First name,Last name,Preferred title,Overview,Position,Department,Individual
Patricia,Pietrantonio,Professor and Texas AgriLife Research Fellow,"We work with important pests that are critical to Texas and the world focusing on public and animal health and on pests of cotton. We are interested in elucidating the functions of arthropod neuropeptides that signal through G protein-coupled receptors. Many of these neuropeptides are pleiotropic and many of their multiple functions are still unknown. We utilize loss-of-function experiments through RNAi, peptidomimetics, the discovery of antagonists through target-based high-throughput screening of small molecules on recombinant receptors expressed in mammalian cells, immunohistochemistry, and develop physiological in vitro and in vivo assays towards advancing arthropod endocrinology. The laboratory has pioneered the discovery of the first neuropeptide receptor in the Acari and the first insect prostaglandin receptor. The molecular and cell culture laboratories are BL2 and the Insect toxicology laboratory is BL1. We use state-of-the-art technologies and the lab is well equipped to do almost everything in-house.",Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n0555af9d
Dorothy,Shippen,Professor,"We are taking biochemical, molecular genetic and cytological approaches to study the structure, function and maintenance of telomeres. Telomeres are higher order nucleoprotein complexes that cap the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes and play essential roles in conferring genome stability and cell proliferation capacity. The protective cap of the telomere is comprised of specific telomere binding proteins that regulate the length of telomeric DNA tract and allow the cell distinguish the chromosome terminus from a double-strand break. Telomeric DNA is synthesized by the action of telomerase, an unusual reverse transcriptase that replenishes telomeric DNA lost as a consequence of replication by conventional DNA polymerases. We have developed the genetically tractable flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana as a model system for studying telomeres in higher eukaryotes. With its sequenced genome, abundant genetic and transgenic tools, and extraordinarily high tolerance to genome instability, Arabidopsis has proven to be an excellent model for investigating fundamental processes in telomere biology. Current studies focus on defining the function and molecular evolution of telomere capping proteins and components of the telomerase ribonucleoprotein complex.",Professor,Biochemistry and Biophysics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n07e86cac
William,Murphy,Professor,"Mammalian comparative genomics, phylogeny, biogeography, and molecular evolution, with a specific emphasis on feline evolutionary genomics, including: gene mapping, sex chromosome genetics, speciation and mechanisms of male hybrid sterility.",Professor,Veterinary Integrative Biosciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n08093092
Yi,Xu,Associate Professor,"Our current research activities focus on understanding the pathogenic mechanism of Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus (Sgg). Sgg is a gram-positive opportunistic pathogen that causes life-threatening bacteremia and infective endocarditis (IE). It is also strongly associated with colorectal cancer (CRC). My lab was the first to demonstrate that Sgg actively promotes the development of colon tumors, elevating a long-stranding clinical association to a functional causal role of Sgg in tumor development. Despite its medical importance, the pathogenic mechanism of Sgg remains poorly understood. Our recent studies have demonstrated that a type VII secretion system of Sgg plays a key role in pathogenesis. Currently we are interested in understanding the mechanism underlying following key steps in Sgg pathogenesis: 1) colonization of the intestinal epithelium, 2) modulation of intestinal homeostasis in normal and tumor-bearing colons, and 3) dissemination from the gastrointestinal tract to the circulatory system.
