Research is what drives the generation of new knowledge in the biological sciences. Doing research as an undergraduate student is an excellent way to work on the frontier of the scientific endeavor, and will provide solid research experience that can benefit your future career goals. Undergraduate researchers in the Department of Biology can work on cutting edge research problems and present their results in a number of scientific forums including local, national and international meetings. Additionally, each year many undergraduates publish their results in respected journals, including Texas A&M's Undergraduate Journal of Science, and participate in a Department of Biology Research Competition held each spring semester.
BIOL 291/491 is an independent research course supervised by various faculty members in the department (1-4 credit hours). Different professors have different requirements, but a common guideline is 3 hours per week in the lab for each hour of credit. Based on the information below, students should select their area of interest, download a 291/491 form here or pick up from the Undergraduate Advising Office (107 Butler), and then contact the appropriate professor to schedule a meeting to discuss their options. Upon completion of the form by the supervising professor, the student will return the form to an undergraduate advisor in 107 Butler, who can help determine how it will be used in the student’s degree plan. Up to 7 credit hours may be used in the major field of study (This varies by degree plan.). Additional credit hours (up to 11 more) may be used as general electives.
BIOL 291: For individuals of freshman or sophomore standing.
BIOL 491: For individuals of junior or senior standing.
| Labs Available for Independent Research for Fall 2013 |
| Faculty |
Research Interest |
Prerequisites/Requirements |
Other information |
Karl Aufderheide
845-7775
BSBW 101
kauf@bio.tamu.edu |
Cell and developmental biology of Paramecium |
Students should have some experience with sterile technique (MICR 351 or equivalent) and basic Mendelian genetics. Students must interview prior to registering. |
Students will become experienced in
cell culture, individual cell handling, various basic and advanced light
microscopic techniques, staining, and data collection and analysis. |
Deb Bell-Pedersen
847-9239
BSBW 208-210
dpedersen@bio.tamu.edu |
Molecular genetics and genomics of
circadian clocks and signaling pathways in fungi. |
Must commit to at least one year of research and must have at least a 3.2 GPA. Each student must have at least 12 hours of time to spend in the lab each semester (this can include nights and weekends too). Students must present a summary of their work in our weekly lab meetings and present a poster at the Biology Undergraduate Research Poster Competition. |
|
Michael Benedik
979-845-5776
BSBE 306C
benedik@tamu.edu |
Microbial genetics, protein translocation and
microbial biotechnology. |
Student should commit to at least one-year minimum of lab work and be willing to devote 10-15 hours per week (but flexible hours). Prior experience with microbiology lab would be a plus but not required. |
Project will involve the analysis of antibiotic tolerance in bacteria under differing physiological states, with a goal of understanding how bacteria can survive antibiotic treatment without becoming resistant. |
Ginger Carney
979-845-6587
BSBW 305
gcarney@bio.tamu.edu |
Genetic control of behavior. Interactions between the nervous system and fat tissue to regulate behavior.
|
Students must sign up for research credit and commit to the lab for a one-year minimum. Students must work at least 10 hours each week and present at our weekly lab meeting. Students must be self-motivated and have the ability to work independently after an initial training period. |
Students will learn basic genetic and molecular biology techniques. Successful students will have the opportunity to be co-authors on laboratory publications. |
Barbara Doughty
845-3078
Butler 306
bdoughty@bio.tamu.edu |
Cellular and molecular immunology of parasitic diseases. Current research involves studies on host immunity to invading parasites, pathology associated with chronic disease, and vaccines designed to implement protective immunity. |
Student must be upper level classman and successfully completed course in microbiology and immunology. Interview is required and a commitment of at least 12 hours/week is necessary. It is expected that the candidate will participate in laboratory meetings and present laboratory results in poster format at the Undergraduate Research Poster Competition. |
Students will learn basic sterile techniques and tissue culture methods for parasites, participate in development of immunological assays for the assessment of protective immunity, and develop skills in 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis, Western blotting and proteomics. |
Richard Gomer
458-5745
ILSB 2121
rgomer@tamu.edu |
How tissue size is regulated, wound healing, and diseases such as heart and kidney failure |
Besides my permission, students must commit to at least 12 hours/ week. Because some projects in the lab use human blood, students must have had hepatitis A and B vaccinations. |
