Alejandro Barbieri, Associate Professor of Biology

Endocytosis and phagocytosis; intracellular transport; small GTP-ases and lipid kinases, membrane trafficking and signaling, neuron growth and maintenance, rab protein activation.

HLS 419B, (305) 348-7535 , barbieri@fiu.edu

Brad Bennett, Associate Professor of Biology

Ethnobotany in neotropic medicinal plants; Flora and vegetation dynamics of southern Florida sustainable use of forest resources.

HLS 319A (305) 348-3586, bennett@fiu.edu

Charles Bigger, Professor of Biology & Director of MBRS Program

Comparative Immunology, Invertebrate pathology and disease, Invertebrate cytology, Histocompatibility and population genetics, Environmental influences on immunity.

HLS 319C, (305) 348-3100, biggerc@fiu.edu

Richard Brinn, Lecturer, Lab Coordinator and Research Faculty of Biology

AC1 382 (BBC), (305) 919-5348, brinnr@fiu.edu

Deron Burkepile, Assistant Professor of Biology

Community Ecology, Biodiversity-Ecosystem Function, Grazing Ecosystems, Predator-prey interactions, Chemical Ecology

MS 359 (BBC), (305) 919-4017, deron.burkepile@fiu.edu

C. F. Chen, Associate Professor of Biology

Neurophysiologist.

OE 224, (305) 348-3509 , chencf@fiu.edu

Ligia Collado-Vides, Lecturer & Research Faculty of Biology

Tropical marine macroalgae ecology. Studies of macroalgae ecology in seagrass beds and coral reefs on the coasts of Florida and Mexican Caribbean.

OE 210, (305) 348-2274, colladol@fiu.edu

Laurel Collins, Associate Professor of Biology

I investigate environmental changes of the past and the extent to which they have affected evolution, including changes in evolutionary rates, communities, and organismal morphology. The originations and extinctions of fossil taxa and their ecology/paleoecology are used to identify evolutionary, paleoceanographic, paleoclimatic and tectonic trends through time.

PC 435, (305) 348-1732, collinsl@fiu.edu

Timothy Collins, Associate Professor of Biology

The application of molecular data to address systematic and evolutionary questions, particularly within the Mollusca.

HLS 319C, (305) 348-1730, collinst@fiu.edu

Maureen Donnelly, Professor of Biology & Associate Dean of CAS

Ecology and evolutionary biology of tropical amphibians and reptiles; declining amphibians in the Neotropics; restoration of alluvial forest in northeastern Costa Rica .

ECS 476, (305) 348-1235, donnelly@fiu.edu

Kenneth Feeley, Assistant Professor of Biology and the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Plant conservation biology, impacts of human disturbances such as climate change and deforestation on tropical forests worldwide, tropical montane cloud forests in Peru and their responses to global change.

OE 238, (305) 348-7316,kfeeley@fiu.edu

Jim Fourqurean, Professor of Biology

Biogeochemistry of the coastal ocean, Nutrient cycling in the marine environment , Primary productivity of aquatic systems; Seagrass physiological ecology, Ecosystem modeling.

ECS 114, (305) 348-4084, fourqure@fiu.edu

Javier Francisco-Ortega, Associate Professor of Biology

Origin and evolution of plant species from tropical and subtropical islands; Molecular markers in plant conservation, plant evolution and plant systematic studies; Molecular systematic studies with cycads and palms.

OE 242, (305) 348-2080, ortegaj@fiu.edu

Evelyn Gaiser, Associate Professor of Biology

Aquatic community ecology, algal biology, Everglades periphyton, Paleoecology of lakes and wetlands, Diatom taxonomy.

OE 211, (305) 348-6145, gaisere@fiu.edu

Miroslav Gantar, Lecturer & Research Faculty of Biology

Physiology and taxonomy of cyanobacteria; Isolation and culture collection of freshwater and marine cyanobacteria from Florida ; Screening cyanobacterial strains for biological activity – antibacterial, antialgal, and anticancer compounds; Bioassays for cyanobacterial toxins.

OE 208, (305) 348-4030, gantarm@fiu.edu

Walter Goldberg, Professor of Biology

Coral biology, especially cell biology and skeletogenesis; selected aspects of coral reef ecology.

OE 229, (305) 348-3659, goldber@fiu.edu

Jim Heffernan, Assistant Professor of Biology and SERC

Aquatic and wetland ecosystems; Disturbance ecology, regime shifts, and multiple-state ecosystems; Ecohydrology; Landscape ecology and self-organized of patterning; Nutrient enrichment and biogeochemistry of aquatic ecosystems; Effects of vegetation on geomorphic and hydrologic processes; Adaptive management and urban ecology.

OE 236, (305) 348-3101, jjheffer@fiu.edu

Michael Heithaus, Associate Professor of Biology & Director of School of the Environment and Society (SEAS)

Behavioral ecology, anti-predator behavior, community consequences of behavioral decisions, behavior and ecology of marine mammals, elasmobranch fishes, and sea turtles.

MS 358 (BBC), (305) 919-5234, heithaus@fiu.edu

Leung Kim, Assistant Professor of Biology

We are studying multicellular development and eukaryotic chemotaxis using Dictyostelium as a model organism. Research focus is on the mechanism of Cell Fate Decision by GSK3, PP2A/ B56/PTPA, ZAK and the regulation of Eukaryotic Chemotaxis by regulation of phosphoinositol-(3,4,5)-triphosphate (PIP3).

