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  Many research opportunities exist for students in the Biology Department. Students can choose to perform research off-campus or in the laboratories of the Biology Department faculty.

       

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Bacterial Pathogenesis & Extremeophile Biology - Dr. Tony Lobo
    1. Phage-host interaction in extremely halophilic archaea.
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Cardiac Function and Dysfunction - Dr. Beth Bailey
1. Sex-based differences in cardiac functions.
2. Ischemia reperfusion injurty in isolated mouse hearts.
3. Calcium regulation in isolated cardiac myocytes.
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Vertebrate Adaptations - Dr. Ellen Dawley
1. Dynamics of chemoreceptor cells (cell birth and cell death).
2. Chemoreceptor morphology.
3. Zebrafish development.
4. Chemoreceptor behavior.
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Diatom Population Dynamics - Dr. Peter Small
1. Population densities, periodicities, and cycling in local, freshwater diatom populations.
2. Determining statistical correlations between densities of target genera and habitat conditions.
3. Biogeography of the local vascular flora.
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Evolutionary Genetics of Fish Populations - Dr. Kate Goddard
1. Clonal diversity of naturally produced all-female hybrid fish species as assessed by DNA sequence analysis.
2. Distributino of diploid and triploid cells in clonal minnows.
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Evolution in Fish Populations - Dr. Robert Dawley
1. DNA sequence analysis of clonal fish diversity.
2. Tissue differences in ploidy from diploid/triploid mosaic hybrids.
3. Embryology of self-fertilizing fish.
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Fish Biology - Dr. Curt Allen
1. SEM ultrastructure and function of gill rakers in North American stream fish.
2. Location and behavior of fishes of the Skippack Creek. 
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Marine Bacteria and Anesthetic Molecules - Dr. James Sidie
1. Metabolic and genetic characterization of marine Gram-positive and ultramicrobacteria.
2. Neurobiology and molecular modeling of alcohols as anesthetics.
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Neurotransmitter Release in C. elegans - Dr. Rebecca Kohn
1. Identification and characterization of proteins important for regulating neurotransmitter release at synapses.
2. Understanding meiotic exit in the early embryo
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Plant Genetics - Dr. Mary Fields
1. Effects of irradiation on pollen morphology in different species of Brassica.
2. DNA content in Mimulus species as it relates to chromosome number.
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Polarity in Embryo Development - Dr. Rebecca Lyczak
1. Analysis of axis formation during C. elegans development.
2. Control of meiotic exit in early development
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Proteolysis in Immune Function - Dr. Rebecca Roberts
1. Effect of natural hormones and environmental estrogens on protease expression and function.
2. Role of proteolysis in a mouse Lupus model.