Keywords: bacterial pathogenesis, infectious diseases, virulence, colorectal cancer, microbiome, microbiota, type VII secretion system, gastrointestinal tract",Associate Professor,Institute of Biosciences and Technology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n0c22439a
James,Womack,Distinguished Professor,"Comparative mammalian genomics with emphasis on bovids and laboratory animals. Study of evolution of gene families and genomic variation underlying disease resistance. Investigation of genetic mechanisms in innate immunity with focus on livestock, select agents, and agricultural biosecurity.",Distinguished Professor,Veterinary Pathobiology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n0e1a49e2
Elizabeth,Pierson,Professor,"Dr. Pierson's areas of research include plant-microbe interactions, biological control, and sustainable agriculture. She also conducts research related to zebra chip disease of potato, microbe-insect interactions, and terrestrial plant ecology. She teaches the undergraduate course Garden Science and the graduate course Plant-associated Microorganisms, which is available to students in three different graduate programs. Dr. Pierson is active in graduate education, currently serving as a member of the Horticultural Sciences Graduate Program Committee and the MEPS admissions committee and as the advisor for the Horticulture Graduate Council. She also serves as a chair or member of graduate research committees and provides undergraduate laboratory research experience.",Professor||Adjunct Professor,Plant Pathology and Microbiology||Horticultural Sciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n1757e534
David,Russell,Professor,"My research focuses on proteomics, lipidomics, biophysical chemistry and application and development of mass spectrometry, such as ""label-free"" nano-particle based biosensors and novel peptide/protein isolation and purification strategies. We are also investigating the structure(s) of model peptides in an effort to better describe folding/unfolding and structure of membrane and intrinsically disordered (IDP) proteins. Peptides take on very different 2?, 3? and 4? structure, which determine or influence bio-activity. In the presence of lipid vesicles peptides can exist as solution-phase species, ""absorbed"" on lipid bilayers or ""inserted"" (as a monomer or multimer) in lipid bilayers. By what mechanism do peptides interact with lipid membranes to affect these structural changes, how do peptide-lipid interactions promote self-assembly to form intermediates that eventually yield aggregates, i.e., amyloid fibrils, or how does metal ion coordination affect the structure of metalloproteins? Mass spectrometry-based experiments, hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange, chemical 'foot-printing' and gas-phase (ion-molecule and ion-ion reaction chemistry) and solution-phase chemical modifications, have expanded our abilities to address such questions, and new instrumental approaches, esp. ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) combined with enhanced molecular dynamics simulations (MDS), have become standard tools for structural-mass spectrometry studies. Over the past several years we have either acquired or developed novel, next-generation IM-MS instruments that are redefining cutting-edge structural-mass spectrometry research as well as cutting-edge computational tools essential to carry out these studies. Our new laboratories in the Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building (ILSB) provides exciting opportunities for collaborative, interdisciplinary research with chemical-biologists, biochemists and other chemists.",Professor,Chemistry,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n280e03e6
Libo,Shan,Professor,"Earth is the planet of the plants. Being autotrophic, sessile, and long-living entities, plants have evolved fascinating strategies to cope with various environmental stresses. Our research is driven by the desire to understand the fundamental principles underlying plant disease resistance, and pathogen virulence, and to improve crop resilience to pathogen infections. We are probing the biochemical and genetic basis of plant signal transduction pathways from cell surface receptors sensing the presence of pathogens to signaling cascades and target genes and proteins that are central to launch effective immune responses in the context of balanced growth and development. We deploy cutting-edge molecular and biochemical technologies coupled with powerful genetic tractability of plants for discovering regulatory networks of living organisms fending off infections. In addition to the acquisition of foundational principles in biology, we further translate knowledge and platforms into the areas for the improvement of crop stress adaptation.",Professor,Biochemistry and Biophysics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n2c655431
Herman,Scholthof,Professor,,Professor,Plant Pathology and Microbiology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n2c6ec1cb
Edward,Vargo,Professor,"We use molecular genetic tools, primarily microsatellite markers and mtDNA sequence data, to conduct basic and applied studies of termites and other insect pests of human structures. Our work on termites encompasses the breeding structure of colonies, colony and population genetic structure, invasion biology, foraging areas, colony densities and population dynamics. Research on other structural pests, mainly ants, cockroaches and bedbugs, focuses on population genetic structure, invasion biology, and dispersal.",Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n3165cf9e
Ping,He,Professor,"Our laboratory is interested in elucidating novel plant immune signaling pathways as well as studying the myriad actions of pathogen virulence factors that intercept host immune responses. In order to provide a complete view of host-microbe interactions, we are using cellular, functional genomic, genetic, biochemical and bioinformatic approaches. In addition, plant immunity is inextricably linked with plant development and environmental stresses. We are also interested in understanding the signaling crosstalk that orchestrates plant responses to different extrinsic and intrinsic signals. Ultimately, knowledge gained from studying model plants, such as Arabidopsis, will be applied to improve crop plants for resistance against different biotic and abiotic stresses.",Professor,Biochemistry and Biophysics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n330081c7
Charles,Rush,Professor,"The TAES plant pathology program in Amarillo/Bushland, lead by Dr. Charlie Rush, was initiated in 1986 to conduct research on economically damaging diseases of crops produced in the Texas Panhandle. Currently the lab is composed of three post docs, three technicians, and several graduate students and student workers from West Texas A&M University. Major research projects, all funded by external competitive grants, include ecology and epidemiology of karnal bunt, remote sensing to differentiate between biotic and abiotic stresses, management of sorghum ergot, and genomic variability among Benyviruses. Although Dr. Rush has no official extension responsibilities, his lab has provided plant disease diagnostic services since the lab's inception, and recently they have established a satellite diagnostic laboratory to the Great Plains Regional Diagnostic Laboratory at Kansas State University, part of the Homeland Security Plant Disease Diagnostic Network. Dr. Rush's lab is the only USDA-APHIS approved Karnal Bunt Quarantine Research Lab in the Southern Great Plains, and as such, provides a phytosanitary seed certification service that allows Texas producers to sale seed wheat outside of the state.","Director, Plant Pathology Research Program||Professor",Amarillo Research and Extension Center||Plant Pathology and Microbiology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n3e78975e
Robert,Chapkin,Distinguished Professor,"Research in the Chapkin lab focuses on dietary/microbial modulators related to the prevention of cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases.
