Faculty and Staff Directory

"Cellulose is the fiber of human civilization."

Chandrashekhar P. Joshi

Department Chair and Professor, Biological Sciences
Affiliated Professor, SFRES

906-487-2738
cpjoshi@mtu.edu
Dow 741

Links of Interest

Research Interests: Biological Sciences

Plant Molecular Genetics

Areas of Expertise: Biology and Forestry

Cellulose and lignin biosynthesis in trees
Wood formation
Tree growth and development
Engineering trees
Forest bioinformatics

Tori Connors

Departmental Coordinator

906-487-1628
tconnors@mtu.edu
Dow 739

John J. Durocher

Associate Professor, Biological Sciences
Affiliated Associate Professor, Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology

906-487-1659
jjduroch@mtu.edu
Dow 735

Research Interests

Clinical and Applied Human Physiology
Autonomic Regulation of Arterial Blood Pressure
Metabolic Syndrome
Mindfulness and Cardiovascular Health
Physiological Responses to Stress and Exercise
Specificity of Exercise Testing and Prescription

Karyn Fay

Director, Medical Laboratory Science Program, Biological Sciences
Professor of Practice, Biological Sciences

906-487-2254
kafay@mtu.edu
Dow 734

Teaching Interests

Hematology
Immunohematology
Clinical Chemistry
Medical Laboratory Administration and Management
Medical Mycology/Virology

Paul D. Goetsch

Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences

906-487-1790
pdgoetsc@mtu.edu
Dow 502

Areas of Expertise

Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry
Genomics / Bioinformatics

Research Interests

Developmental Biology
Transcriptional Biology
Cancer Biology

Raquel Heitor

Office Assistant, Biological Sciences

906-487-2025
raheitor@mtu.edu
Dow 740

Erika I. Hersch-Green

Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences

906-487-3351
eherschg@mtu.edu
Dow 730

Links of Interest

Research Lab: Ecological and Evolutionary Genetics

Research Interests

Plant Evolutionary Ecology
Ecological Genetics
Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics

Casey J Huckins

Professor, Biological Sciences

906-487-2475
cjhuckin@mtu.edu
Dow 716, GLRC 112

Research Expertise

Ecology of lakes, streams, and their riparian interface with terrestrial systems
Fish ecology, biology, functional morphology
effects of land use on ecological systems
Biomonitoring for research and restoration
Effects of Invasive Species

Kelsey Johnson

MLS Clinical Practicum Coordinator

906-487-2120
kelseyj@mtu.edu
Dow 528

Teaching Interests

Clinical Practicum and Career Preparation Seminar
Medical Lab Instrumentation

Charles Kerfoot

Professor, Biological Sciences
Adjunct Professor, Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences

wkerfoot@mtu.edu
GLRC 305, office

Links of Interest

Keweenaw Buffalo Reef Project

Research Interests

Aquatic Ecology
Paleoecology

Marc Madigan

Academic Advisor, Biological Sciences

906-487-2546
mrmadiga@mtu.edu
Dow 733

Amy M Marcarelli

Associate Professor, Biological Sciences

906-487-2867
ammarcar@mtu.edu
Dow 727

Links of Interest

Research Interests

Limnology
Ecosystem Ecology of Streams and Rivers
Biogeochemistry

Brigitte Morin

Senior Lecturer, Biological Sciences

906-487-3373
bemorin@mtu.edu
736 Dow

Teaching Interests

Clinical Lab Techniques
Clinical Immunology and Serology
Human Anatomy and Physiology
Human Nutrition
Parasitology

Gord Paterson

Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences

906-487-1120
gpaterso@mtu.edu
GLRC 112

Areas of Expertise

Legacy and emerging pollutants
Ecotoxicology
Great Lakes fisheries
Multiple stressors
Fisheries bioenergetics

Research Interests

Using pollutants as ecological tracers
Overwintering bioaccumulation and bioamplification
Energy dynamics in Great Lakes food-webs
Energetic costs of multiple stressors

Guiliang Tang

Professor, Biological Sciences
Director and Advisor, Graduate Program

906-487-2174
gtang1@mtu.edu

Links of Interest

Specialties

Gene Silencing
RNA Interference (RNAi)
MicroRNA (miRNA)
RNA Silencing in Plant Germ Extract and Drosophila Embryo Lysate.
Fungal RNAi and microRNA
MicroRNA Technologies: Small Tandem Target mimic (STTM) and MicroRNA Array
Plant Electrophysiology in Plant microRNA STTM lines and Venus flytrap.