HLS 218C, (305) 348-7315, kiml@fiu.edu

Suzanne Koptur, Professor of Biology

Plant-herbivore interactions and pollination; Extrafloral nectary-mediated interactions between insects and plants.

OE 232, (305) 348-3103, kopturs@fiu.edu

Lidia Kos, Associate Professor of Biology & Graduate Program Director

Mammalian embryonic development, mouse molecular genetics.

HLS 219A, (305) 348-6678, kosl@fiu.edu

Craig Layman, Assistant Professor of Biology

Sub-tropical Caribbean estuaries and floodplain rivers of Venezuela

MS 355 (BBC), (305) 919-4000, laymanc@fiu.edu

David Lee, Professor of Biology

Evolution and adaptation in tropical forest plants, functional ecology; tropical forest ecology, especially India and Southeast Asia ; Adaptations to extreme shade; leaf optical properties.

HLS 318B, (305) 348-3111, leed@fiu.edu

John Makemson, Professor of Biology & Undergarduate Program Director

Marine bioluminescent bacteria and their ecology, physiology and luciferase kinetics; particularly their life in fish guts, feces and seawater. The evolution of luciferase kinetic classes and arginine regulation of luciferase synthesis (lux operon).

OE 246/247, (305) 348-3097, makemson@fiu.edu

DeEtta Kay Mills, Lecturer & Research Faculty of Biology

Microbial community analyses of bacteria, archaea, fungi, nematodes in agricultural soil, sediments and other model systems using molecular  profiling techniques 

Non-human DNA typing in equine, plants, canine, hallucinogenic mushrooms, and avian model systems using molecular profiling techniques

HLS 418B, (305) 348-7410, millsd@fiu.edu

Kenneth Murray, Assistant Professor of Biology

Molecular Virology, Double-stranded (ds) RNA virology, Virus:host interactions, Viral genome replication, Viral translation initiation strategies, and Viral oncolysis.

HLS 319B, (305) 348-7318, kmurray@fiu.edu

Fernando Noriega, Associate Professor of Biology

My research combines physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genomics and proteomics to study mosquito’s physiological processes such as digestion, activity of the endocrine system and hormonal and nutritional regulation of gene expression. Currently the main focus of our research is the molecular bases of the nutritional regulation of juvenile hormone synthesis in mosquitoes. I am also interested on thermoregulation and taxonomic studies of cicadas.

HLS 218B, (305) 348-6632, noriegaf@fiu.edu

Steven Oberbauer, Professor of Biology

Plant physiological ecology, photosynthesis and cell-water relations of tropical forest and arctic tundra plants, effects of climate change on plants and ecosystems.

HLS 218A, (305) 348-2580, oberbaue@fiu.edu

Thomas Pitzer, Instructor of Biology

Biology Laboratory Coordination. Coordinator of General Biology I and II lectures and lab. Teaching Assistant Coordinator.

OE 273, (305) 348-1224, pitzert@fiu.edu

Jennifer Richards, Professor of Biology

Ecology of aquatic macrophytes in the Everglades ; Evolution of plant mating systems.

OE 233, (305) 348-3102, richards@fiu.edu

Laurie Richardson, Chairperson & Professor of Biology

The biology, ecology and etiology of coral diseases, including identification and characterization of coral microbial pathogens, and the effects of coral disease on the reef.

OE 167, (305) 348-1988, richardl@fiu.edu

Gene Rosenberg, Associate Chairperson of Biology

Physiological and community ecology of marine macroalgae; Biogeography and floristics of marine macroalgae in Florida and the Caribbean .

OE 167C, (305) 348-1318, grosenbe@fiu.edu

Philip Stoddard, Professor of Biology

Animal communication from evolution to molecules, focusing on electric fish and songbirds (behavior, ecology, endocrinology, evolution, neurobiology, physiology).

HLS 219B, (305) 348-0378, stoddard@fiu.edu

Martin Tracey, Professor of Biology

Distribution of polymorphisms across populations/FST; Effects of flanking polymorphisms on mutation in STRs and mtDNA; Identity, parentage and mixture analysis.

OE 220, (305) 348-3514, traceym@fiu.edu

Joel Trexler, Professor of Biology & Marine Sciences Director

Population and Community Ecology; Life history patterns and phenotypic plasticity; Population Genetics and gene flow; Fish Ecology; Ecology of the Everglades .

OE 217, (305) 348-1966, trexlerj@fiu.edu

Rebecca Vega Thurber, Assistant Professor of Biology

MS 355 (BBC), (305) 919-4009, rlvega@fiu.edu

Eric Von Wettberg, Assistant Professor of Biology (Spring 2010)

Conservation Genetics.

Maureen Walter, Instructor of Biology

ACI 371 (BBC), (305) 919-5898, walterm@fiu.edu

Douglas Wartzok, Professor of Biology; Interim Provost & Executive VP for Academic Affairs

Behavioral and physiological ecology of marine mammals; sensory systems involved in under-ice navigation by seals; development of techniques to study marine mammals in their natural environment; psychophysiolgical studies of captive marine mammals.

PC 526, (305) 348-2151, wartzok@fiu.edu

Ophelia Weeks, Professor of Biology

Neuromuscular reinnervation/regeneration; neural-immune interactions; neurodegeneration/neuroprotection, using rodents as study models.

HLS 219C, (305) 348-3099, weekso@fiu.edu

Daniel Wescott, Lecturer of Biology

Skeletal biology, bioarchaeology, forensic osteological methods, human evolution, reconstruction of activity patterns, in past human populations, fromlong bone structure

OE 209, (305) 348-4028, dwescott@fiu.edu