We use techniques from biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, and immunology; projects will be determined by a combination of what we're doing and what the student is interested in. |
Lawrence Griffing
845-1625
BSBW 105
griffing@tamu.edu
|
structure and biochemical organization of cells; membrane trafficking. |
Freshman, sophomores and upper classment are welcome. No prerequisites except willingness to plan and carry out work independently, once shown the techniques. You acquire understanding of the experimental system from weekly meetings and outside background or literature readings. After four credits, you may either produce a poster for the undergraduate research competition or submit an article for Exploratins, the undergraduate journal of research. |
The lab has projects in biochemistry, genetics, and imaging. For one hour credit, you and perhaps a partner, will do a very narrowly-framed, but successfully thrice-repeated experiment, with an expectation that you spend three hours lab time preparing, doing and recording the experiment each week (weekends or evenings are OK once the techniques are mastered) As the number of hours increases, the time spent in the lab and the scope of the experiment increases proportionally. |
Tim Hall
845-7728
BSBW 407
tim@idmb.tamu.edu |
molecular basis of gene regulation in plants, especially the involvement of chromatin in spatial control of expression and in gene silencing. |
Students must be prepared to work 15-20 hr / week (can take up to 3 hr of undergrad credit) |
One position would be to learn how Arabidopsis is grown (in planta and in tissue cuture), how to select transgenic plants and detect reporter gene (GUS, GFP) expression. A second would be in an emerging program exploring genes for color and flower morphology in orchids. This will involve orchid tissue culture, gene isolation, transformation and characterization |
Paul Hardin
BSBW 308
phardin@bio.tamu.edu |
We study how biological clocks time daily cycles in gene expression, physiology and behavior.l signaling and the regulation of brain development in vertebrates |
Undergraduates who can commit at least 12hr/week, plan to attend graduate school, are second semester freshman, sophomores or juniors, and have the drive to finish what they start are welcomed to apply. |
|
Andreas Holzenburg
845-1164
Microscopy & Imaging Center
holzen@mic.tamu.edu |
Structure and function of the plastid division machinery |
Undergraduates who have a keen interest in plant biology and can commit to at least 12hr/week |
|
Xiaorong Lin
845-7259
BSBW 435
xlin@bio.tamu.edu |
Molecular genetics and genomics of morphogenesis and pathogenesis in human fungal pathogens. |
Students must have a GPA greater than 3.4, have taken some biological science and chemistry classes, are familiar with basic mathematic and chemical calculations, and preferably can make a commitment of at least one year. |
We are seeking highly motivated and independent sophomores to work on fungal infectious diseases using molecular genetics and microscopy tools. Students will be trained first and then given an independent research project. |
Duncan MacKenzie
duncan@bio.tamu.edu |
Endocrinology of growth and reproduction in fish, focusing on pituitary evolution and the regulation of thyroid function |
Students should enroll in Biology 491 and expect to spend at least three hours working in the lab for each hour of enrolled credit. |
Projects include care and feeding of fish, blood and tissue sampling,ormone analysis, and molecular biological techniques such as RNA extraction, gel electrophoresis, and PCR. Introductory chemistry, biochemistry, physiology or endocrinology, flexible hours, and a commitment for at least two semesters are preferred. |
Michael Manson
mike@bio.tamu.edu |
Bacterial motility and chemotaxis, chemotaxis as a virulence factor, bacterial chromosome segregation, bird populations at Lick Creek Park |
Imagination and logical thinking, an interest in scientific research, willingness to work in a team (bird studies excluded), a thick skin for criticism. |
|
U. J. McMahan
grantser@bio.tamu.edu |
Factors that regulate the function and development of synapses in the nervous system of various animal species, as revealed by high-resolution imaging, chemical characterization and experimental manipulation of specific synaptic macromolecules and organelles. |
Project will be tailored to student's background and goals, but will it require 12-16hrs/week. |
undergraduate majors in any of the biological sciences, chemistry, physics, computer science or mathematics are welcome to apply. |
Brian Perkins
bperkins@bio.tamu.edu |
Cell biology of vision and retinal degenerations using zebrafish as a model system. |
Students must commit to a minimum of 12 hours of research per week. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors interested in biological sciences are welcome. Must have a 3.0 GPA or higher and possess an interest in research and critical thinking skills. Must be willing and able to read primary literature and work independently as well as in a team. |
