BIOLOGY
Principles of Biology
Biology of the Birds
Environmental Science
General Zoology
Introductory Botany
Genetics
Biology of Mammals
Invertebrate Zoology
Field Botany
Microbiology
Animal Behavior
Cell Physiology
Human Genetics
Mammalian Anatomy
Pathophysiology
Biochemistry
Immunology
Animal Development
Histology
Vertebrate Physiology
Plant Physiology
Parasitology
Ecology
Molecular Genetics
Biology Seminar
Special Topics
Independent Study
Field Study
Honors
Collier Hall of Science offers students excellent
facilities and equipment, including individual research laboratories,
animal rooms, salt-water aquaria, a greenhouse, radioisotope instrumentation,
inverted, epifluorescence, and phase contrast microscopes, fraction
collectors, BOD and carbon dioxide incubators, specialized equipment
for molecular biological research such as a PCR thermocycler and
DNA-sequencing apparatus, gas chromatographs, physiology instrumentation,
a chemostat, high-speed centrifuges, electrophoresis and chromatography
equipment, specialized spectrophotometers, photomicroscopy and
digital imaging equipment, and walk-in cold rooms. Many of the
department’s instruments are interfaced to computers for automated
data collection and analysis. The Life Sciences Resource Center
houses networked computers for student use, as well as biology-related
books, periodicals, pamphlets, and career information.
Many majors work with faculty members on independent
study or Honors research projects. More than 50 percent of Moravian
biology majors go on to graduate or professional schools, with
a greater than 90 percent success rate for medical, dental, and
veterinary school placement. Internships at such off-campus sites
as veterinary hospitals, pharmaceutical laboratories, and zoos
are available. Some students have gained valuable professional
experience during the summer at such places as the Smithsonian
Institution studying fossil invertebrates. Other students have
done internships in plant ecology at Great Smoky Mountains National
Park, studied sea turtles in Florida, assisted on a research project
in breast cancer at the Fox Chase Cancer Center, and worked in
molecular biology laboratories at Princeton University and the
Mayo Clinic. Many alumni have gone on to distinguished careers
as physicians, faculty members, and executives of large corporations
and research institutes.
| JOHN
M. BEVINGTON |
| Professor of Biology |
| EDUCATION:
A.B., Indiana State University; M.S., Ph.D., Purdue University |
| INTERESTS:
Plant physiology. Dr. Bevington has received two Research
Corporation grants and a National Science Foundation grant
to conduct research on environmental control of dormancy.
He has published articles in the American Journal of Botany
and Plant Physiology. |
| |
| CECILIA
M. FOX |
| Associate Professor of Biology |
| EDUCATION:
B.S., Manhattan College; Ph.D., University of Kentucky |
| INTERESTS:
Neurobiology of aging, Neuroprotection of the nigrostriatal
pathway; Dr. Fox investigates the protective effects of antioxidants
such as a-tocopherol and selenium in animal models of Parkinson's
disease. She is a member of the Society of Neuroscience, Council
on Undergraduate Research, Sigma Xi and Pennsylvania Academy
of Science. She has published articles in the journals Brain
Research and Journal of Neuroscience. She has also contributed
to the text Neuroscience for Rehabilitation. |
| |
| DIANE
WHITE HUSIC |
| Professor of Biology, Chair of
the Department of Biology |
| EDUCATION:
B.S., Northern Michigan University; Ph.D.; Michigan State
Uiversity |
| INTERESTS:
Biochemistry of photorespiration in the unicellular eukaryotic
alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii; phylogenetic relationships
between alpha-hydroxy acid metabolizing enzymes; regulation
of chloroplast gene expression; the social impact of science
and technology; and ethical considerations associated with
science, technology, and the environment. Dr. Husic is a councilor
in the Chemistry Division of the Council on Undergraduate
Research and involved with special projects with the NCAA.
Her research is currently supported through grants from the
Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation and the NSF-Undergraduate
Research Centers program. Recent publications can be found
in Reviews in Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology (2002)
and at an undergraduate research summit (2003). |
| |
| CHRISTOPHER
J. JONES |
| Associate Professor of Biology |
| EDUCATION:
B.A., Haverford College; M.Phil. and Ph.D., Yale University
|
| INTERESTS:
Genetic and molecular bases of learning and memory. Dr. Jones
and his students are using the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster,
to investigate fundamental aspects of both learning and memory,
as well as the function of presenilin, a protein implicated
in Alzheimer’s disease. He has published articles in the journals
Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, Neuron,
Learning and Memory, and the Journal of Molecular
Biology. |
| |
| KAREN
KURVINK DE LAS CASAS |
| Associate Professor of Biology |
| EDUCATION:
B.A., Augustana College; M.S., Northwestern University; Ph.D.,
University of Minnesota |
| INTERESTS:
Human genetics. Dr. Kurvink’s primary interests are in the
areas of eucaryotic cytological and molecular genetics, with
particular attention to the nucleolar organizer region of
the human genome. Additional interests include chromosomal
modification related to malignant disease and environmental
exposure, genetic aspects of learning disabilities, and women’s
health issues, especially those related to menopause. |
| |
| FRANK
T. KUSERK |
| Professor of Biology |
| EDUCATION:
B.S., University of Notre Dame; Ph.D., University of Delaware |
| INTERESTS:
Microbial ecology, evolution, and animal behavior. Dr. Kuserk
and his students are currently conducting investigations on
the microbial populations of bog pitcher plants and on stream
macroinvertebrate communities. They have received research
grants from the National Science Foundation, the Pennsylvania
Academy of Science, and Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research
Society, and have presented their findings at state, national,
and international conferences. Dr. Kuserk has published articles
in Microbial Ecology, Canadian Journal of Fisheries
and Aquatic Sciences, Ecology, Journal of Protozoology,
and American Biology Teacher. |
| |
| FRANCES
J. IRISH |
| Visiting Assistant Professor of Biological
Sciences |
| EDUCATION:
Ph.D., Harvard University |
| INTERESTS:
|
Daniel Klem Jr., ornithology, animal behavior
Donald
Hosier
|
|