Our central goal is to (1) understand cancer chemoprevention at a fundamental level, and (2) to test pharmaceutical agents in combination with dietary/microbial (countermeasures to the Western diet) to more effectively improve gut health and reduce systemic chronic inflammation. Since diet influences gut microbiota composition and metabolite production, to unravel the interrelationships among gut health and the structure of the gut microbial ecosystem, we are in the process of evaluating (using transgenic mouse, Drosophila models and humans) how the gut microbiome modulates intestinal cells, innate immune cells and tumors. As part of this endeavor, we are modeling at the molecular level the dynamic relationship between diet and gut microbe-derived metabolites which modulate chronic inflammation and the hierarchical cellular organization of the intestine, e.g., stem cell niche.",Distinguished Professor||Professor,Biochemistry and Biophysics||Nutrition,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n3fbb59f8
Beiyan,Nan,Assistant Professor,"I am interested in understanding the mechanisms of fundamental biological processes in bacteria. My lab uses soil bacterium Myxococcus xanthus as the model organism. Several aspects of M. xanthus make it an ideal model for understanding bacterial physiology. First, M. xanthus cells utilize sophisticated systems to move on solid surfaces, which involve cytoplasmic and periplasmic proteins, filamentous cytoskeletons, membrane channels, cell wall, and cell surface components. Second, cells constantly communicate with each other and with their environment. Cells usually move in coordinated groups but also as isolated ""adventurous"" individuals, which allows this bacterium to feed on soil detritus and prey on other microorganisms. Third, when the availability of nutrients or prey decrease in the environment, most cells exhibit behaviors that include aggregation into fruiting bodies and conversion of individual cells into spores.
I have been using the super resolution photo-activated localization microscopy (PALM) to track single molecule dynamics of proteins in live bacterial cells. With this technique, I have achieved 10 millisecond time resolution (100 frames per second) and 80 nm spatial resolution. These studies were initiated because the most widely used fluorescence microscopy techniques (including confocal, deconvolution, etc.) can only provide resolution to about 200 nm due to the diffraction of light, which is often insufficient for many studies because of the small size of bacterial cells (usually a few hundred nanometers in diameter).
Our research topics cover motility, development (fruiting body formation and biofilm formation), cytoskeleton, and cell wall assembly.",Assistant Professor,Biology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n3fe4c57e
Leland,Pierson,Professor and Head,,Professor and Head,Plant Pathology and Microbiology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n4162e884
Kenneth,Ramos,Professor and Executive Director,,Professor of Medicine||Professor and Executive Director||Executive Committee||Associate Vice President for Research||Assistant Vice Chancellor for Health Services,The Texas A&M University System||Institute of Biosciences and Technology||Global Institute for Hispanic Health||School of Medicine||Health Science Center,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n47de353a
Tadhg,Begley,Distinguished Professor,"The Begley Group is interested in the mechanistic chemistry and enzymology of complex organic transformations, particularly those found on the vitamin biosynthetic pathways. We are currently working on the biosynthesis of thiamin, molybdopterin, pyridoxal phosphate and menaquinone. Our research involves a combination of molecular biology, protein biochemistry, organic synthesis and structural studies and provides a strong training for students interested in understanding the organic chemistry of living systems and in pursuing careers in biotechnology, drug design or academia.
