For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser. FacultyAcademics, Research Centers, & Initiatives »Doctoral Programs »Biology »Faculty View the alphabetical listing of Biology faculty below or sort, according to subprogram, institution, or research focus, using the drop downs to the right. Ahmed, Zaghloul Neuronal injury and repair, electromagnetic stimulation, rehabilitative techniques and devices Alonso, Alejandra D. Mechanisms of neurodegeneration in diseases like Alzheimer Alter, S. Elizabeth Marine metagenomics, molecular evolution and population genetics of marine organisms including fishes and marine mammals; environmental DNA techniques for monitoring marine biodiversity; reconstructing evolutionary and demographic histories using genetic data; molecular adaptation to anthropogenic disturbances in marine environments. Amarasingham, Asohan Neural circuits and their models, neural coding, statistics of neurophysiological signals Ambrose, Barbara Plant Evolutionary Developmental Genomics Anadon, Jose GLOBAL, CLIMATE CHANGE; ECOLOGICAL MODELING, HABITAT LOSS, SPECIES DISTRIBUTION MIDELS; POPULATION DYNAMICS, SPATIAL ECOLOGY, BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS Anderson, Robert P. Developing GIS-based methods of modeling species geographic ranges using occurrence records and environmental data. Angulo, Jesus A. Neurobiology Arenas-Mena, Cesar Multipotency and developmental gene regulatory networks Arsov, Ivica The role of mitochondrial phospholipids in t-cells apoptosis and development Baker, Mitchell B. Behavior, ecology and evolution Balick, Michael Economic botany and medicinal plants Bamshad, Maryam Study of neural mechanisms underlying monogamous mating systems Banerjee, Probal Neurobiology and neurochemistry Bargonetti, Jill Molecular biology of tumor suppressor P53 Barrowclough, George F. Ornithology, systematics, population genetic Basil, Jennifer A. sensory ecology of marine vertebrates Beaton, Laura L. Plant Evolutionary Ecology Berkov, Amy C. Tropical plant - insect interactions and urban botany Biais, Nicolas Role of physical forces in microbiology Bikson, Marom Neural engineering, electric field-neuronal interactions, epilepsy, medical devices Bird, Jeffrey A. Ecosystem ecology, soil C and N cycling, soil microbial ecology, plant-microbial interactions, and mechanisms of soil C and N stabilization Blair, Christopher Molecular Systematics, Phylogeography, Landscape Genetics, Biogeography, Herpetology Bodnar, Richard Neuropharmacology of analgesia and ingestion Boom, Brian M. Systematics and economic botany of neotropical plants Bradbury, Louis Bratu, Diana P. Fluorescence microscopy, nanoprobes, dynamic processes of nucleic acids, post-transcriptional control of gene expression with implications in disease Braun, Christopher Function and evolution of auditory and hydrodynamic senses in fishes Brazill, Derrick T. Extracellular factors regulating cell behavior Broderick, Patricia A. In vivo microvoltammetry; neurotransmitters and behavior; human epilepsy; cocaine addiction; schizophrenia; depression and anxiety Brumberg, Joshua Electrophysiology, imaging and anathomy of cortical circuits in the rodent somatosensoty cortex, in vivo and in vitro. Buck, William R. Systematics and floristics of mosses Burbrink, Frank T. Molecular and morphological phylogenetics Caplan, Avrom J. CUNY Associate University Dean for Research Carnaval, Ana Carolina O. Q. Evolutionary biogeography, biodiversity studies, herpetology, amphibian chytridiomycosis Carpenter, James M. Phylogenetic relationships, taxonomy and behavior of hymenoptera Casaccia, Patrizia Epigenetic regulation of oligodendroglia in development and disease/ Environmental control of brain health and disease, Gut-brain communication/ Multiple Sclerosis/ Glial Tumors Chamberlain, John A. Cephalopod paleobiology and evolution; fossil chondrichthyans; functional morphology Chauhan, Abha Oxidative stress in autism, amyloid beta-protein fibrillization in Alzheimer Cheng, Hai-Ping Bacterial molecular mechanism for sensing host and environmental stimuli Cheplick, Gregory P. Population and ecology of grasses and fungal symbionts Cracraft, Joel Ornithology; systematics; biodiversity Daly, Douglas C. Systematics, economic botany, and