Ohio University

Participating Faculty:

Fabian Benencia Assistant Professor of Immunology

My research explores the capability of antigen presenting cells (dendritic cells and macrophages) to act as inducers or suppressors of immunity responses in different diseases such as cancer, atherosclerosis or infections. Investigating the factors governing the plasticity of these cells may unhide new targets for immune therapies.

Mark Berryman Associate Professor of Microanatomy

Roles of the actin cytoskeleton in epithelial cell morphogenesis; regulation of membrane-cytoskeletal interactions; characterization of a new family of human chloride channel proteins.

Bonita J. Biegalke Associate Professor of Microbiology

Molecular biology of herpesviruses; regulation of gene expression; mechanisms of pathogenicity.

Xiaozhuo Chen Associate Professor of Microbiology

In vitro and in vivo antidiabetic and anti-obesity activities and signaling pathways of novel compounds and their use in treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes; anti-cancer and apoptosis-inducing activities and mechanisms of natural and synthetic compounds.

Shawn Chen Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences

Biogenesis and functions of non-coding RNAs and mechanisms of RNA-protein and RNA-ligand interactions. We are creating new approaches using biochemical, molecular biological, bioinformatic and genetic methods to discover and analyze novel functions of ncRNAs in pathogens, industrial micro-organisms and tumor cells.

Robert A. Colvin Professor of Biological Sciences

Zinc and Calcium transport in neurons; mechanisms of neural degeneration in Alzheimer’s disease and stroke; receptor-ligand interactions.

Karen T. Coschigano Assistant Professor of Molecular/Cellular Biology

Identification of genes involved in the development of diabetes and its complication, especially in the kidney, using molecular tools and mouse models that mimic human disease.

Peter W. Coschigano Associate Professor of Environmental Microbiology

Genetics and molecular biology of microorganisms that degrade toxic compounds, regulation of gene expression, elucidation of metabolic pathways.

Janet S. Duerr Associate Professor of Biological Sciences

We are using genetics and molecular biology in a simple model organism, the nematode C. elegans, to study protein and neurotransmitter trafficking at synapses, with particular emphasis on the roles of monoamines in regulating development and behavior.

Kenneth J. Goodrum Associate Professor of Immunology

Role of nitric oxide in innate immune responses to microbial infections.

Mario J. Grijalva Assistant Professor of Microbiology

Molecular diagnosis, immunology and epidemiology of Tropical diseases.

Donald L. Holzschu Associate Professor of Biological Sciences

We are studying skin tumors of walleye fish that appear and completely regress on a seasonal basis. These tumors are caused by a unique group of retroviruses. Currently we are investigating the properties of viral proteins as they pertain to cell proliferation (tumor development) and cell death (tumor regression).

Frank M. Horodyski Professor of Molecular Biology

Molecular biology of insect neuropeptides and their roles in development and metamorphosis.

Calvin B. L. James Associate Professor of Virology

Molecular biology of adenoviruses: study of those aspects of signal transduction pathways relevant to both viral and cellular gene regulation.

John J. Kopchick Professor Molecular and Cellular Biology

We use transgenic and gene-disrupted mice as well as genomic and proteomic approaches to study the molecular and cellular events involved in growth, obesity, and diabetes. We would like to determine the mechanisms that result in mammalian growth and the genetic defects that result in abnormal growth or metabolic function.

Daewoo Lee Associate Professor of Biological Sciences

Functional dissection of molecular elements mediating central synaptic transmission in Drosophila. Molecular and cellular bases of neuromodulation and synaptic plasticity. Mechanisms of selective dopaminergic cell loss in Parkinson’s disease.

Ramiro Malgor Assistant Professor of Pathology

Understanding the mechanisms of inflammation in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes and cancer. The main goal is to elucidate how innate immunity and inflammation are involved in their pathogenic mechanisms.

Erin Murphy Assistant Professor of Medical Microbiology

My research focuses on understanding the regulatory mechanisms governing the expression of genes encoding bacterial virulence determinants. In particular I am interested in gene expression controlled by non-coding RNA molecules in response to environmental signals.

Felicia V. Nowak Associate Professor of Physiology

Gene regulation of growth factors; Transgenic models; Growth factor effects on mammalian brain development and plasticity; Effects of gender on brain development and function; Aging and neurodegeneration.

Edwin C. Rowland Associate Professor of Immunoparasitology

Immunobiology of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice.

Tomohiko Sugiyama Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences

Biochemical study of DNA recombination: Meiotic recombination and DNA double-strand-break repair.

Soichi Tanda Associate Professor of Biological Sciences

Gene regulation and signal transduction during Drosophila development; Drosophila hamatopoiesis; biological functions of pre-mRNA secondary structures.