Thiamin pyrophosphate plays a key role in the stabilization of the acyl carbanion synthon in carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. The biosyntheses of the thiamin pyrimidine and thiazole are complex and are different from any of the characterized chemical or biochemical routes to these heterocycles. We are particularly interested in cellular physiology and the mechanistic enzymology of thiamin biosynthesis. As an example of one of the complex transformations on this pathway, the figure below shows the structure of the pyrimidine synthase catalyzing the complex rearrangement of aminoimidazole ribotide (left) to the thiamin pyrimidine (right).",Distinguished Professor,Chemistry,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n498aa35b
Cynthia,Meininger,Professor,"My research focuses primarily on the vascular complications of diabetes. Using animal models of human diabetes, we have demonstrated that an inability of endothelial cells to produce nitric oxide may be partly responsible for these vascular complications. We are developing a gene/drug therapy approach for treating cardiovascular disease associated with diabetes. Targeted nanoparticles will deliver either the gene for GTPCH or BH4 itself into endothelial cells oxidatively damaged by diabetes to correct endothelial GTPCH deficiency, increase tetrahydrobiopterin levels, restore nitric oxide production and reverse the vascular dysfunction seen in diabetes. Our endothelium-targeting nanoparticle approach will not only reverse the damage caused by disease but will increase antioxidant levels to protect the endothelial cells from future damage and/or dysfunction.",Professor,Medical Physiology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n531a623d
Arthur,Laganowsky,Associate Professor,"A long-term research goal of our group is to determine the molecular basis behind protein-lipid interactions and how these interactions can modulate the structure and function of membrane proteins, including their interactions with signaling molecules. What determines the selectivity of membrane proteins towards lipids, and the coupling between lipid binding events and function remains a key knowledge gap in the field; one that if addressed will significantly advance our understanding of how lipids participate in both normal and pathophysiological processes of membrane proteins. Therefore, there is a critical need to expand our fundamental knowledge in this emerging field by applying and developing innovative approaches to elucidate how lipids modulate the structure function of membrane proteins. To this end, we are studying a number of ion channels, receptors and other types of membrane proteins.",Associate Professor,Chemistry,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n542411e4
Paul,Straight,Associate Professor,"Our goal is to understand how microorganisms interact in complex communities. Specifically, we study how small molecules produced in a microbial community affect the growth, development and metabolic output of the organisms. We use a combination of microbiology, genetic, genomic, and biochemical approaches to dissect complex interspecies interactions. Currently, our research focuses on the interactions of the soil bacteria Bacillus subtilis and members of the genus Streptomyces, known for their prolific production of bioactive small molecules and development of aerial structures and spores.",Associate Professor,Biochemistry and Biophysics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n5540637b
Christine,Merlin,Associate Professor,"Our research broadly lies in understanding how organisms respond and adapt to changing environments, with an emphasis on circadian biology. Organisms from bacteria to humans use circadian clocks to control a plethora of biochemical, physiological and behavioral rhythms. These clocks are synchronized to daily and seasonal environmental changes to allow organisms to tune specific activities at the appropriate times of day or year.
In our laboratory, we use the eastern North American migratory monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) as a model system to study animal clock mechanisms and the role of circadian clocks and clock genes in a fascinating biological output, the animal long-distance migration. Every fall, like clockwork, millions of monarch butterflies start migrating thousands of miles from North America to reach their overwintering sites in central Mexico. During their journey south, migrating monarchs use a time-compensated sun compass orientation mechanism to maintain a constant flight bearing. Circadian clocks located in the antennae provide the critical internal timing device for compensation of the sun movement across the sky over the course of the day. The recent sequencing of the monarch genome and the establishment of genetic tools to knockout clock genes (and others) in vivo using nuclease-mediated gene targeting approaches provides us with a unique opportunity to uncover the molecular and cellular underpinnings of the butterfly clockwork, its migratory behavior and their interplay.",Assistant Professor,Biology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n5a23a5d7
Lee,Fitzgerald,Professor and Curator,"My program is best described as evolutionary ecology and conservation biology of amphibians and reptiles. I use reptiles and amphibians as study systems at the community and landscape level to address the general questions, ""What are mechanisms influencing the fit between organism and environment?"", and ""How do community-level processes influence species persistence and distribution of species across the landscape?"" This program addresses various conservation issues, for example, habitat requirements of single species, determinants of local and regional diversity, or mechanisms determining the fate of invasive and native species.",Professor and Curator,Ecology and Conservation Biology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n65c121ba
William,Alley,TEES Researcher at TAMU-San Antonio,,TEES Researcher at TAMU-San Antonio||Assistant Professor of Chemistry,"Texas A&M University – San Antonio - (San Antonio, Txas, United States)||Texas A&M University – San Antonio - (San Antonio, Texas, United States)||TEES Regional Divisions",https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n6885ef8c
Joshua,Wand,Professor and Department Head,"We are broadly interested in how the biophysical properties of proteins are manifested in their biological function. We are particularly engaged in trying to reveal the nature of internal protein motion and how this influences functions ranging from molecular recognition to allostery and catalysis. These basic ideas are being employed in a range of studies including protein engineering to optimize protein drugs, reverse micelle encapsulation to aid fragment-based drug discovery, understanding the regulation of Parkin, which is involved in mitophagy and early onset Parkinson's Disease, and the enzyme AKR1C3, which is central to resistant forms of prostate cancer.",Professor and Department Head,Biochemistry and Biophysics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n6caf5ddd
