EIU Department of Biological Sciences

Faculty Research Projects Involving Students

The Department of Biological Sciences maintains an active student research program that welcomes Biological Sciences Majors. A faculty – mentored student research project is an excellent way to prepare for a career, graduate school, and the pre-health professions. The Biological Sciences faculty are always looking for enthusiastic, motivated students to become involved in their research projects. 

Dr. Gary Bulla: Dr. Bulla's research focuses on mechanisms controlling mammalian gene expression and development, especially in the liver.  Three areas of interest include: 1) Activation and silencing of hepatic gene expression 2) Using whole genome profiling to identify master regulators responsible for driving liver function and 3)  identifying regulators of fibroblast identity.  His work has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

Dr. Thomas Canam:  Dr. Canam's research focuses on using plants for bioenergy and bioproduct applications. One aspect of his research involves using biotechnology to tailor plant traits for specific applications, such as bioethanol production.  He is also interested in using bacteria and fungi as pretreatment agents of agricultural residues destined for biomass-to-bioenergy processes, such as gasification. At EIU, his research will complement the numerous green energy initiatives on campus, including the Renewable Energy Center and the Center for Clean Energy Research and Education.

Dr. Barbara Carlsward: Dr. Carlsward’s research interests incorporate techniques of plant anatomy and molecular phylogenetics to study plant evolution. The primary goal of her research is to generate reliable hypotheses of evolution and then use these phylogenies as a foundation for studying character evolution of plant structure. Most of Dr. Carlsward’s research has focused on orchids.  Students interested in gaining hands-on experience with plant structure and evolutionary questions should contact Dr. Carlsward. While her foci are anatomy and phylogenetics, Dr. Carlsward also has experience with floristic projects as well as ethnobotany and could direct graduate research with students interested in any of these fields.

Dr. Robert Colombo: Dr. Colombo's research focuses on how fish populations respond to anthropogenic impacts.  Specifically, he is interested in the responses of native fishes to harvest, invasive species and habitat alterations.  Most of his research focuses on commercially or ecologically important species in lotic (flowing) water system.  

Dr. Eden Effert-Fanta:  Dr. Effert-Fanta's research focuses on understanding and mitigating human impacts on freshwater resources.  She conducts research across lakes, rivers, and streams, studying diverse taxa including algae, zooplankton, macroinvertebrates, and fishes. 

Dr. Amberleigh Henschen:  Dr. Henschen's research focuses on the variation in how individuals and populations of wild birds respond and adapt to novel pathogens, and how this variation affects reproductive success. In particular, she is interested in how immune response and physiological quality are related to male ornamentation in wild birds. She works in both the lab and the field and aim to interate questions about behavior, physiology, and genomics. 

Dr. Sanghoon Kang: Dr. Kang's  research focuses on the topics of ecology of microbial communities, aka microbiomes as they are measured by DNA sequencing.  His research lab works on environmental microbiome in an ecological context, i.e., the relationships with other biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem.  Currently, we are investagationg the structures,  dymanics and functions of the microbiomes of river systems, wastewater and urban aquatic ecosystems, and plant-soil system under a climate change scheme using metagenomics and metatranscriptiomics approaches along with bioinformatics and multivariate statistics. 

Dr. Zhiwei Liu: Dr. Liu's primary research interest is in the field of phylogenetic systematics, including revisionary work and discovery of new species, particularly of the cynipoid wasps (Insecta, Hymenoptera, Cynipoidea). In recent years, Dr. Liu has expanded his research interests to include related fields under the umbrella theme of evolution, including mating pattern and population structure of the American beaver, population genetics and conservation of red squirrels in Eastern Illinois, phenotypic plasticity and adaptation of grasshoppers, and diversity and evolution of Wolbachia associated with cynipid gall communities, and host plant mediated speciation in Cynipidae. 

Dr. Scott J. Meiners:  Dr. Meiners’ research interests generally revolve around factors that influence the dynamics and regeneration of plant communities, though he is interested in a wide variety of topics in community ecology . Most of this  research has been conducted in abandoned agricultural land and other disturbed areas. While not the most exotic of research sites, the abundance of these areas makes it an important part of our modern landscape. By understanding factors that influence the dynamics of vegetation change in these areas, we may be able to improve land management strategies and restoration efforts. Recently, his  research has expanded to include investigating chestnuts and hazelnuts as sustainable crops for Central Illinois as well as the ecology of riverine fish communities. 

Dr. Britto Nathan: Dr. Nathan's research centers around neuroscience with special interest in neurological diseases. His current research is aimed at understanding the pathological pathways that lead to death of brain cells in aging humans, and predisposes them to dementia such as Alzheimer's disease. A wide range of molecular, biochemical and cellular techniques are used in his laboratory.

Dr. Elizabeth Peterson: Dr. Peterson's research focuses on understanding how anthropogenic stressors impact behavioral responses and adaptive reproductive life history strategies important for fitness. Her research also explores using conservation behavior to develop management strategies that conserve species of conservation concern and endangered habitat.

Dr. Paul Switzer: Dr. Switzer's interests are in animal behavior and behavioral ecology. Currently, he is investigating (1) aggressive and territorial behavior; (2) the choice of roosting, foraging, and breeding habitat and (3) mating behavior under scramble competition. In particular, he is interested in how an individual's previous experience affects these aspects of its behavior. Although he works mostly with arthropods, he has studied a wide variety of taxa.  

Dr. Gordon Tucker: Dr. Tucker is a vascular plant systematist.  He has interest in trees and shrubs, sedges, and medicinal plants.

Dr. Elliott Zieman:  Dr Zieman's research focuses on disease ecology and host-parasite interactions of vector-borne parasites. He primarily studies the apicomplexan parasite Cytauxzoon felis which infects domestic cats and bobcats. In domestic cats, C. felis can cause severe illness which is often fatal. he also works with a variety of other emerging vector-borne parasites. This research typically involves molecular studies (DNA) and microscopic morphological analysis of these parasites.