen peroxide in diverse biological systems - from blood cells to plants to bombardier beetles.
   

Virginia Hayssen

Research projects in a variety of areas having to do with coat color and genetics. Come see me to discuss your interests and mine.

Laura Katz

1. Genome evolution in ciliates: use molecular techniques to determine the DNA sequences involved in regulating chromosome rearrangements in single-celled ciliates.
2. Adaptive evolution of ciliate genomes : use an ecological approach to assess the response of ciliate genomes to environmental stress.
   

Michael Marcotrigiano

Conventional plant breeding for the introduction of new ornamentals and the micropropagation (i.e. tissue culture) of endangered and difficult to propagate species. Also offers two summer research internships in molecular plant systematics at Kew Gardens in London, England.

Richard Olivo

Computing for neuroscience research and teaching. Current projects include:

1. Writing Macintosh software for data acquisition, display, and processing of neural data.
2. Web authoring for teaching neuroscience.
3. Digital video editing using iMovie.

Familiarity with the Mac and prior experience with programming, Web authoring, or video are essential prerequisites because of the limited time available to complete a project.

Paulette Peckol

1. Health and Condition of Coral Reefs . This computer-based project uses a large dataset collected off San Salvador Island, Bahamas and Belize to assess the effects of large-scale natural (e.g. hurricane damage) and human (e.g. over-fishing) disturbances on coral and fish populations at these Caribbean sites.
2. Coral Response to Environmental Disturbances . This project investigates the physiological response (production of protective compounds) of corals to such disturbances as UV radiation and thermal anomalies.
   

Stylianos Scordilis

1. Stress Proteins During Exercise - We study the mRNA and protein expression of several stress proteins, as well as signal transduction enzymes, that are induced following a repairable, damaging exercise in mice and humans. These proteins may function in the immediate repair of the damage and in the long-term adaptation of the muscles to exercise.
2. Probing the effects of estrogen on the regulation of the stress proteins. Female mice exhibit a significantly different pattern of stress protein expression following downhill running than do males.
   
3. Actin in the Fission Yeast - Even though actin is encoded by a single intronless gene in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, there are two distinct isoforms of this contractile protein present. We are characterizing the post-translational modification that creates the second isoform and are analyzing its potential to be part of a system regulating actin polymerization, and hence, cytoskeletal dynamics.
   

L. David Smith

Marine biological invasions: Participate in a project to identify high-risk pathways that transport nonindigenous marine species to New England.

Stephen Tilley

Biochemical systematics of dusky salamanders: using DNA sequencing and allozyme data to determine the species that inhabit the southern Appalachian Mountains in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina.

Revised 03/09/2006