First name,Last name,Preferred title,Overview,Position,Department,Individual
Shawna,Thomas,Instructional Assistant Professor,"Randomized motion planning algorithms can be applied to any type of robot, from simple rigid bodies to complex articulated linkages. We abstract the particular motion planning problem into configuration space (C-space) where each point in C-space represents a particular configuration/placement of the robot. Invalid configurations (e.g., in-collision, high energy) become C-obstacles in this higher dimensional space. We then use randomized sampling to construct a graph or tree in C-space and use this data structure to extract feasible trajectories. We explore different general purpose techniques to improve planner performance as well as applications to computational biology.",Instructional Assistant Professor||Faculty Affiliate,Computer Science and Engineering||Institute for Engineering Education and Innovation,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n02d5b614
Timothy,Devarenne,Associate Professor,"We study the biochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying the control of programmed cell death (PCD) in plants and how PCD is manipulated during plant-pathogen interactions. Specifically we study the interaction between tomato and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) the causative agent of bacterial spot disease. Resistance to this disease is conferred by the host Pto serine/threonine protein kinase which recognizes Pst strains expressing the type III effector protein AvrPto.
PCD is induced during both resistant and susceptible plant-pathogen interactions. In the case of a resistant interaction, PCD induced by the plant, known as the hypersensitive response (HR), and acts to limit the spread of the pathogen. In susceptible plant-pathogen interactions plant PCD is induced by the pathogen after infection leading to death of the host. Studies have indicated that the genes controlling host PCD during the HR are the same genes that are manipulated by the pathogen during susceptible interactions. The difference lies in the timing of controlling the activity of these genes; HR PCD occurs within 12 hours of pathogen recognition while pathogen-induced PCD occurs several days after infection.
Many of these genes that control plant PCD are serine/threonine (S/T) protein kinase. We are interested in studying a specific class of S/T protein kinases that control PCD in plants called AGC kinases and how they are regulated in both resistant and susceptible plant-pathogen interactions. Additionally, when plants are not attacked by pathogens, PCD is a process that requires constant control so that cell death does not occur. We are looking at the signaling mechanisms and pathways employed to keep PCD under check in non-pathogen challenged plants.",Faculty Affiliate||Associate Professor,Energy Institute||Biochemistry and Biophysics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n11411275
Anthony,Knap,Professor and Director,"Dr. Knap's primary research focuses include oceanography, organic geochemistry, environmental science, atmosphere/ocean interactions, oil pollution and dispersant use, and effects of contaminants on the marine environment. Global climate change is another area of interest, particularly climate instability, business/science interactions, renewable energy, marine derived bio-fuels, ocean genomics, ocean acidification. He was Founder and Principal Investigator of the NSF-funded Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) off Bermuda. He was also the Principal Investigator for 30 years of Hydrostation S, founded in 1954 and the longest continuous time-series in the Ocean, also funded by NSF. He most recently was appointed to the Gulf Research Board of the US National Academy of Sciences.","Professor||Faculty Affiliate||Director, Geochemical and Environmental Research Group||Faculty Fellow",Center for Health Systems and Design||Oceanography||Energy Institute||College of Geosciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n15ee86bc
James,Batteas,Professor,"The research in our group is organized around three main projects: nanoscale materials and devices, biological surfaces and interfaces and nanotribology,
with the overarching goal of developing custom engineered surfaces and interfaces. This requires obtaining a fundamental (molecular level) understanding of the underlying chemistry and physics of the systems in question to afford rational approaches to test and develop new technologies. In much of our research we employ a range of scanned probe microscopies such as scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to probe structure and to manipulate materials at the nanoscale.",Faculty Affiliate||Professor||Faculty Fellow||D. Wayne Goodman Professor of Chemistry,Center for Health Systems and Design||Energy Institute||Chemistry||Chemistry,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n413d1dff
Maria,King,Research Associate Professor,"My interdisciplinary studies focus on the development of the wetted wall cyclone aerosol collector technology to monitor potential health hazards and improve surveillance efforts by collecting aerosols released from agricultural and industrial facilities and modeling particle dispersion. Within a coal mining industry study we aim to determine the influence of particle size distribution, chemical composition and morphology of airborne respirable mine dusts and diesel particulates on lung disease. My projects involve fluid mechanics, computational flow modeling and metagenomics to study biofilms in oil fields and nuclear reactors and mitigate microbial contamination in drilling equipment, hydraulic fracturing water and cooling systems.",Assistant Professor||Faculty Affiliate||Faculty Affiliate,Biological and Agricultural Engineering||Energy Institute||Institute for Engineering Education and Innovation,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n44870816
Kung-Hui (Bella),Chu,Professor,"Our research interests are in enhancing our understanding of microbial-mediated processes in natural and engineered systems, and in application and development of biotechnology to address various environmental challenges in water, soils, and energy. The Chu lab applies molecular biology, isotopic techniques, chemical analysis, and phage biology to study environmental and biological systems, with focuses on (i) microbial ecology, fate and transport, biodegradation of environmental pollutants such as emerging contaminants and persistent organic pollutants, (ii) production of biofuels and bioproducts from renewable resources, and (iii) detection, tracking, and quantification of microorganisms that play roles in water quality, bioremediation, carbon sequestration and nitrogen cycle in the environment. Other research areas include development and application of novel sorbents and catalysts (bio and non-bio) for removing and/or monitoring emerging environmental pollutants.",Faculty Affiliate||Professor,Civil Engineering||Energy Institute,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n7a373eec
Daniel,Alge,Associate Professor,"My research is in biomaterials, with an emphasis on biocompatibility and applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.",Faculty Affiliate||Associate Professor,Biomedical Engineering||Institute for Engineering Education and Innovation,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n99feb009
Zivko,Nikolov,Professor and Associate Department Head,"Nikolov's Bioseparations Lab conducts transformative research in bioprocess engineering aimed at the development of novel and cost-effective strategies for extraction and purification of recombinant and native biomolecules. Bioseparations Lab leverages scientific and engineering expertise of lab members to find solutions for a variety of bioprocessing and separations challenges that currently face plant and algal biotechnology. To guide early process development and identify constraints posed by biological system and final product lab members use process simulation. Past and current research projects directed by Dr. Nikolov include industrial protein products derived from rice, sugarcane, tobacco, Lemna minor, and microalgae.",Faculty Affiliate||Professor and Associate Department Head,Biological and Agricultural Engineering||Energy Institute,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nf84893f5