biodiversity in the Amazon Davenport, Lesley Membrane biochemistry; protein folding Dennehy, John J. Bacteriophage evolutionary ecology Desalle, Rob Systematic analysis; evolution of drosophilids Draghi, Jeremy Duncan, Robert O. Physiological mechanisms of visually guided behavior in healthy individuals Eckhardt, Laurel Ann Molecular genetics of lymphocyte differentiation Edelman, Jay Alan Guidance of eye movements by vision, memory and cognition Eisenman, Helene C. Cell biology of melanotic fungi El-Idrissi, Abdeslem Synaptic plasticity and mechanisms of epileptogenecity Emerson, Mark M. Cone photoreceptor development; Cis-regulatory elements in neuronal development and transcriptional specificity. Emtage, Lesley Fata, Jimmie E. Molecular mechanisms underlying mammary gland biology and breast cancer Feinstein, Paul G. Molecular cellular development Figueiredo-Pereira, Maria Neurodegeneration: focus on the field of protein degradation Flynn, John Vertebrate paleontology, mammalian evolution, systematics Forest, Charlene Membrane adhesion and fusion during mating of unicellular algae Forlano, Paul M. Behavioral neuroendocrinology, cellular and molecular neuroethology of vocal-acoustic communication in fishes, comparative vertebrate neuroanatomy Foster, David Oncogenes and signal transduction Freedland, Robert Evaluating the relationship between walking gait profiles in young children and earlier behavioral and neurophysiological assessments. Friedman, Allyson Dissecting the neural circuits that mediate social behaviors in healthy and diseased states. Friedman, Eitan Signal transduction, G.protein coupled receptors, neuronal plasticity Gaffney, Jean Gardner, Kevin Gavin, Ray H. Cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, basal body component Ghilardi, M. Felice Ghirlanda, Stefano Evolution and neural mechanisms of behavior - especially learning, stimulus processing, and organization of behavior in time Gilbert, Christopher C. Goldfarb, Mitchell Sodium channel structure/function/modulation, synaptic transmission, epilepsy, cardiac arrhythmia, somatosensation, spatial memory Gong, Cheng-Xin The molecular mechanism of neurofibrillary degeneration in Alzheimer's Goodman, Jeffrey H. Development of deep brain electrical stimulation as a therapy for epilepsy Gosnell, J. Stephen causes and consequences of ecological diversity; nature resrouce management Goss, Dixie J. Translational control of protein synthesis in plants Gottlieb, Paul Assembly mechanisms of double stranded RNA containing viruses Govind, Shubha Signal transduction in drosophila pattern formation and immunity Goyert, Sanna M. Understanding the host’s innate immune response to bacterial infection and the genes/proteins that regulate specific responses Grasso, Frank W. Conducting research into the neural, ecological & behavioral foundations. Greenbaum, Nancy STRUCTUAL BIOLOGY OF NONCODING RNA; DEVELOPMENT OF RNA-BASED BIOIMAGING PROBES Grimaldi, David A. Entomology, systematics of diptera, insect fossils Gruber, David F. Microbial ecology, marine biogeochemistry, coral reef ecology Gunner, Marilyn R. Plant biophysics: electron transfer reactions in photosynthesis Halling, Roy E. Systematics, biogeography and conservation of macro-fungi Hauber, Mark E. Behavioral ecology of birds, brood parasitism, color vision and bioacoustics, conservation, evolution of mating systems Henderson, Andrew J. Systematics, floristics, and ecology of new world palms Henderson, Ann S. Repetitive DNA in human chromosomes Hickerson, Michael J. comparative phylogeography, population genetics, computational biology Holford, Mandë Chemical Marine Biology: An evolutionary roadmap to the discovery and characterization of novel neuropeptides from marine organisms. Holtzman-Glickman, Nathalia Developmental genetics and organ morphogenesis in Zebrafish Hua, Shao-Ying Speed of interneuronal communication Hubbard, Karen Cellular senscence and immortalization Ikui, Amy E. Molecular mechanism of cell division using budding yeast as a model system Iqbal, Khalid Neurobiology of Alzheimer’s disease and related conditions, disease mechanisms, biomarkers and preclinical therapeutic studies; neurofibrillary *(tau) pathology and neuroregeneration with neurotrophic peptide mimetics. Janakiraman, Anuradha