COVID-19 Newsletter
Courtesy of Dr. Michael Manson
IN THE NEWS
TAMU Biology-Led Research Rules Out Secondary Bile Acids as Protector Against C. difficile
A collaboration between the TAMU Biology Sorg Lab and Baylor College of Medicine Savidge Group has recently led to an article published in PLOS Pathogens, showing that secondary bile acids are a case of correlation, not causation, in C. difficile infection prevention. The Sorg Lab, including microbiology graduate student and first author Andrea Martinez Aguirre, worked together with the Savidge group to find and publish their results about the dynamic of other microbes and their impact on C. difficile infections. Please take a moment to read the TAMU Science article about the research findings!
TAMU Biologist Finds Life Purpose in Spinal Cord Injury Research
TAMU Biologist Dr. Dylan McCreedy was only 18 months old when he lost the hearing in his right ear, the result of a near-fatal case of spinal meningitis. As an assistant professor and TIRR Foundation Fellow in the Texas A&M Department of Biology, McCreedy specializes in researching the acute inflammation that occurs immediately following spinal trauma and its effect on wound healing. Please take a moment to read more about Dr. McCreedy and his research in the Texas A&M Today article!
Texas A&M Biologist Jennifer Dulin Recognized With Jerry Johnston Andrew Award for Spinal Cord Research
Texas A&M University biologist Dr. Jennifer Dulin has been selected to receive the 2021 Jerry Johnston Andrew Award for Spinal Cord Research recognizing related excellence and potential progress for the nearly 300,000 Americans currently afflicted with spinal cord injury (SCI). The award is presented annually by The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR) Foundation, a Houston-based nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with neurotrauma and neurodegenerative disease. Please take a moment to congratulate Dr. Dulin and read more about the award and her research!
RESEARCH
Basic biological research has evolved into a broad, fast-paced and dynamic profession that drives newly emerging industries and actively shapes many human endeavors. Both globally and locally, cutting-edge research at Texas A&M University strives to understand the fundamental processes driving life around us and to improve the ways people everywhere manage their health and the health of our planet. The Department of Biology is responsible for research and teaching within the vast disciplines of the biological sciences, from molecular cell biology to ecology and evolutionary biology. Our faculty perform cutting-edge research in a wide array of biological sciences in the laboratory and in the field.
GRADUATE DEGREES
Our Graduate Program in Biology offers a diverse range of integrative training opportunities for students seeking a Ph.D. degree in the biological sciences. We offer training in multiple disciplines within Biology, including Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics, Neurobiology and Behavior, Microbiology, Plant Biology, Biological Clocks, and Physiology and Systems Biology.
All students in our program receive rigorous academic training in biology and carry out their research in competitive, state-of-the-art research labs. Many faculty research programs span multiple research areas and levels of biological organization, creating a dynamic training environment for graduate students. Our graduate students conduct creative, independent research and scholarship. Graduates of our programs prepare themselves for a wide range of career opportunities and gain positions in academic institutions, government agencies, and industry.
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
The Department of Biology is responsible for introducing biological principles to students in every Texas A&M University major. We provide modern and comprehensive B.S. and B.A. curricula in Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology, Microbiology, Neuroscience, and Zoology for more than 1500 undergraduate biology majors. These degrees prepare students for various life science careers and are an excellent entrée to the health care professions. If you are interested in pursuing a major in one of our disciplines, or if you are currently a student and would like information on courses or the program, we have excellent undergraduate advisors who will be happy to help you.
