Faculty Research
Sarah Boyle
Dr. Boyle studies how human actions impact the distribution, ecology, and conservation of fauna and flora. Her research also addresses the extent to which a species modifies its behavior when living in areas of high disturbance. Dr. Boyle conducts research in Central and South America, as well as locally in Memphis. Current student projects involve behavioral research at the Memphis Zoo and the analysis of local forests using GIS.
Rosanna Cappellato
Dr. Cappellato’s research areas are on assessing the economic value of the ecosystem services provided by Overton Park and on the creation of urban green spaces in low income communities. The project at Overton Park is part of a new series of field laboratories designed for the Environmental Science course. This course is required for students interested in pursuing a minor in Environmental Science. The work on green spaces is done in collaboration with the Hollywood-Springdale community, the recipient of a 2004 Community Outreach Partnership Center (COPC) grant. More about Dr. Cappellato′s research
Jon Davis
I established the Environmental Physiology and Conservation (EPAC) Lab at Rhodes in 2008 and oversee several undergraduate research associates each year. The primary goals of the EPAC lab are to: (1) study the environmental physiology of animals in order to address contemporary conservation challenges and (2) provide opportunities for undergraduates to gain hands-on research, presentation, and writing experiences. Our research projects are closely aligned with the goals of the Conservation and Research Department at the Memphis Zoo and we develop projects that can advance the conservation of threatened and endangered species and those challenged by a rapidly changing world. We carry out our research in the laboratory, in urban Memphis, and in the mountains of China. More about Dr. Davis′ research
Jonathan Fitz Gerald
One of the agriculturally significant aspects of plant growth is seed size. This is largely determined by the development of the seed endosperm. Dr. Fitz Gerald′s work focuses on the Arabidopsis gene AtFH5, a formin involved in the development of the posterior endosperm. Using a combination of molecular biology, genetics and microscopy, his aim is to understand both the role of AtFH5 in endosperm development and the pathways that regulate AtFH5 expression. Interestingly, after fertilization AtFH5 is expressed only from the maternal genome. Paternal silencing is regulated by a homologue of the animal Polycomb group complex. In animals, Polycomb complexes maintain cell identity during development. In Arabidopsis, is Polycomb maintaining male and female identity of the parental genomes? Ongoing projects include the examination of mutant plants where AtFH5 expression is altered and molecular screening for AtFH5 interacting proteins. More about Dr. Fitz Gerald′s research
Terry Hill
Dr. Hill’s research deals with the genetic determinants of cell wall integrity in fungi. The cell wall is an essential component of fungal growth and morphogenesis, whose structure and metabolism are insufficiently understood. In collaboration with Dr. Darlene Loprete and Dr. Loretta Jackson-Hayes (Department of Chemistry), this laboratory is generating and characterizing mutant strains of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans, which have defects in cell wall structure. Among genes so far identified as being able to affect wall integrity in these mutants are two that code for novel (not previously characterized) proteins – the first is a probable Golgi apparatus transporter of nucleotide sugars and the second is a probable plasma membrane structural protein. The specific functions of these proteins is under investigation.More about Dr. Hill′s research
Jen Houghton
My research interests are multidisciplinary, focused on the geochemical interactions between water, rocks, and microbes as geochemical agents. I work on seafloor hydrothermal systems using experimental methods to quantify rates of biogeochemical reactions at hydrothermal conditions within the shallow subsurface. I am particularly interested in sulfur and iron cycling at the oxic-anoxic interface both in marine and terrestrial systems. The methods I develop are particularly adaptable to investigations of groundwater pollution and bioremediation, fluid dynamics, and biofilm development.
Alan Jaslow
My research interests are in the areas of vertebrate functional morphology and animal behavior. My research in behavior focuses on animal communication and mainly acoustics. I am working with the vocalizations made by Giant Pandas at the Memphis Zoo. Research projects in functional morphology have focused on both the evolution of middle ears in amphibians, and the functional significance of leg bone diameter and thickness in different sized mammals. I have also looked at these scaling phenomena in the growth patterns in tarantulas. More about Dr. A. Jaslow′s research
Carolyn Jaslow
My research has focused on the structure and function of skeletal structures in mammals, particularly investigations of teeth and cranial sutures in rodents. Recently, I have begun working in reproductive biology, specifically sperm ultrastructure and granulosa cell surface proteins. More about Dr. C. Jaslow′s research
David Kabelik
Dr. Kabelik′s research examines the neural circuits that regulate social and conversely aggressive behaviors, and how steroid hormones modulate these circuits and behaviors. He will be conducting this work in the Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis) model system, as well as in several Sceloporus species (Spiny/Fence lizards) that vary in aggression levels, thus allowing for evolutionary comparisons of brain circuitry. Dr. Kabelik is excited about integrating students into this research, and about his upcoming Animal Physiology and Neuroscience courses.
David Kesler
My current research deals with the distribution, condition, and age and growth of freshwater mussels both locally in the Wolf River and in New England. More about Dr. Kesler′s research
Gary LindquesterResearch Hospital, he is studying the role of a protein known as interleukin 10 (IL-10) which is produced by the human pathogen, Epstein Barr virus (EBV). He is generating a recombinant murine gammaherpesvirus containing the EBV IL-10 gene to study its effects on infection, latency, and pathogenesis in a mouse animal model. More about Dr. Lindquester′s research
Laura Luque de Johnson
Dr. Luque de Johnson investigates the molecular mechanism of tight junction formation during plasmodium invasion of red blood cells. The plasmodium organism is the causal agent of Malaria, a disease of which more than 1 million people die every year and 2.5 billion people are at risk of contracting. Tight junction formation is believed to be the irreversible step in the invasion of red blood cells by the plasmodium organism. My lab focuses on EBA-175, a plasmodium surface protein believed to play a crucial role in tight junction formation. In my lab, we are characterizing the role of EBA-175 dimerization in tight junction formation. Through mutational analysis we disrupt EBA-175 dimerization and study the effects on tight junction formation and red blood cell invasion. Understanding the molecular mechanism that governs the morphological changes that take place inside the red blood cell during plasmodium invasion will improve our ability to control malaria.
Mary Miller
The growth and division of eukaryotic cells is a highly regulated process. A variety of events important for successful division must be carried out in the proper order, at the proper time, and in the proper location. This coordinated series of events is described as the “cell division cycle” or “cell cycle”. Successful regulation of the cell cycle is paramount to the survival of single and multi-celled organisms ranging from budding yeast to man (Movie of dividing yeast courtesy of M. Tyers). Errors in this process usually result in cell death, and at times trigger the accumulation of oncogenic properties, leading eventually to cancer. In my lab, I study regulatory proteins called cyclins that trigger coordinated cell division. My lab used the model system Saccharomyces cerevisiae to carry out genetic, genomic, and biochemical assays on cyclin function. More about Dr. Miller′s research
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