An Update for the FAU Life Science Community   |  July 22, 2019

This newsletter will highlight initiatives and activities in the Department of Biological Sciences. With 30 faculty distributed at three sites (Davie, Jupiter, and Boca Raton), we play a large role in the development of FAU's life sciences. Our faculty focus on three main research areas: environmental science, neuroscience, and marine science. In 2018, they published 91 papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals. The Biological Sciences Department has strong collaborations with local research institutions. We plan to cover various areas and geographic units as the stories emerge. Dr. Sarah L. Milton, Interim Chair

News

New Interim Chair of the Biology Department Dr. Sarah Milton has been appointed as the Interim Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences. Milton is currently an Associate Professor recently promoted to the rank of Professor beginning the 2019-20 academic year. Milton's research investigates physiological responses to environmental stress, primarily the effects of hypoxia and anoxia on the brain. While mammalian systems are highly sensitive to a lack of oxygen, certain animal models can withstand extended periods of complete anoxia (hours to days). Alternative animals models may thus allow the discovery of novel therapeutic targets to preserve cell function in the absence of oxygen and upon reperfusion, an additional period of great stress. Read more here .

New Associate Director of the Integrative Biology PhD Program Dr. Xing-Hai Zhang , Professor of Biology, has agreed to served as the Associate Director of the Integrative Biology (IB) PhD program. He is taking over the position from Dr. Sarah Milton, who is currently serving as the Interim Chair. Zhang has been serving the Biology Department in his role as the chair of the graduate student scholarship committee. In this new role, Zhang will also take over as the chair of the IB admissions committee. Zhang's research interests include photosynthesis and carbon dioxide effects, plant molecular biology and biotechnology, molecular ecology and genetics of invasive plants, and detection and treatment of citrus greening disease.

New AVP of Academic Affairs of the FAU Jupiter Campus Dr. Rod Murphey , Professor of Biology, has been appointed as the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs of FAU's Jupiter Campus. In this new position, he will be responsible for the management of all academic operations on the John D. MacArthur Campus in Jupiter. In addition to his strategic oversight of degree planning and enrollment growth he will also lead the rapidly-developing research enterprise in coordination with FAU’s Brain Institute, the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, and Scripps Research. "Dr. Murphey is distinctively prepared for this role, given his past service as director of neuroscience programs at FAU, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, the National Science Foundation, and the State University of New York-Albany." said Dr. Bret Danilowicz, FAU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Read more here .

Dr. Alex Keene Receives Researcher of the Year Award Dr. Alex Keene was recently awarded the 2019 Researcher of the Year Award at the Associate Professor level. The Division of Research gives these annual awards to honor excellence in sponsored and project-oriented research, with particular emphasis on externally funded research. Keene, whose lab is located on the FAU Jupiter campus, has been extremely successful attaining extramural funding to sponsor his research program. Keene uses two model organisms, the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster , and Mexican cavefish, to study how genes and neural circuits regulate behavior. Keene's group has close collaborations with fellow researchers Drs. Erik Duboué and Johanna Kowalko, collectively known as the Cavefish Tri-lab.

New Lionfish Exhibit at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center

Kate Galloway , Integrative Biology Ph.D. candidate who in the lab of Dr. Marianne Porter , worked with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Gumbo Limbo Nature Center to create an interactive lionfish wall exhibit. "You can feel the spines of a lionfish - we placed some spines in a resin cast. You can also see some lionfish that have been cleared and stained, so the fish no longer has any pigmentation and their bones are dyed and also illuminated so you can view the skeletal biology of the fish. It has been a long time in the making," said Galloway. Read more here .

Student Highlights

AOS and Sigma Xi Awards Morgan Slevin , an Integrative Biology PhD student, and Gillian Cannataro , an undergraduate researcher, both received prestigious research awards from the American Ornithological Society (AOS). Both Slevin and Cannataro work in the lab of Dr. Rindy Anderson . Read more here . Marine Biologist Podcast Boris Tezak , an Integrative Biology PhD candidate who works in the lab of Dr. Jeanette Wyneken , was featured in the So You Want to Be a Marine Biologist podcast series to discuss temperature sex determination in sea turtles. Listen here .

GPSA Research Day Biology graduate students swept awards at the 10 th Annual Graduate Research Day hosted by FAU's Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA). Congratulations to all the winners! Read more here . International Science Fair Hannah Herbst , a FAU High School dual-enrolled student who works in the lab of Dr. Marianne Porter , recently won $5,000 for first place in the translational medical science category at the 2019 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Read more here .

Student Spotlight Shakerra Bartley  graduated this past Fall 2018 semester with a BA in Biological Sciences in addition to a minor in Asian Studies and a certification in Global Leadership. She believes having a degree in biology offers the opportunity to pursue a career in a variety of professions. "One of the most impressionable faculty members I have ever had the opportunity to meet and learn from is Dr. Mary Jane Saunders . Dr. Saunders recommended me for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program and I am so grateful and fortunate that she saw potential in me to help me with my endeavors," said Bartley. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers fellowships to study, conduct research, and/or teach English abroad. As a Fulbright Scholar, Bartley will spend 13 months in South Korea. Her future goals are to acquire a Master’s in Public Health and create a cost-effective healthcare assistance program for under-resourced communities globally.

