First name,Last name,Preferred title,Overview,Position,Department,Individual
Lathrop,Taylor,Instructional Assistant Professor,,Instructional Assistant Professor,Biology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n2d320178
Duncan,Mackenzie,Associate Professor,"Hormones secreted by the thyroid gland are of primary importance in the regulation of such fundamental physiological processes as growth, nutrient utilization, and reproduction. In my laboratory we examine the regulation of the secretion of thyroid hormones and their actions in poikilothermic vertebrates in order to understand the evolution of thyroid function. We are presently focusing on the regulation on thyroid hormone secretion and the mechanisms of iodine transport in commercially-important fish species such as the red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), the channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), and even the zebrafish (Danio rerio).
This research is aimed at providing new insights into the potentially ancient role of thyroid hormones in nutrient assimilation, as well as elucidating evolutionary trends in the regulation of thyroid function. These studies may serve identify ways in which the pituitary-thyroid axis may be manipulated to enhance aquaculture production or endangered species conservation.",Associate Professor,Biology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n33bd0e42
Michael,Smotherman,Professor,"Evolution and Neurobiology of Communication
Communication is an essential part of sociality, and an animal's vocal communications provide a window into their cognitive capabilities, motivations, and behavioral ecology. Communication is also a important model of sensorimotor neurobiology because vocalizations are the motor output of a sophisticated suite of brain pathways that integrate across multiple sensory modalities and time scales. Vocal communication systems are highly diverse because they have been shaped by intense natural and sexual selection. Studying the evolution of communication networks in the brain provides important insight into how environment and ecology molded the social brain.
Our lab studies bats because of their biosonar capabilities and their unusually broad repertoire of communication calls and songs.
Echolocation provides an exciting model system for exploring how multiple brain pathways interact to control behavior on a millisecond time scale. Our neural studies investigate the neurocircuits that guide delicate changes in sonar pulse acoustics. Our behavioral studies of bats echolocating in groups has shed light on how they coordinate their sonar systems to minimize interference with one another. This research has direct relevance to man-made sonar and wireless communications systems.
Singing by bats offers exiting new opportunities to young investigators to explore how mammals and birds converged upon a similar behavior via different neural mechanisms. Identifying and characterizing the functional neurocircuitry of the bat's song production network is a major component of our research.",Professor,Biology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n5bebea24
Terry,Thomas,Professor,"My interests are evolutionarily broad and include animals, plants and fungi. A major focus of the lab is the genomic analysis of gene expression programs during plant gene expression programs, particularly during embryogenesis and seed development, and the underlying regulatory mechanisms required for the initiation and maintenance of these programs. This work has illustrated the combinatorial interactions of cis and trans -acting factors that result in specific gene regulatory events. We are also using genomics tools to study the interaction of the rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe grisea , with plant hosts; the circadian control of gene expression; and the development of the vertebrate retina. An additional focal area is the utilization of molecular and cellular approaches for crop improvement. As part of these research activities, we have developed or adapted high throughput genomics approaches to accelerate the gene discovery process and subsequent analysis of gene expression and function.",Professor,Biology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n79201ac5
Alex,Keene,Professor and Department Head,,Professor and Department Head,Biology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n8650c3cf
Mark,Zoran,Professor and Associate Dean,"Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology
Research Summary My laboratory studies cellular mechanisms governing the formation of specific synaptic connections between neurons and their targets. These mechanisms include cell-cell recognition and target-dependent induction of the presynaptic secretion machinery. Some of our studies investigate synapse formation of identified motoneurons of the American pond snail, Helisoma trivolvis , following nerve injury in vivo and in cell culture. Since the synapse is the site of most interneuronal communication within the nervous system, an understanding of the development, regeneration and plasticity of these connections is crucial to an ultimate appreciation of neural integration and brain function.
