COLLEGE OF APPLIED & NATURAL SCIENCES

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Biological Research

Within the College of Applied and Natural Sciences, the School of Biological Sciences conducts research on the undergraduate, graduate and faculty levels.

Are You Interested in Getting Research Experience?

If you are a prospective or current undergraduate or graduate student interested in pursuing a degree or career in Biology, Environmental Science, Medical Technology or related fields (e.g., Forestry, Wildlife, Biomedical Engineering), consider doing research with faculty! Faculty and their research are listed below.

Value of Getting Research Experience:

  • Learn transferable skills that increase success in job placement and career advancement
  • Form meaningful relationships with faculty and peers in a research setting
  • Earn credit toward your degree—undergrad and potentially graduate degree!
  • Increase oral and written communication skills
  • Gain increased mentorship through working with faculty

How Do I Get Involved?

There are multiple avenues to pursue research. First, it is important to find a faculty mentor then reach out to faculty! The School of Biological Sciences Faculty wants to hear from you! Don’t be shy! Send them an email, knock on their door!

Research Opportunities For Undergraduate Students:

  • Volunteer! See what it is like to work in a given research area
  • Earn Graduate Credit toward both Undergraduate and Graduate degrees in the Concurrent Enrollment Program
  • Conduct Research as Course Credit: Earn up to 5 hrs toward your degree as BISC 240 & BISC 360.
    • Must already have a biology faculty mentor to enroll in the course
  • Do an Honors Thesis as HNRS 499: Students in the Honors Program can do research for course credit that is a published thesis at the end
  • Do an Internship: Get course credit for research experience obtained outside of the University through BISC 478 or ENSC 478

Faculty Labs

  • Earl Lab – The Earl Lab researches two main topics: ecosystem connections and global anthropogenic change.  Work on ecosystem connections focuses on the input of leaf litter to ponds and the effects of leaf chemistry on aquatic communities and ecosystem processes.  Studies on anthropogenic change investigate impacts of land use, climate change, disease, and invasive species on wildlife populations, primarily amphibians. Methodology includes observational studies, field and lab experiments, and simulation modeling.
  • Giorno Lab – Research in the Giorno lab focuses on the assembly of Bacillus anthracis and Clostriduim difficle spores, addressing the roles of the two outer-most structures, the coat and exosporium, in resistance, germination and virulence. Using genetic and proteomic approaches, researchers have identified and mutated several genes in the attenuated B. anthracis Sterne strain. Characterization of these mutants has allowed them to construct a model for the assembly of the B. anthracis coat and exosporium as well as identified proteins that impact germination both positively and negatively.
  • Hill Lab – The Hill Lab uses a combination of both lab and field experiments to examine ecological interactions in primarily marine and freshwater communities. Many of these experiments focus on how animal behavior, predator-prey interactions, and anthropogenic impacts affect community structure and function using crustaceans and small fish as experimental models. However, the only requirement for research is that the questions are novel and the experiments are feasible
  • Maness Lab – Researchers in the Maness Lab focus on how organisms survive and reproduce in their natural environments. Our research focuses on behavioral ecology, conservation, toxicology, ecoimmunology, and endocrine function and senescence.
  • Nestorova Lab – The Applied Genomics and Biotechnology Lab employs molecular biology techniques for genomics and proteomics analysis as well as methods for design and fabrication of microsystems for biological research. Specific focus areas of research activities include studies of the role of methylation and microRNA-mediated epigenetic regulation of DNA repair proteins. The lab also develops integrated lab-on-a-chip methods and technologies for detection and analysis of DNA, microRNAs, proteins, and antibodies. The students working in the lab participate in advanced biotechnology-related scientific research and acquire skills and experiences that prepare them for careers in the academia, pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
  • Newman Lab – The Newman Lab is dedicated to undergraduate and graduate research focused on understanding the biology of stem cells.  Students in the lab learn cell culture and molecular biology techniques and have the opportunity to present their work at research conferences
  • Vandenbrink Lab – Researchers in the Vandenbrink Lab utilize genetic, genomic and molecular techniques to understand how plants perceive and respond to their environment through growth mediated movements, or “tropisms.” The lab also focuses on Space Biology, specifically, how plants grow and respond to reduced-gravity environments, such as the environments of the Moon or Mars.
  • Voziyanov Lab – The Voziyanov Lab has three main research directions: gene editing, protein engineering, and aging. Our gene-editing research focuses mainly on correcting genetic defects but we are also interested in being able to rearrange large genome fragments to model some genetic diseases. In these experiments, we use several gene-editing tools: tyrosine recombinases Flp and Cre along with the CRISPR/Cas9 systems. In our protein engineering research, we generate tyrosine recombinases with new target DNA specificity. In our aging research, we want to understand how to eliminate harmful modifications that cells acquire during the aging process to bring cells to their default state thus rejuvenating them.