Heath,Blackmon,Associate Professor,,Assistant Professor||Associate Professor,Biology||Biology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n6e56235d
Keyan,Zhu Salzman,Professor,"Over millions of years of co-evolution with insects, plants have developed various defense machineries that can be activated in response to insect herbivory. Insects, in turn, have developed a variety of strategies to evade these plant defense mechanisms. An improved understanding of this complex plant defense and insect counter-defense relationship will facilitate development of better strategies to improve host plant defense. Currently, we are using Arabidopsis to study plant defense signal transduction pathways against insect pests. Meanwhile, since effectiveness of plant defense is also determined by the insect response, my laboratory is also investigating how insects adapt to the challenge of plant defense molecules, as well as to human imposed management strategies, and is working to identify new insect vulnerable systems.",Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n716ece47
Frances,Ligler,Professor,,Professor,Biomedical Engineering,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n74321a1f
Roderick,Dashwood,University Distinguished Professor,"Research integrates multiomic, genetic, epigenetic and immune approaches for precision oncology. Epigenetic readers, writers and erasers that reversibly regulate immune players in the antigen presentation pathway are of current mechanistic interest. Molecular and cell-based assays are combined with preclinical models coupled to polypectomy. Clinical specimens and organoids from patients undergoing colectomy provide for human translation. Supported by the NCI, NINDS/NIA, and the John S. Dunn Foundation.",John S. Dunn Chair in Disease Prevention||Distinguished Professor||Director,Institute of Biosciences and Technology||Center for Epigenetics and Disease Prevention||School of Medicine,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n7a63dbe7
Fuller,Bazer,Distinguished Professor,"Dr. Bazer's research in reproductive biology focuses on uterine biology and pregnancy, particularly pregnancy recognition signaling from the conceptus to the maternal uterus by interferon tau and estrogen from ruminant and pig conceptuses, respectively. The roles of uterine secretions as transport proteins, regulatory molecules, growth factors and enzymes and endocrine regulation of their secretion is another major research interest. The endocrinology of pregnancy, especially the roles of lactogenic and growth hormones in fetal-placental development and uterine functions are being studied. The mechanism(s) of action and potential therapeutic value of conceptus interferons and uterine-derived hematopoietic growth factors are areas of research with both pigs and sheep as models for human disease.",Distinguished Professor,Animal Science,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n7ad91d50
Rosemary,Walzem,Professor,"Dr. Walzem's core research focus within the laboratory is directed towards understanding how the structure of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins influences their ability to carry out specific nutrient delivery tasks. Her studies include identification of mechanisms and regulatory processes that control the assembly of trigylceride-rich lipoproteins in issues, structural studies of lipoproteins themselves and physiological studies to determine substrate properties and metabolic fates of different types of lipoproteins. Diet can significantly alter lipoprotein physiology through multiple mechanisms, and studies of diet effects provides a significant sub-theme to the research program. A variety of species are used to address specific questions, however, avian and human lipoprotein metabolism as it relates to egg production and atherogenesis, respectively, are emphasized.",Professor,Poultry Science,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n85cd191f
Daniel,Ebbole,Professor,"Development and pathogenesis share the common features of responding to environmental conditions to execute a program of gene expression resulting in new cell types.
An important question in plant pathogenesis is to understanding the functions of pathogen effectors and their host target(s). Fungal effectors play roles in suppressing host defense mechanisms, however, other biotrophic functions, such as manipulating host physiology to promote nutrient acquisition and cell-to-cell movement are possible. Therefore, identification of the full set of fungal proteins secreted during host invasion is a major effort in plant pathology research. Candidate effectors are generally identified by virtue of i) their expression in planta ii) assessing their activity on the host using purified proteins or by manipulating expression iii) detecting the rapid evolution of effector genes due to selective pressure from the host. My lab is using a combination of these approaches to identify and characterize a gene family of putative effectors from Magnaporthe oryzae, the rice blast fungus and define interactions with monocot hosts.",Professor,Plant Pathology and Microbiology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n86da3f1b
Charles,Kenerley,Professor,The long-term goal of my research program is to understand the interactions of Trichoderma species with pathogenic fungi as well as plant hosts to promote crop protection.,Professor,Plant Pathology and Microbiology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n8f925111
Terje,Raudsepp,Professor,"Comparative genomics and molecular cytogenetics of animals, birds and other vertebrates organization, function and evolution of sex chromosomes; equine genomics - genomics of genetic diseases and disorders of sexual development and reproduction; alpaca and camelid genomics.",Professor,Veterinary Integrative Biosciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n970d3a82
Jeetain,Mittal,Professor,Dr. Mittal's research focuses on biomolecular self-assembly processes with a specialization in protein phase separation and nanoparticle superlattice design.,Professor,Artie Mcferrin Department of Chemical En,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n9c511486
Karen-Beth,Scholthof,Professor,"My molecular plant virology research is on a virus complex of Panicum mosaic virus (PMV) and its satellite virus (SPMV). For molecular genetic studies on the PMV/SPMV virus:host interactions we are using the model grass, Brachypodium distachyon. My primary area of research is the historiography of Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) in the early 20th century in the United States.",Professor,Plant Pathology and Microbiology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/na173b2b4