Xiaohu (Mark) Tang

Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences

906-487-3068
xiaohut@mtu.edu
Dow 505

Links

CV

Research Interests

Cancer Genetics and Metabolism
Mechanisms of Cancer Initiation and Progression
Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics
Interactions of Diet and Nutrition with Cancer

Xiaoqing Tang

Associate Professor, Biological Sciences

906-487-1872
xtang2@mtu.edu
Dow 533

Research Interests

Diabetes
Obesity
Insulin Production, Secretion, and Signaling
microRNA and Human Diseases (Diabetes, Cancers, etc.)
microRNA Technologies for Plants and Animals: Small Tandem Target Mimic (STTM) and MicroRNA Array

Stephen Techtmann

Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences

906-487-3250
smtechtm@mtu.edu
Dow 531

Research Interests

Environmental Microbiology
Next-generation sequencing technology and bioinformatics
Microbial physiology and biochemistry
Microbes as sensors for the environmental impacts of oil and gas production
Microbially-mediated remediation of crude oil contamination

Ebenezer Tumban

Associate Professor, Biological Sciences

906-487-2256
etumban@mtu.edu
Dow 430

Research Interests

Infectious diseases, human papillomaviruses
Virus-like particles, prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines
Vaccine formulations
Peptide mimotopes discovery

Travis R. Wakeham

Laboratory Supervisor/Instructor, Biological Sciences

906-487-3435
twakeham@mtu.edu
Dow 738

Teaching Interests

Anatomy and Physiology
Zoology

Thomas Werner

Associate Professor, Biological Sciences

906-487-1209
twerner@mtu.edu
Dow 523 (Use Dow 740 for shipping items)

Links of Interest

Lab website

Research Interests

Evolution
Genetics
Toxicology
Developmental Biology

Robert A Andersen

Adjunct Professor, Biological Sciences
Senior Research Scientist, University of Washington
Emeritus Director, Provasoli-Guillard National Center for Marine Algae and Microbiota (CCMP, now NCMA)

906-370-1886
raa48@uw.edu

Research Interests

Chrysophyte algae
Algal Systematics
Algal Culturing

Nancy A. Auer

Emeritus Research Professor, Biological Sciences

906-487-2353
naauer@mtu.edu
Dow 732

Links of Interest

Research Interests

Fish Biology
Zooplankton ecology
Limnology
Conservation Biology

Susan T. Bagley

Professor Emerita, Biological Sciences

stbagley@mtu.edu
Dow 715

Research Interests

Environmental Microbiology
Biofuels
Bioprocessing
Environmental Toxicology

Purnima Bandyopadhyay

Research Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
Adjunct Professor, Biological Sciences

906-487-2940
pbandyop@mtu.edu
Chem Sci 510C

Jennifer Becker

Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Affiliated Associate Professor, Biological Sciences

906-487-2942
jgbecker@mtu.edu
Dow 864

Links of Interest

Faculty Webpage

Teaching Interests

Water and wastewater treatment
Biological treatment processes

Research Interests

Bioremediation of Contaminated Groundwater Environments
Microbial Ecology and Kinetics of Chlorinated Aliphatic Solvent Biodegradation
Conversion of Organic Solid Wastes and Cellulosic Feedstocks to Electricity via Microbial Fuel Cells

Lanrong Bi

Associate Professor, Chemistry
Affiliated Associate Professor, Biological Sciences

906-487-1868
lanrong@mtu.edu
Chem Sci 620A

Research Interests

Chemical biology: development of novel molecular probes for DNA sequencing analysis and disease gene discovery
Medicinal chemistry: development of new imaging and therapeutic agents towards cancer and cardiovascular disease; Design and synthesis of novel prodrugs of peptides and peptide mimetics.

Colin N. Brooks

Adjunct Instructor, Biological Sciences
Transportation and UAS Program Leader, MTRI: Michigan Tech Research Institute

734-913-6858
Cell: 734-604-4196
cnbrooks@mtu.edu
Michigan Tech Research Institute, Ann Arbor, MI

Research Interests

Aquatic Ecology
Landscape Ecology
Invasive species mapping
Submerged aquatic vegetation monitoring
Applications of unmanned aerial systems
Assessment of transportation infrastructure condition using remote sensing
Automated road and bridge condition analysis
Multispectral sensing
3D data creation and analysis
GIS and remote sensing
Development and deployment of decision support systems
Land cover change mapping and monitoring

Eunice Carlson

Professor Emerita, Biological Sciences

ecarlson@mtu.edu

Research Interests

Microbiology
Virology
Mycology
Toxicology

Jason R. Carter

Associate Vice President for Research Development
Professor, Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology
Affiliated Professor, Biological Sciences, Cognitive and Learning Sciences

906-487-2994
jcarter@mtu.edu
ATDC 210

Links of Interest

Dr. Carter's Research

Research Interests

Autonomic and Cardiovascular Control in Humans
Neurovascular Responses to Mental Stress
Sleep and Autonomic Activity in Humans
Sex Differences and Sympathetic Activity
Aerobic and Anaerobic Balance in Elite Athletes

Qing-Hui Chen

Associate Professor, Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology
Affiliated Associate Professor, Biological Sciences
Affiliated Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering

906-487-1629
qinghuic@mtu.edu
SDC 231/Dow 407

Links of Interest

Research Interests

Cardiovascular physiology, neurophysiology and exercise science.
Neural mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders.
Neural mechanisms of exercise training in regulating autonomic and cardiovascular function.