Neural Morphallaxis
We also study a rare form of regeneration called neural morphallaxis in the annelid worm, Lumbriculus variegatus. This organism is ideal for examining behavioral, physiological, cellular and molecular mechanisms of development, regeneration and systems-level plasticity. We have defined the neural correlates of escape reflexes, which are reconfigured during morphallaxis. Recently we have begun investigations of synaptic molecules up-regulated specifically during morphallaxis. This model system is emerging as a valuable educational tool in the science classroom.",Acting Associate Provost for Graduate & Professional Studies||Professor,Biology||Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nb36a8003
Paul,Hardin,Distinguished Professor,"A diverse array of organisms including prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbes, plants, and animals display daily rhythms in physiology, metabolism and/or behavior. These rhythms are not passively driven by environmental cycles of light and temperature, but are actively controlled by endogenous circadian clocks that are set by environmental cycles, keep time in the absence of environmental cues, and activate overt physiological, metabolic and behavioral rhythms at the appropriate time of day. This remarkable conservation of circadian clock function through evolution suggests that maintaining synchrony with the environment is of fundamental importance. Our understanding of the circadian clock is particularly important for human health and well-being. The clearest examples of circadian clock dysfunction are those that result in abnormal sleep-wake cycles, but clock disturbances are also associated with other ailments including epilepsy, cerebrovascular disease, depression, and seasonal affective disorder. The realization that disorders of the sleep-wake cycle such as Familial Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome can result from alterations in clock gene function underscores the clinical importance of understanding the molecular organization of the circadian system.
Work in my laboratory focuses on defining the molecular mechanisms that drive circadian clock function in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. We previously found that the core timekeeping mechanism is based on core and interlocked transcriptional feedback loops. Our studies currently focus on (1) defining post-translational regulatory mechanisms that operate in the core loop to set the 24 hour period, (2) determining whether interlocked loops are important for circadian timekeeping and/or output, (3) understanding how circadian oscillator cells are determined during development, and (4) defining mechanisms that control rhythms in olfactory and gustatory physiology and behavior.",Distinguished Professor,Biology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nf27056c4
Richard,Gomer,Distinguished Professor,"Our laboratory is working on three areas of biomedicine, trying to move observations from basic research into the clinic. First, we are studying how the sizes of tissues and tumors are regulated, and how this can be manipulated for therapeutic purposes. As a model system, we are using the simple eukaryote Dictyostelium discoideum, which allows us to combine techniques such as biochemistry, genetics, computer modeling, and cell biology to study tissue size regulation. We have found that a secreted protein as well as the unusual molecule polyphosphate are signals in negative feedback loops that inhibit Dictyostelium cell proliferation, and we are studying the signal transduction pathway to understand similar mechanisms in humans.
Second, we are studying how some secreted proteins can make cells move away from the source of the signal. We found such a signal (called a chemorepellent) in Dictyostelium, and then found a similar signal in humans. We are working to understand the signal transduction pathway for both. The human signal repels neutrophils, and we found that this can be used therapeutically in mouse models of neutrophil-driven diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Third, we have found that a human blood protein called Serum Amyloid P (SAP) regulates a key step in the formation of scar tissue as well as the formation of the scar-like lesions in fibrosing diseases such as congestive heart failure and pulmonary fibrosis. We are studying this mechanism, and a biotech company (Promedior, now sold to Roche) we co-founded is testing SAP as a therapy for fibrosis in patients in a Phase 3 trials.",Distinguished Professor,Biology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nf41f3898
Jerome,Menet,Associate Professor,"Most organisms from bacteria to humans exhibit 24-hours rhythms in their biochemistry, physiology and behavior. Best exemplified by the sleep/wake cycle, these rhythms are remarkably widespread and include in humans hormonal (e.g., melatonin, insulin, cortisol), metabolic (e.g., glucose, cholesterol), physiological and behavioral oscillations. In fact, most biological functions are rhythmic and are set to perform optimally at the most appropriate time of the day. For example, the human digestion process performs better during the day when we are supposed to eat.
These circadian rhythms are generated by ""molecular clocks"", which consist of a few ""clock genes"" interacting in feedback loops, and which drive the rhythmic expression of a large number of genes, i.e. ~10% of the transcriptome in any tissues. This wide impact of clock genes in regulating gene expression is underscored by the surprisingly large number of pathologies developed by clock-deficient mice. In addition to being arrhythmic, these mice indeed develop pathologies as diverse as mania-like behaviors, learning and memory defects, depression, drug addiction, insomnia, metabolic diseases, arthropathy, hematopoiesis defects and cancers.
Research in our lab aims at characterizing how circadian clocks and clock genes regulate gene expression to provide insights into how and why clock dysfuntion leads to a wide spectra of pathologies. To this end, we are using a wide-range of molecular and biochemical techniques to investigate the circadian clock function at the genome-wide level (e.g., next-generation sequencing). We are currently extending some of our recent results and focus on 1) how clock genes rhythmically regulate chromatin environment and 2) the mechanisms involved in rhythmic post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression.",Associate Professor,Biology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nf680fb91