Patrick,Stover,Vice Chancellor and Dean,,Professor||Vice Chancellor and Dean,College of Agriculture and Life Sciences||Nutrition,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/na2e4838e
Frank,Raushel,Distinguished Professor,"Enzymes catalyze a remarkable variety of chemical reactions with extremely high rate enhancements and very selective substrate specificity. The research efforts in our laboratory are directed towards a more complete understanding of the fundamental principles involved in enzyme-catalyzed chemistry and the dependence on protein structure. The pursuit of this information will provide the framework for the rational and combinatorial redesign of these complex molecules in an effort to exploit and develop the properties of enzyme active sites for a variety of chemical, biological, and medicinal uses. The techniques that we are using to solve these problems include steady-state and stopped-flow kinetics, NMR and EPR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and the synthesis of inhibitors and suicide substrates. We are also using recombinant DNA methods to construct new proteins with novel catalytic properties. These efforts are currently being directed to the reactions catalyzed by phosphotriesterase and enzymes involves in the degradation of lignin and the metabolism of novel carbohydrates from the human gut microbiome.
The phosphotriesterase enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of organophosphate insecticides and other toxic organophosphate nerve agents. We have discovered that the active site of this protein consists of a unique binuclear metal center for the activation of water. We are now investigating the structure and properties of this metal center as a model system for the evolution of enzyme structure and function. Toward this end we have mutated the active site of this enzyme in a research project to create novel enzymes with the ability to detect, destroy, and detoxify various chemical warfare agents such as sarin, soman, and VX. The Raushel laboratory is also engaged in a large scale research project that is focused on the development of novel strategies for the discovery of new enzymes.",Distinguished Professor,Chemistry,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/na84f2fec
Aaron,Tarone,Professor,"The Tarone laboratory is interested in factors that lead to local adaptations of fly development times and body sizes. These traits are influenced by numerous genetic and environmental factors. They are also ecologically important life history traits for any organism and are frequently found to be under differential selection across populations of numerous fly species. Accordingly, there are many applied and theoretical reasons for dissecting the causes of variation in these phenotypes in flies that influence human activities.",Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nae6767b7
Stephen,Safe,Distinguished Professor,The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a nuclear helix-loop-helix transcription factor which forms a ligand-induced nuclear heterodimer with the AhR nuclear translocator (Arnt) protein. Research in this laboratory is focused on the molecular mechanism of crosstalk between the AhR and estrogen receptor (ER) signaling pathways in which the AhR inhibits estrogen-induced gene expression. The antiestrogenic activities of some AhR agonists are also being developed as drugs for clinical treatment of breast and endometrial cancers in women. Research on estrogen-dependent gene expression in various cancer cell lines is focused on analysis of several gene promoters to determine the mechanisms of ERa and ERb action. This includes several genes that are activated through interactions of the ER with Sp1 protein and other DNA-bound transcription factors.,Distinguished Professor||Distinguished Professor||Syd Kyle Chair,School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences||Biochemistry and Biophysics||Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nb20fdbd9
Rainer,Amon,Professor,,Professor,Marine Sciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nb4b1ebd8
Mariana,Mateos,Associate Professor,,Associate Professor,"Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management||Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences",https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nb7331dd1
Pete,Teel,Regents Professor,"Biology, ecology and management of ticks associated with humans, livestock, wildlife and companion animals.",Professor and Associate Department Head,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nc6ba6feb
Sakiko,Okumoto,Associate Professor,"The overall goal of my research is to understand how nitrogen (N), quantitatively the most important nutrient in crops, is managed in plants. Specifically, my research aims at how amino acids, one of the main forms of organic N in plant body, is transported. In order to study such mechanisms in detail, we have developed protein-based, fluorescent sensors that allow us to track amino acids in live cells. We utilize these sensors to discover novel molecular mechanisms that are involved in the regulation of amino acids. We are currently interrogating the processes in which amino acid exporters are involved in, using various genetic resources such as T-DNA insertion mutants and gene editing tools. We are also interested in developing novel sensors for other biologically important molecules.",Associate Professor,Soil and Crop Sciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nc97dd3d8
Rodolfo,Cardoso,Assistant Professor,Dr. Cardoso's research interests focus on understanding the impact of the prenatal and early postnatal environments on reproductive neuroendocrine function in females using sheep and cattle as animal models to benefit both the livestock industry as well as human reproductive health. The Cardoso Lab integrates whole animal physiology with cellular and molecular biology to elucidate the mechanisms by which the perinatal environment can modulate several reproductive processes in the offspring. Dr. Cardoso's teaching interests range from practical reproductive management of livestock to advanced reproductive neuroendocrinology.,Assistant Professor,Animal Science,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nd8c042ef
Sarah,Hamer,Professor,,Professor,Veterinary Integrative Biosciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/ndc2c4e3e
Deborah,Siegele,Associate Professor,"Phenotypes are observable characteristics of an organism that result from the expression of a particular genotype in a particular environment. Examples of phenotypic traits in microbes are motility, sporulation, ability to perform anaerobic respiration, and resistance/sensitivity to an antibiotic.