Bacterial cell biology: molecular genetics of bacterial cell division. Jenkins, Edmund The study of telomere length in people with Down syndrome with and without mild cognitive impairment and/or dementia (Alzheimer's Disease) Juarez, Michelle T. Using Drosophila as a model organism to determine the molecular and cellular mechanisms that localize an epidermal response to injury and infection. Junaid, Mohammed A. Changes in gene expression in neurodegeneration Karol, Kenneth G. Green algal systematics and evolution, comparative organellon genomics Kashfi, Khosrow Dietary regulation of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes Kelly, Lawrence M. Angiosperm systematics and flouristics Kennelly, Edward Phytochemistry: medicinal plants Kincaid, Dwight T. Physiological ecology Kleiman, Frida Coordinated response to DNA damage by transcription, RNA processing and DNA repair factors, and their contribution to the risk of getting breast cancer Knikou, Maria Human neural basis of motor control, spinal neuronal circuits, electromagnetic stimulation of the central nervous system, neuronal plasticity, recovery of neurological disorders Koder, Ronald L. Synthetic biology, computational protein/enzyme design Kottmann, Andreas H. Understanding the regulation of structural plasticity in the adult brain during motor learning and memory; neurogenesis; molecular etiology of progressive neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s Disease and ALS. Krampis, Konstantinos Bioinformatics, Genomics, Cloud Computing, Next-Gen sequencing Lahti, David C. Evolutionary and behavioral ecology, especially the evolution of complex and learned traits in birds and humans L'Amoreaux, William J. Neuroendocrine control of glucose homeostasis Lee, John J. Marine microbiology ecology, symbiosis, dinoflagellates Lendemer, James Biodiversity and conservation of lichens and other fungi Levinger, Louis F. Drosophila and human mitochondrial RNA end-processing Levitt, Jonathan Neurophysiology and neuroanatomy of the central visual pathways, organization and development of mammalian cerebral cortex Li, Christine Understanding how different chemicals in the nervous system affect behavior. Using genetic model systems to understand neurodegenerative diseases Likhtik, Ekaterina Neural syntax of learning and emotional processing, threat and safety, cortical-subcortical communication, inhibitory systems, amygdala. Lim, Hyungsik Multiphoton microscopy of live tissue, biomedical instrumentation Lipke, Peter N. Role of functional amyloids in cell adhesion; cell surface architecture in yeast Litt, Amy Molecular mechanisms; plant genomics Little, Damon P. Plant systematics and character evolution, bioinformatics Loayza, Diego Telomere function in human cells. Lohman, David J. Ecology, evolution, and conservation of insects and other volant animals in Southeast Asia Ma, Pokay Structure, functional relationships, development of the nervous system Maisey, John G. Fossil fishes especially sharks and cretaceous fishes Mallikaratchy, Prabodhika Nucleic Acid Aptamers, In vitro evolution of artificial nucleic acid ligands, Therapeutic drug delivery, Cancer, Biochemical investigations of ligand receptor interactions. Manne, Lisa L. Impact of climate and competition on species' abundances. Biogeography. Spatial patterns of biodiversity. Climate change research Mano, Itzhak Neuronal cell death that occurs when the brain is flooded with too much of the neurotransmitter glutamate Marra, John F. Phytoplankton ecology, ocean productivity, food resources from the ocean Martin, John H. Understanding development of the motor systems and motor behavior; repair of the damaged motor systems McCloskey, Dan Understanding spontaneous patterns of activity in the brain under normal conditions and in neurological and psychological disorders McDonald, Kyle C. Melendez, Alicia Molecular and genetics study of autophagy in C. Elegans. Melendez-Vasquez, Carmen Violeta Glial cell biology, myelination, cytoskeleton Meng, Jin Morphology evolution and systematics of mammals Michelangeli, Fabian Plant systematics (particularly melastomataceae) and insect-plant co-evolution Moran, Robbin Systematics, ecology, and geography of the new world tropics Mujtaba, Shiraz Define Epigenetic