Faculty Research Interests

I study how to reduce adipose tissue (AT)-mediated inflammation through nutritional interventions. I am interested in elucidating how omega-3 fatty acids decrease AT-produced inflammatory molecules and if this decrease is mediated through the adipocytes or the macrophages residing in AT.

My research focuses on evolution, genomics, and animal behavior.

As a plant systematist, I am interested in studying how plants evolve, and how understanding their evolutionary history can help us classify them in more meaningful ways. My research focuses on primitive ferns of the family Ophioglossaceae (adder's tongue ferns), and I use both whole organism and molecular methods. I employ DNA sequencing to help understand evolutionary relationships among species, and a PCR based technique (ISSR markers) to evaluate genetic variation within and among populations of closely related species.

Role of acid pumps in cancer metastasis using human breast cancer cells as a model system and assembly of these pumps using S. cerevisiae as a model system.

My research focuses on understanding the habitat requirements of pond-breeding amphibians, as well as on expanding the ways in which effects of habitat loss can be measured and monitored. Wetlands themselves have gained some protection in recent years, however many wetland organisms, including amphibians, rely heavily on the terrestrial upland. It is crucial to the protection of native wetland species that we understand both the quantity and quality of terrestrial habitat required to support a healthy population. Many pond-breeding amphibians, particularly Ambystoma species, can live for a decade or more, and this long life span can make traditional population studies challenging. Developing alternative techniques that can supplement, or in some time sensitive cases, replace traditional population studies may aid in the relatively rapid identification of at-risk populations, as well as enable the implementation of more effective management strategies. To that end, I am currently planning several experiments including a long-term population study of a pond-breeding salamander (A. maculatum) and several studies of potential rapid assessment techniques for identifying populations at risk of severe decline or extinction at local ponds.

She is an associate professor in the Women’s Studies Program and the Department of Biology at Denison University. Her areas of research include critical race and gender studies, feminist studies of science and health, and media studies. In particular, she is interested in the formations of gender, race, nation, and sexuality in public health discourses. With respect to feminist science studies, she works with feminist science methodologies, laboratory practices, and activisms.

I am broadly interested in the interactions among plants and their environment and visitors.  In particular, I investigate how mutualisms such as plant-pollinator systems can withstand interruptions by other insects.   I do this in two main study systems, with opportunities to work both in the greenhouse and in field conditions.

I study the ecology of animal populations inhabiting in small ponds (< 2 ha). My study organisms include native sunfish, non-native mosquitofish, their macroinvertebrate and zooplankton prey, and other animals (i.e., crayfish, amphibians, turtles).

I am interested in understanding the biological processes that underlie social communication, using the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) as my study species.  Xenopus are a fully aquatic frog native to sub-Saharan Africa.  They live in dense colonies and reproduce in the bottom of turbid ponds at night.  Thus they must use non-visual cues to establish their social structure and find mates.  We know they use a relatively elaborate (for a frog) vocal repertoire for social signaling, but they likely also use chemical and somatosensory signals as well.  I am interested in understanding what social signals they use, how they use them, and under what conditions different signaling systems may be employed.  My students and I approach these questions using a variety of techniques, including behavioral observations, endocrine manipulations, and neurophysiological recordings. My goal is to use a neuroethological approach, which is to say, I want to understand the neural mechanisms behind natural social behaviors in the context of their function and evolution.

My interdisciplinary research is focused on understanding the molecular basis of phenotypic diversity as well as the impact of environmental change on the eggs, embryos, and larvae of aquatic invertebrates.

My research examines how the environment influences populations and communities, particularly of amphibians and reptiles. I am especially interested in how human-induced changes in the environment alter community-level interactions.

Molecular Geneticist — Investigations into epigenetic responses to DNA damage, using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system.

My research focuses on insect behavior and ecology. My lab consists of two aims, each exploring a different level of biological organization. My summer research mainly focuses on the broader topic of insect community ecology. I’m interested in how habitat fragmentation effects biodiversity. Specifically, if natural areas can act as a refuge for insects in anthropogenic habitats and the consequences of fragment size and isolation on insect biodiversity. At the organismal level, I’m interested in the drivers of mate choice and sexual selection. I use multiple insect models to understand the impact of individual variability on mating decisions. Specifically, my aim is to collect and rear Culex spp. mosquitoes to determine the influence of relatedness on fecundity and female mate choice. During the fall term I also run acoustic communication experiments as a continuation of my doctoral research.

My goal is to find more effective ways to treat B. cenocepacia lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients. I use infection models to study how the bacterium Burkholderia cenocepacia causes disease and to use bacteriophages to block disease.

I am interested in the roles that microRNAs play in the development of cancer. My research focuses on identifying microRNA targets and studying the effects of altering these pathways on cellular behavior.