Until recently, phenotypic information has been captured as free text descriptions in research papers. Ambiguities in natural language confound attempts to retrieve information across sources. For example, ""serotype"" and ""serovar"" both refer to the same phenotype, but a simple text-based query with either word alone would miss the other. Or a single term, such as ""sporulation"" is used to refer to multiple, distinct processes in different organisms. Issues such as these hamper the ability to integrate different phenotypic data sets for the same organism or to use phenotypic information in one organism to predict possible phenotypes in another organism. Ideally, phenotype information should be stored in a consistent, computable format for ease of data integration and mining.
Controlled vocabularies are used to provide both consistent terminology and a structured data format for the capture of biological information. Ontologies are controlled vocabularies of defined terms with unique identifiers and precise relationships to each other. There are phenotype ontologies available for many eukaryotic organisms, including fungi. However, when the OMP project was initiated, none of the existing ontologies was appropriate to comprehensively capture phenotypes for Bacteria or Archaea or to enable comparisons across microbial taxa.
The Siegele lab and our collaborators at TAMU and the Univ. of Maryland (IGS) are developing a formal Ontology of Microbial Phenotypes (OMP). Our lab is focused on term development and annotating microbial phenotypes. OMP can be accessed at microbialphenotypes.org. Releases of OMP are available at github.com/microbialphenotypes.",Associate Professor,Biology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/ne333d587
Hays,Rye,Associate Professor,"A fundamental principle of biology is the use of chemical energy in the form of ATP to assemble, disassemble and alter macromolecular structure. Specialized control proteins known as molecular chaperones are often responsible for this activity and have been recognized in recent years to be essential for regulating many aspects of cellular biology. Using a variety of biophysical and biochemical techniques, the Rye lab focuses on three fundamental cellular processes that require molecular chaperones: (1) protein folding (2) protein disaggregation and (3) vesicle trafficking. In each of these cases, large quantities ATP are burned, resulting in molecular organization in the case of protein folding, and molecular disassembly and remodeling in the case of protein disaggregation and vesicle trafficking. We are interested in understanding the detailed biophysical mechanisms that underpin these events. Why are these processes so energetically expensive? Are there any similarities in how the energy is used between these very different molecular processes? Are there general principles of energy transduction in biology that can be gleaned by comparing these examples with other molecular machines, such as cytoskeletal motors? Understanding how molecular chaperones control protein and membrane organization will provide key insights into not only basic cell biology, but will also illuminate aspects of many diseases that spring from aberrant protein and membrane dynamics.",Associate Professor,Biochemistry and Biophysics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/ne7fb85e1
Jeffery,Tomberlin,Professor,"My areas of interest and expertise are the ecology and biology of flies associated with decomposing matter. Primarily, my research falls into two categories, 1) determine proper methods for suppressing fly populations associated with animal waste on confined animal facilities, 2) understanding the biology of insects that colonize human remains in order to assist law enforcement personnel in estimating the time of colonization of a corpse in order to provide a minimum postmortem interval.",Associate Professor,Entomology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/ne8fb4d5b
Ryland,Young,Professor,"Most bacterial viruses (phages) cause lysis of their host cell to release the progeny virions. Large phages elaborate an enzyme (""endolysin"") to degrade the cell wall and also a small membrane protein (""holin""). The holin accumulates in the membrane and then, at a precisely scheduled time, suddenly forms a hole to allow release of endolysin through the cytoplasmic membrane to gain access to the wall. We use molecular genetics and biochemistry to study how this small protein is able to act as a molecular ""clock"" and punch holes in membranes. Small phages make single proteins which cause host lysis in a different way. This strategy is to target the host cell wall synthesis machinery; that is, the virus makes a ""protein antibiotic"" that causes lysis in the same way as antibiotics like penicillin by inhibiting an enzyme in the multi-step pathway of murein biosynthesis. Thus, when the infected cell tries to divide, it blows up, or lyses, because it can't make the new cell wall between the daughter cells. Remarkably, each of three different, small phages blocks a different step in the pathway. These small lysis proteins are models for a completely new class of antibacterial antibiotics. Also, the E. coli SlyD protein is required for this mode of lysis in one case. SlyD is a member of an ubiquitous family of proteins related to human ""immunophilins,"" the targets of immune-suppression drugs. We study SlyD to learn about the role of this class of proteins in biology.",Professor,Biochemistry and Biophysics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nea775348
John,Mullet,Professor,"Functional genomics, bioinformatics, and DNA chip technology are fundamentally changing research on biological systems. Knowledge of complete genome sequences and high resolution genome technology provide an extraordinary opportunity to understand complex biological processes and to relate detailed understanding of protein structure and biochemical mechanism to the function of whole organisms and biological systems in nature.