When possible, projects will be suited to the interests of the students. Students will first learn zebrafish husbandry techniques and advance to molecular biology and histology to study zebrafish mutants with retinal degeneration. |
Hongmin Qin
862-4580
BSBW 201
hqin@bio.tamu.edu |
Ciliogenesis and Intraflagellar Transport in Chlamydomonas and C. elegans |
Preference is for students who can spend an average of at least 12 to 15 hours per week in the lab, and take two consecutive semesters of 491 research. |
Students will first get training in general laboratory techniques. After essential skills are developed, students will select independent research projects. |
Bruce Riley
845-4302
BSBE 104
briley@bio.tamu.edu |
Through genetic analysis of zebrafish embryos, we study early development of the inner ear and other sensory organs of the head. |
|
Students should expect to spend 15-20 hours per week in the lab and be willing to work evenings and weekends as needed. I ask undergraduate students to commit to working at least 2 semesters. |
Gil Rosenthal
845-3614
Butler 204
grosenthal@bio.tamu.edu |
Evolutionary biology of sexual communication using swordtail fish as a model system. |
Interest in a career in basic scientific research. If you’re committed to going to professional school, you are probably better off in a biomedical laboratory. A minimum commitment of 9 hours per week for two semesters is required. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors only please. |
Students will start by learning the basics of animal husbandry (fish care), behavioral trials, and molecular techniques; then, in the second or third semester of their stay in the lab, will work with graduate students and PI to develop an independent research project such as an Undergraduate Research Scholars thesis. Students will be exposed to a variety of behavioral, morphological and genetic techniques and will have the opportunity to participate in field research at the CICHAZ field station in central Mexico. |
Kathryn Ryan
979-862-1616
BSBW 226
kryan@bio.tamu.edu |
Nuclear envelope structure and function with a focus on nuclear pore complex assembly and dynamics |
Students at all levels will be considered, but preference will be given to those who can work at least two semesters. In order to conduct meaningful research, students should plan to spend at least 10-12 hours a week in lab in approximately 2-4 hour blocks. Once trained, this could include evenings and weekends. Must have successfully completed the first semester of chemistry and be able to do basic molarity calculations. |
Each student will gain experience in a variety of molecular, cell biological and genetic techniques while being responsible for carrying out an independent project on some aspect of nuclear pore complex assembly. It is expected that undergraduate researchers will become a fully integrated members of the lab. |
Joseph Sorg
979-845-6299
BSBE 314C
jsorg@bio.tamu.edu |
Early stages of Clostridium difficile pathogenesis. Mechanisms of bile acid resistance and spore germination |
Students must have taken some biological science and chemistry and are familiar with basic chemical calculations. Students are expected make at least a 1 year commitment and work 15 – 20 hours / week including evenings and weekends as needed. Students will interview prior to acceptance into the lab. |
We are seeking highly motivated and independent sophomores and juniors to study mechanisms of C. difficile spore germination and bile acid resistance. Students will learn basic microbiological techniques (sterile technique, anaerobic culturing, gene cloning, PCR) and, after proper training, work on an independent project. |
Wayne Versaw
845-7709
BSBE 204
wversaw@bio.tamu.edu |
Investigation of how metabolites are moved between compartments of a plant cell, the physiological roles of different types of plastids and determinants of leaf size. |
A commitment of 8-12 hours per week, usually in 3-4 hour
segments is required. Completion of Biol 213 strongly encouraged. |
Duties: Students carry out genetic crosses, harvest seed for
segregation analyses, conduct PCR-based genotyping, assist with
phenotypic screens of plant mutants, and participate in general lab
maintenance. Some students have also been involved in mutant screens,
gene cloning projects, enzymatic assays and generation of transgenic
plants. |
Ry Young
ryland@tamu.edu
845-2087
contact secretary: Daisy Wilbert
daisy@tamu.edu
845-9427 |
Basic and applied bacteriophage biology |
BICH464 (3 credits)
Phage Genomics course sponsored by NSF and the Center for Phage Technology
(spring semester) |
Can be used for 491 research hours with approval of major advisor.
Students analyze and annotate a complete, novel phage genome, isolate and characterize phages from the environment. |
| Center for Phage Technology phage hunter program |
Students isolate, purify and characterize phages from environmental samples for use in phage therapeutics |
Mechanisms of phage lysis
|
Students conduct mentored research projects aimed at the molecular mechanism of host cell lysis |
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