Biology Faculty Research Areas
Bill Blaker
We have shown, in rats performing in a radial
maze, that if
visual input is confined to a single cerebral hemisphere, then hippocampal lesions on that side perturb the
formation of
spatial memories based on that input.
Future studies will extend these findings to other senses and
behaviors,
which will involve maze performance based
on tactile
information and operant conditioning paradigms (lever press) using
visual cues.
All such studies involve animal behavior, experimental brain surgery, neuroanatomy, and depending on the exact
experiments, neuropharmacology and
neurotransmitter receptor
biochemistry.
To view a more detailed description of my research, click here.
Dennis Haney
My research is in the area of environmental and
comparative
physiology. This can be defined as the comparing and contrasting of
physiological mechanisms, processes, or responses of different species
of
organisms under differing environmental conditions. More specifically I
am
interested in the physiological responses of animals, especially
fishes, to
environmental stressors. For more information, visit my personal
website by
clicking here, and
the RBRI website by clicking here.
To view a more detailed description of my research, click here.
Eli Hestermann
I study the effects of
environmental pollutants and cancer treatment drugs in cells.
Specifically, I’m
interested in interactions between responses to the hormone estrogen,
drugs
used on breast cancer, and PCBs, dioxins, and cigarette smoke in the
environment.
To view a more detailed description of my research, click here.
Sandra Larson
My research centers
primarily on
ovarian physiology. Research projects
may include isolating proteins from ovarian tissue, testing growth
factors in
cell culture assays, or collecting oocytes and tissues from mice to
evaluate
effects of heat stress on ovarian function.
To view a more detailed description of my research, click here.
Greg Lewis
In my research, I
examine how
whole ecosystems function, especially the capacity for terrestrial
(watersheds)
and aquatic (streams, ponds, and wetlands) ecosystems to retain
nutrients added
to them. I am especially interested in
human impacts on aquatic ecosystems, such as effects of acid rain and
waste
water treatment plant effluent on streams and rivers.
These types of research involve collecting
and analyzing water samples from streams, ponds, lakes, or wetlands.
For
more information, visit the RBRI website by clicking here.
To view a more detailed description of my research, click here.
Min-Ken Liao
I am interested in anything related to
microbiology and that
is why I have several research projects going on in my lab. All these projects employ similar molecular
techniques, including bacterial genomic DNA preparation, PCR
amplification,
gene cloning, bacterial transformation, restriction fragment length
polymorphism, and DNA sequence analysis.
To view a more detailed description of my research, click here.
Travis Perry
My research interests range widely within the
disciplines of
ecology and conservation biology, from the effects of selective
pressures on
skull morphology to the best methods of preserving biodiversity in the
southeastern piedmont. I am
particularly
interested in evolutionary processes and morphological adaptation as
well as
the natural history of particular taxonomic groups, especially mammals
and
reptiles.
To view a more detailed description of my research, click here.
Joe Pollard, Chair of Biology
My recent research has focused on plants that “hyperaccumulate” heavy metals, i.e. concentrate
elements
such as zinc or nickel to exceptionally high concentrations in leaf
tissues. This phenomenon is relatively
rare; only about 425 species of plants in the world are known to do it. They are of interest in part because of their
potential use for clean-up of polluted soils.
The particular topics that my students and I have studied
include (1)
the extent to which hyperaccumulation is a
genetically variable character within species, (2) the adaptive
significance of
hyperaccumulation, particularly the
possibility that
it functions as a defense against herbivores, and (3) the extent to
which hyperaccumulator plants may
facilitate the transfer of
metals into food chains. To read one of
our recently published papers about the genetics of hyperaccumulation,
click here.
To view a more detailed description of my research, click here.
Nick Schisler
In essence,
my research relates to the fields of genetics,
molecular evolution, phylogenetics, and bioinformatics; specifically
intron
evolution, evolution of protein families, and comparative genomics. For
more information, visit my personal
website by
clicking here.
To view a more detailed description of my research, click here.
John Snyder
I study the moths and butterflies of the Southeast, at a
number of levels. (1) I am collecting and cataloguing moth species of South
Carolina. (2) I have created the first definitive checklist for the state and
am constantly updating it. (3) I am beginning a study of little-known moths
whose complete life cycles have not yet been described. This involves “animal
husbandry” on the insect level, with much to be learned about host plants
that are used. (4) I study the relationship between moth species (diversity
and abundance) in a given area and the vegetation composition of that area.
(5) I also do biochemical analyses of moths (and their larval stages), focusing
on the nature and distribution of fluorescing molecules (flavonoids, pteridines,
and other heterocyclic molecules), in an attempt to understand why certain
moth species manufacture and/or sequester large amounts of these chemicals. For more information, visit my
personal
website by clicking here.
To view a more detailed description of my research, click here.
Laura Thompson
My main role in working with students now is as
Victoria Turgeon
The overall goal of my
research is
to examine the role that serine proteases play in the development of
motor
neurons and their target cells.
To view a more detailed description of my research, click here.
Wade
Worthen
I am interested in
describing how
complex interactions among biotic and abiotic factors influence the
number of
species that coexist in a particular natural community.
I use insect communities as model systems to
test these factors because these communities lend themselves to
replicated,
manipulated experiments.
To view a more detailed description of my research, click here.