In the Media

Faculty Featured in Ask a Scientist

Rindy Anderson Dr. Rindy Anderson , Assistant Professor of Biology and behavioral ecologist, was featured in the eighth episode of the podcast series. Anderson studies the social behavior of songbirds, in particular the vocal signals of Bachman's sparrows. Listen here .  Stephen Kajiura Dr. Stephen Kajiura , Professor of Biology and shark researcher, was featured in the sixth episode of the podcast series. Kajiura studies the seasonal aggregations of black tip sharks that visit south Florida during the winter months. Listen here .

Kate Detwiler Dr. Kate Detwiler , Associate Professor and Biology graduate faculty member, was featured in the fifth episode of the podcast series. Detwiler studies monkeys in their natural habitat, specifically hybridization between different species of monkeys, in Gombe National Park, Africa. Listen  here .  Jeanette Wyneken Dr. Jeanette Wyneken , Professor of Biology, was featured in the third episode of the podcast series. Wyneken speaks about how the environment can impact sex determination of sea turtles and the research at the FAU Marine Lab at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center. Listen  here .

Recent Publications

Front. Cellular Neuroscience Tyrone Penserga , Integrative Biology PhD candidate who works in the lab of Dr. Tanja Godenschwege , recently published a paper with former lab mate Dr. Sirisha Kudumala entitled "A Role for Drosophila Amyloid Precursor Protein in Retrograde Trafficking of L1-Type Cell Adhesion Molecule Neuroglian." Read more here . JoVE The Cavefish Tri-Lab, located at the FAU Jupiter campus, has recently published a series of visual guides to study cavefish and zebrafish function and behavior in the Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE). This laboratory collaboration consists of Dr. Alex Keene , Dr. Erik Duboué , and Dr. Johanna Kowalko , who collectively use these model organisms to study how genes and neural circuits regulate behavior and respond to changes in the environment. Read more here .

Tolerance to Stress is a ‘Trade-off’ as Fruit Flies Age Dr. Stephanie Kelly , recent Integrative Biology program alumna who worked in the lab of  Dr. Ken Dawson-Scully , published a paper that uses the common fruit fly to provide insight into healthy aging by investigating the effects of a foraging gene on age and stress tolerance. "By understanding functional decline, we will be able to find biomarkers of aging and identify therapeutic interventions to counteract the deleterious effects of aging," said Dawson-Scully, Read more here .

FAU Social

Under the Sea Discoveries FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute researcher and Biology graduate program faculty member Dr. Shirley Pomponi , has made some interesting discoveries exploring our oceans. Oil Spill Impacts on Stingrays In 2010, the largest marine oil spill in history occurred. Nearly 5 million barrels of oil poured out into the Gulf of Mexico. Dr. Stephen Kajiura , Professor of Biology, has been researching the effects of oil spills on stingrays.

Where Are They Now?

Chelsea "Octo Girl" Bennice, Ph.D. Dr. Chelsea Bennice , Integrative Biology program alumna who worked in the laboratory of Dr. Randy Brooks , could be described as a real life “science mermaid.” While spending more than 400 hours underwater studying octopus behavior as part of her doctoral research, she learned how two octopus species utilize different resources to allow coexistence, something that had previously never been studied. Bennice developed a 24-hour camera to monitor the animals’ activity periods and discover how potential predators impact their behavior. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and featured in an episode of WPBT2 South Florida PBS Changing Seas "Beneath the Bridge" and Schoolyard Films Inc. "Octopus Superpowers." When she’s not underwater, she talks at local schools and community centers about marine biology to inspire people of all ages to explore and learn more about ocean creatures. She also participates in the Blue Heron Bridge Preservation Society. Bennice recently accepted a position at FAU Brain Institute’s ASCEND program and her next research project will be in collaboration with researchers at Nova Southeastern University, focusing on the identification of the octopus microbiome, the good bacterial community living on the octopus’s skin. "It has been my honor to advise Chelsea with her research,” said Dr. Brooks. “If I had to use three words to describe her, they would be committed, energetic and successful. I look forward to seeing what she will accomplish in the future." Read more here .

Meet the Davie Biology Office Staff

Sheryl van der Heiden , Coordinator for Research Programs and Services. Please contact Sheryl if you have questions about research on the Davie campus or need general assistance.   Cynthia Berman-Gruen , Environmental Science Master's Program Assistant. Please contact Cynthia if you have questions about the program or need secretarial and general support.

Cristina de la Rosa , Biology Laboratory Supervisor. Please contact Cristina if you have questions about or need suport in the coordination of Davie campus laboratory courses.  Lucetta Richards , Budget Coordinator. Please contact Lucetta if you have questions about contracts and grants for the Biology Department on the Davie and Boca Raton campuses.

The Biological Sciences Department staff is here to serve students, both majors and non-majors, across several colleges and campuses at FAU. We are always happy to assist as well as answer questions that you may have. For general information about the Biological Sciences Department on the Davie campus contact Cynthia at 954-236-1267 or cberman2@fau.edu.

To feature exciting news and accomplishments in this newsletter, please contact  Dr. Stacee Caplan at scaplan4@fau.edu.