Professor of CMB and Biology

Office: 3300D KHS

Phone: (616) 331-2473

Email: [email protected]

Education:

Ph.D., (Molecular Evolution, Botany) University of Texas at Austin, Texas

Courses Taught:

CMB 150 -- Biotechnology and Society

BIO 405 -- Cell and Molecular Biology

BIO 406 -- Laboratory in Cell and Molecular Biology

CMB 505 -- Advanced Cell Biology

Research interests:

Understanding the mechanisms by which cells perceive environmental stimuli, particularly gravity.

I have interests in plant cell biology, plant physiology (with a focus on trying to understand the mechanisms by which cells perceive environmental stimuli, especially gravity), and molecular evolution (comparing nucleic acid sequence data to test hypotheses on the origin of the genetic apparatus).
Current projects include: 1) a characterization of gravitropism in the aquatic plant, Chara; 2) examining the effect of varying the density of the external medium on gravitropism of higher plants as well as algae; 3) characterizing the effect of a chemical (or chemicals) produced by Chara that may inhibit the growth of other plants and invertebrates; 4) isolation and characterization of integrin-like proteins required for embryogenesis and gravity sensing (in collaboration with Sheila Blackman (GVSU)).