Our research team is helping to build genome maps and DNA diagnostic microarrays/chips for analysis of global gene expression and biodiversity. This new technology is being used to explore the molecular basis of several fundamental plant responses: (1) light responsive genetic systems that help protect plants from damage by high intensity UV/blue light; (2) genetic systems that allow plants to adapt to the environment; (3) genes and signal transduction pathways that help protect plants from insects and disease; and (4) genes that regulate plant development (flowering time, fertility restoration, chloroplast development/number).",Professor,Biochemistry and Biophysics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nf1c81fcb
Randall,Davis,Regents Professor,"Randall William Davis is an educator and researcher who studies the physiology and behavioral ecology of marine mammals and other aquatic vertebrates. His physiological research focuses on adaptations of marine mammals for deep, prolonged diving. Davis has continually emphasized the importance of studying aquatic animals in their natural environment and has spent many years developing animal-borne instruments that record video and monitor three-dimensional movements, swimming performance and environmental variables to better understand their behavior and ecology. His academic endeavors and 100 research expeditions have taken him to 65 countries and territories on seven continents and all of the world's oceans.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randall_William_Davis",Regents Professor||Regents Professor,"Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management||Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences||Marine Biology",https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nf5158696
Darwin,Prockop,Professor,,Professor,Cell Biology and Genetics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nfcfd0990
Magnus,Hook,Professor,"The primary interest of our laboratory is to try to understand the structural function of the extracellular matrix. Of particular interest is the study of the molecular mechanisms of microbial adhesion to host tissue. This process, which is believed to represent a critical initial step in the development of infections, involves specific cell-surface proteins that recognize and bind with a high affinity to components in the host tissue. Our goal is to decipher these events at a molecular level and, based on structural analysis of the interacting components, design new strategies to prevent and treat infections.",Regents & Distinguished Professor and Director,Center for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nfd8d37d6
Matthew,Sachs,Professor,"Understanding the mechanisms by which upstream open reading frames (uORFs) in mRNA transcripts control gene expression is currently the major focus of my laboratory. A substantial component of this work is focused on the uORF-encoded fungal arginine attenuator peptide (AAP). The major goal of this work is to understand the mechanism by which a nascent peptide encoded by this uORF controls the movement of ribosomes on mRNA and regulates gene expression. Control mechanisms mediated by uORFs and nascent peptides exist in mammals, fungi, plants, viruses, and bacteria, but relatively little is known of the molecular details of such control. The AAP is encoded by a uORF in the 5?-leader regions of mRNAs specifying the first enzyme in fungal arginine (Arg) biosynthesis. Synthesis of the AAP rapidly reduces gene expression in response to Arg. AAP-mediated regulation is observed in vivo in both Neurospora crassa and Saccharomyces cerevisiae and in vitro, using fungal, plant and animal extracts. The nascent AAP causes the ribosome to stall when the concentration of Arg is high.",Professor,Biology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nfe74574c
David,Stelly,Professor,"My scientific research, graduate and post-graduate programs employs multi-disciplinary approaches to conduct and study use of naturally occurring germplasm for crop improvement. Elements of the research include wild-species germplasm introgression, chromosome substitution, reproductive and ploidy manipulations, conventional cytogenetics and fluorescence in situ hybridization, genetic analysis, DNA marker and assay (SNP) development, marker assisted selection, reproductive cytology and genetics, and various types of genome mapping, sequencing, and their integration for genome sequencing and assembly. Most of my research aims to enhance the germplasm, knowledge, science and technologies for genetic improvement Upland cotton, e.g., economic yield and sustainability; some, however, is devoted to sorghum and peanut, especially wide hybridization and germplasm utilization.",Professor||Chair,Soil and Crop Sciences||Molecular and Environmental Plant Sciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nfec36db0