Mechanisms Directing the Progression of Castrate-resistant Prostate Cancer to Identify Molecular Targets for New Developing Therapeutic Modalities Muth, Theodore R. Host pathogen interaction bacterium Myat, Monn Monn Collective cell migration in organ development and angiogenesis Naczi, Robert F.C. Floristics of eastern North America, systematics and ecology of Cyperaceae, systematics and ecology of Sarraceniaceae Naro-Maciel , Eugenia Conservation genetics and molecular evolution with a focus on turtles and marine organisms, conservation biology, protected areas, and turtle ecology. Novacek, Michael Systematics, paleontology Ogunwobi, Olorunseun Mechanisms of metastasis; tumor cell biology and epigenetics; organ cancers Ortiz, Benjamin D. Chromatin, gene regulation and immune system development Oviedo, Hysell Function and dysfunction of auditory circuits Parra, Lucas Probabilistic modeling of neuronal signals with particular focus on real-time neuro imaging Peixoto, Pablo mitochondrial biogenesis and functional interactions in normal and diseased cells. More specifically, my laboratory applies biochemistry, electrophysiology, and live cell imaging approaches to study exchange of mitochondria signals and mitochondrial dynamics in yeast and mammalian cells Perkins, Susan L. Systematics, biogeography, and evolutionary studies of parasites and symbionts including malaria parasites, edosymbiotic bacteria of bloodfeeding leeches and St. Louis encephalitis viruses. Peters, Charles Tropical plant ecology and the management of tropical forests Pezzano, Mark Immunology T-cell development Philips, Greg R. Synaptic development, intracellular trafficking, cell adhesion. Plunkett, Gregory M. Vascular plant systematics using molecular and structural data, with an emphasis on the dicot order Apiales (e.g. Araliaceae and Apiaceae); biogeography of plants from the Pacific and Indian ocean basin Polle, Juergen E.W. Physiology and biotechnology of microalgae Prendini, Lorenzo Empirical study of phylogeny, macroevolution, speciation, biogeography, and comparative evolutionary biology, using scorpions and minor arachnid orders as model organisms. Pytte, Carolyn Function and regulation of new neurons born in the post-embryonic brain, particularly in adulthood Qiu, Weigang Microbes, genomics, population genetics, evolution, and bioinformatics Quadri, Luis E. N. Genetics and biochemistry of cell-wall component and secondary metabolite biosynthesis in clinically-relevant mycobacteria Quinones-Jenab, Vanya Drug abuse, hormonal effects on behaviors and intracellular mechanisms, gender differences in drug abuse and pain responses. Rachlin, Joseph Fisheries science, resource partitioning, aquatic toxicology Raper, Jayne Host pathogen interactions: parasites and bacteria Raps, Shirley Cyanobacterial plasmid toxins and phycobilisomes toxins Redenti, Stephen M. Stem cell physiology, development and tissue engineering Reid, Joan Ro, Tony Cognitive Neuroscience of Attention and Perception Rockwell, Patricia Boyle Signal transduction pathways Rockwell, Robert F. Population ecology, population genetics, conservation biology Rodriguez-Contreras, Adrian Role of neural activity and early sensory experience in the development of auditory circuits involved in sound localization in rodents Rotenberg, Susan A. Biochemistry and cell biology of the motility signaling pathway in human cancer cells Rothman, Jessica M. Nutritional Ecology; Primate Ecology and Behavior Rumschitzki, David S. Saleque, Shireen Genetic and epigenetic processes regulating hematopoietic stem and progenitor programs and function Sankaran, Renuka P. Whole plant mineral nutrition and homeostasis, interaction of metal contaminants such as CD with mineral nutrients in terms of ion transport, and transfer of these minerals through the food chain. Sauane, Moira Study the molecular biology of anti-cancer genes that with the goal of improving outcomes of therapeutic strategies for cancer and discovering new therapeutic strategies that can complement with existing ones Savage-Dunn, Cathy Development and molecular genetics of caenorhabditis elegans Saxena, Anjana D. Nucleolar stress factors, cell cycle regulators, tumor suppressor pathways, ribosome biogenesis, RNA metabolism Schaefer, Scott Allen