Faculty Research and Scholarly Work

Major research areas within the Department of Biological Sciences:

Ecology and Limnology

Nancy Auer - Associate Professor
Fish Biology, Zooplankton Ecology, Limnology, Conservation Biology

Casey Huckins - Associate Professor
Departmental Graduate Advisor
Fish Ecology, Ecology of Lakes, Streams and Riparian Systems; Biology and Functional Morphology of Fishes

Robert Keen - Associate Professor
Limnology, Biostatistics, Computer Simulation, Invertebrate Zoology

Charles Kerfoot - Professor
Aquatic Ecology; Paleoecology; Director, Lake Superior Ecosystem Research Center

Thomas Snyder - Associate Professor
Tropical Island Community Ecology, Genetics and Molecular Evolution

Catherine Tarasoff - Assistant Professor
Botany, Invasion Ecology, Stress Physiology, Road Ecology, Plant Competition, Upland Restoration, Cropping systems

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

John Adler – Professor
Chair Biological Sciences
Plant Physiology, Environmental Biochemistry, General Biology

Susan Bagley – Professor
President-Elect of Society for Industrial Microbiology
Environmental Microbiology, Environmental Toxicology, Biofuels, Bioprocessing

Rupali Datta - Associate Professor
Plant Biochemistry, Environmental Remediation, Plant-Microbe Interactions

Michael Gretz - Professor
Algal Extracellular Polymers and Biocomposites - Regulation of Biogenesis

Ramakrishna Wusirika - Associate Professor
Plant Molecular Biology and Comparative Genomics; Bioinformatics; Evolutionary and Functional Analysis of Plant Genes, Promoters, and Transposable Elements; Organization and Evolution of Cereal Disease Resistance Genes

Heather Youngs - Assistant Professor
Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Enzymology and Kinetics, Structure/function Studies, Oxidative Stress, Bioremediation, Biomass Utilization

Health Related Fields

Eunice Carlson - Professor
Microbiology, Virology, Mycology, Toxicology

Karyn Fay - Professor of Practice
Hematology, Immunohematology, Clinical Chemistry, Medical Bacteriology, Medical Terminology, and Clinical Laboratory Administration and Management

Ronald Gratz - Associate Professor,
Director of  Pre-Health Professions
Comparative Animal Physiology, Respiratory Physiology

Alice Soldan - Senior Lecturer
Director of Clinical Laboratory Science Programs
Clinical Immunology and Serology, Parasitology, Clinical Laboratory Techniques, Human Nutrition, Introduction to Clinical Laboratory Science, CLS Core Concept Integration and Application, CLS Practicum and Career Preparation

Department of Biological Sciences Adjunct Faculty:

Colin Brooks – Instructor
Manager of Environmental Science Laboratory, Research Scientist, MTRI: Michigan Tech Research Institute (Ann Arbor)
Resource Ecology

Aparna Deshpande - Assistant Professor
Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biochemical Characterization and Genetic Analysis of Plant Root Exudates, Rhizoremediation by Copper resistant Microorganisms, Functional and Phylogenetic Characterization of Homeobox Genes in Plants.

David Domozych – Professor
Department of Biology, Skidmore College
Plant Biology, Cell walls and Secretory Biochemistry

Jason Carter - Assistant Professor
Chair Exercise Science, Health and Physical Education
Regulation of Arterial Blood Pressure, Vestibulosympathetic Reflex, Adaptations to Microgravity and Exercise

Jeff Massey – Professor
Director Michigan Department of Community Health-Upper Peninsula Laboratories
Clinical Microbiology, Clinical Laboratory Science, Molecular Diagnostics

Robert Shuchman – Professor
Co-director of MTRI: Michigan Tech Research Institute (Ann Arbor)
Oceanic Sciences/Natural Resources, AR, MS, and Photo-imaging Applied to Oceanography, Earth Resources, and Military Coastal Environmental Assessment

Additional adjunct faculty associated with our Clinical Laboratory Science program.

Department of Biological Sciences Emeriti Faculty:

Janice Glime - Professor Emerita
Ecology, Bryology, Moss Gardening, Bog Ecology, Stream Biology, Stream Insect Ecology

Martha Janners - Professor Emerita
Developmental and Cell Biology

Donald Lueking - Associate Professor Emeritus
Molecular Mechanisms for PAH Assimilation; Megaplasmid Characterization; Biosensor Development; Bioremediation; Bioleaching