2008–2009 - Florida Institute of Technology

Department of BiologiCal SCienCeS
Mark B. Bush, Ph.D., Interim Head
Associate Department Heads
John G. Morris, Ph.D., Director of Graduate Programs
Richard L. Turner, Ph.D., Director of Undergraduate Programs
Degree Programs
Biochemistry, B.S.
Biological Sciences, B.S.
Options in:
Aquaculture
Ecology
General Biology
Marine Biology
Molecular Biology
Preprofessional Biology
Biological Sciences, M.S.
Options in:
Aquaculture
Biotechnology
Cell and Molecular Biology
Ecology
Marine Biology
Biological Sciences, Ph.D.
Undergraduate Minor Program
Biology
Professors
Mark B. Bush, Ph.D., paleoecology, biogeography, Amazonian speciation,
tropical conservation, wetland ecosystems.
Julia E. Grimwade, Ph.D., DNA replication, DNA-protein interaction,
bacterial cell cycle control, antibiotic discovery.
Alan C. Leonard, Ph.D., molecular biology, microbial growth control,
DNA replication, superhelicity and methylation as regulators of DNA
bioreactivity, DNA-protein interactions.
Junda Lin, Ph.D., molluscan and crustacean aquaculture, marine ecology.
Richard R. Sinden, Ph.D., molecular biology, biochemistry, DNA structure
and function.
Richard A. Tankersley, Ph.D., ecology, physiology and behavior of marine
and freshwater invertebrates.
Ralph G. Turingan, Ph.D., vertebrate functional morphology, community
structure of fishes, ecological morphology of feeding systems.
Robert van Woesik, Ph.D., population and community ecology of coral
reefs, emphasis on mechanisms underlying large scale patterns in coral
community structure and diversity.
Associate Professors
David J. Carroll, Ph.D., molecular basis of signal transduction at
fertilization.
Michael S. Grace, Ph.D., molecular control of photoreceptors in the retina
and nonretinal photoreceptors of the brain, pineal and parietal organ.
John G. Morris, Ph.D., population ecology of selected mammalian and
avian species, with emphasis on endangered species.
Charles D. Polson, Ph.D., application and development of biotechnology in
undergraduate education, nucleic acid analysis, electrophoretic separation.
Jonathan M. Shenker, Ph.D., finfish aquaculture, biology and ecology of
early life stages of fishes, environmental toxicology.
Richard L. Turner, Ph.D., reproduction and life histories of marine
organisms, physiological ecology of marine organisms, general biology of
echinoderms.
118 Florida Tech
Russell C. Weigel, Ph.D., plant physiology, plant tissue culture.
Shaohua Xu, Ph.D., protein structure, function and relationship to
osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s, molecular imaging, nanoscience.
Professors Emeriti
Arvind M. Dhople, Ph.D.; Charles E. Helmstetter, Ph.D.;
Gary N. Wells, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
Lisa K. Moore, Ph.D., gap junction signaling in the vertebrate retina.
Institutional Associate Faculty
M. Davis-Hodgkins, Ph.D.; M.D. Hanisak, Ph.D.; J.V. Lopez, Ph.D.;
R. Paperno, Ph.D.; M.A. Riche, Ph.D.; J. Scarpa, Ph.D.; H. Swain, Ph.D.
Overview
The biological sciences examine every aspect of living organisms,
from the biochemical reactions involved in supporting cellular
processes to the interaction of organisms with their environment.
Research is an integral part of the study of biological sciences,
and students are encouraged to participate in ongoing research
directed by departmental faculty. Each option allows research
courses to fulfill up to nine credit hours of restricted or free
elective credit.
Between the sophomore–junior and junior–senior years, students
can elect to participate in the summer field biology and ecology
program. Field biology courses serve as required courses in the
ecology option and can serve as restricted electives for various
programs. Students wishing to participate are encouraged to
consult with their advisers early during the academic year to
reserve places in the classes. Courses in the summer field program
are taught in Africa, Australia, the Bahamas, Costa Rica,
Jamaica and Peru; and in the United States, in the Appalachian
Mountains, Rocky Mountains, and the southwestern deserts.
uNDerGraDuate DeGree ProGrams
Bachelor of Science
Biochemistry ______________________________
Program Co-chairs
Michael W. Babich, Ph.D., Head, Department of Chemistry
Mark B. Bush, Ph.D., Interim Head, Department of Biological Sciences
Biochemists, in studying all kinds of living organisms including
viruses, bacteria, fungi, plants and animals (including humans),
have found that many of the fundamental biochemical properties
of living systems are shared throughout the hierarchy of life
forms. Because biochemists try to unravel the complex chemical
reactions that occur in such a wide variety of life forms, biochemistry
provides the basis for practical advances in medicine,
veterinary medicine, agriculture and biotechnology. Biochemistry
underlies and includes such exciting fields as molecular biology
and bioengineering. As the broadest of the basic sciences,
biochemistry includes many subspecialties, such as inorganic
biochemistry, bio-organic chemistry, physical biochemistry, biochemical
and molecular genetics, biomedical pharmacology and
immunochemistry. Recent advances in many areas of biochemistry
have created links among technology, chemical engineering
and biochemistry. More than ever, this is the age of biochemistry
because the techniques of so many different disciplines can now
be applied in studying the chemistry of living systems.