Systematics, evolutionary morphology of freshwater fish Schmidt-Glenewinkel, Thomas Biochemistry and molecular biology of neurotransmitter receptors Schvarzstein, Mara Molecular, Cellular and genetics study of chromosome and centrosome inheritance during meiosis and the early embryonic divisions in C. elegans. Shen, Chang-Hui Mechanism of transcriptional activation Regulation of pH and copper homeostasis Control of phospholipid biosynthesis Siddall, Mark E. Parisitology: phylogeny of leeches Simmons, Nancy Bingham Mammalian systematics Singh, Shaneen M. Bioinformatics, computational biology Sircar, Ratna Developmental neuroplasticity; neurobiology of learning and memory Sparks, John SYSTEMATICS AND BIOGEOGRAPHY OF FRESH WATER AND MARINE FISHES; EVOLUTION OF BIOLUMINESCENCE AND BIOFLUORESCENCE IN MARINE SYSTEMS Spatz, Linda Lupus, regulation of anti-DNA antibodies Spokony, Rebecca Hormonal control of development Stark, Ruth E. Structure and development of protective plant polymers; molecular biophysics of lipid metabolism; molecular structure and assembly of fungal melanins; nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy Steinberg, Mark Mechanisms of malignant transformation in human cells Sterling, Eleanor Biodiversity and conservation Stevenson, Dennis Systematics of cycads Stewart, Gillian Biogeochemistry, radioecology, trace metal and elemental cycling, plankton physiology, food web ecology, carbon flux and sequestration Stiassny, Melanie L.J. Ichthyology, systematics and evolution Studamire, Barbara Identify and characterize host factors that interact with retroviral integrase and modulate the results of viral integration Swedell, Larissa Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, Sociality, Sexual Conflict Tchernichovski, Ofer The use of songbirds to study mechanisms of vocal learning Thomas, William W. Systematics and Evolution of the plant families, Cyperaceae, Simaroubaceae and Picramniaceae. Biodiversity and Conservation of the Atlantic forests of Northeastern Brazil Torke, Benjamin M. The systematics, evolution, and biogeography of the leguminosae Torrente, Mariana P. investigating the molecular mechanisms underpinning neurodegenerative and psychiatric disease, with an emphasis in epigenetics and protein folding Vandebroek, Ina Bioactivity and conservation of medicinal and food plants for human health and well-being in rural and urban environments. Veit, Richard R. Ecology of birds and other vertebrates Voss, Robert S. Systematic mammalogy, tropical biology Vuong, Bao Q. Molecular mechanisms that regulate immunoglobulin gene diversification and genome stability Wahlert, John H. Mammology, evolution of rodentia, dental histology and morphology Waldman, John R. Historical ecology and conservation biology of anadromous fishes; environmental history and management of urban waterways Wallace, William G. Estuarian ecology Wang, Hoau -Yan Molecular mechanism, pathophsiology & neurodegenerative diseases Weinstein, Daniel C. Signaling mechanisms underlying germ layer formation and suppression in the early vertebrate embryo Wheeler, Ward C. Molecular systematics and evolution Wieraszko, Andrzej Synaptic plasticity in the brain Wilson, Tony Sexual Selection and Speciation in Aquatic Systems Wurtzel, Eleanore T. Molecular and structural biology studies on plant biochemical pathways to provide knowledge and tools for developing sustainable solutions to worldwide vitamin A deficiency and malnutrition and meeting the challenges of global food security in the face of climate change Xie, Lei Multi-scale modeling and simulation of genotype-phenotype associations and drug actions, polypharmacology and structure-based drug design Yetnikoff, Leora Development and plasticity of dopamine circuitry, with an emphasis on adolescence. Why is adolescence such a uniquely vulnerable period in the lifespan? How do drugs of abuse administered during adolescence alter the development of dopamine circuitry? Zakeri, Zahra F. Regulation of cell death in development aging Zarnoch, Chester B. marine ecology, shellfish biology, and aquaculture Zheng, Zhi-Liang Rop small GT-phase signaling mechanisms in environmental stress response in Arabidopsis Zhong, Hualin Molecular and cell biology/study the mechanisms of nuclear transport