Rupali Datta

Professor, Biological Sciences

906-487-1783
rupdatta@mtu.edu
Dow 530

Links of Interest

Personal Home Page

Specialties

Plant Biochemistry
Environmental Remediation
Plant-Microbe Interactions

Steven J. Elmer

Associate Professor, Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology
Affiliated Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
Affiliated Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics

906-487-2324
sjelmer@mtu.edu
SDC 121B

Research Interests

Physiology education
Neuromuscular function and dysfunction
Adaptations to eccentric exercise
Exercise-induced fatigue
Functional losses following injury
Cycling biomechanics

Janice Glime

Professor Emerita, Biological Sciences

jmglime@mtu.edu

Links of Interest

Janice Glime's Ebook on Bryophyte Ecology

Research Interests

Ecology
Bryology
Moss Gardening
Bog Ecology
Stream Biology
Stream Insect Ecology

Michael R. Gretz

Professor, Biological Sciences
Director, Chemical Advanced Resolution Methods Laboratory

906-487-3175
mrgretz@mtu.edu

Links of Interest

Research Interests

Algal Extracellular Polymers and Biocomposites - Regulation of Biogenesis

Caryn Heldt

James and Lorna Mack Chair in Bioengineering
Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering
Affiliated Associate Professor, Biological Sciences

906-487-1134
heldt@mtu.edu
Chem Sci 305B

Links of Interest

Heldt Bioseparations Lab

Research Interests

Bioseparations
Virus removal and detection
Biosensors

Martha Janners

Professor Emerita, Biological Sciences

myjanner@mtu.edu

Research Interests

Developmental and Cell Biology

Robert Keen

Adjunct Professor, Biological Sciences
Professor Emeritus

rekeen@mtu.edu

Research Interests

Limnology
Biostatistics
Computer Simulation
Invertebrate Zoology

Jill A. Olin

Research Scientist, Great Lakes Research Center
Adjunct Faculty, Biological Sciences

906-487-1121
jaolin@mtu.edu
GLRC 221

Areas of Interest

Ecology of aquatic systems
Fisheries science
Aquatic-terrestrial energy linkages
Dietary biomarkers (e.g., stable isotopes, fatty acids, compound-specific isotopes of AA and FA)
Trophic ecology of top predators in marine, estuarine and coastal communities
Predator-prey interactions

Research Interests

Understanding species- and food web-level responses to environmental stressors using combined dietary biomarker, ecological and modeling approaches
Evaluating distributional patterns of organisms and the mechanisms that drive these patterns
Using abundance and biomass estimates to quantify nekton communities
Quantifying the mechanisms and processes that structure food webs and ecosystems
Developing ecosystem models to evaluate the effect of environmental change

"Striving to better, oft we mar what's well"

Michael D.K. Owen

Adjunct Professor, Biological Sciences
Associate Chair, Agronomy Department (Iowa State University)

515-294-5936
Cell: 515-291-0260
mdowen@mtu.edu
3218 Agronomy Hall

Research Interests

Invasive plants
Herbicide resistance
Genetically modified crops
Gene introgression in plants

Dibyendu Sarkar

Adjunct Professor, Biological Sciences
Professor and Director, Sustainability Management Program
Stevens Institute of Technology

201-216-8028
dsarkar@stevens.edu

Links of Interest

Research Interests

Application of Low-Temperature Geochemistry and Biogeochemistry in Environmental Contamination Problems
Application of Biogeochemistry in Waste Recycling and Nutrient Management in Soils
Application of Soil Chemistry and Biology in Environmental Remediation Problems
Estimation of Ecological and Human Health Risk for Environmental Decision-Making

Eric Seagren, PE

Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Affiliated Professor, Biological Sciences

906-487-2614
eseagren@mtu.edu
Dow 859

Links of Interest

Faculty Webpage

Research Interests

Environmental biotechnology, including in situ bioremediation of contaminated subsurface environments, monitoring and evaluation of the performance of biological treatment processes, development of in situ biological treatment systems for urban storm water runoff, innovative reuse of waste materials, and in situ improvement of soils properties via microbially-mediated processes.