Research in the Department of Biological Sciences

The Department of Biological Sciences supports a wide variety of internationally recognized research including strengths in molecular and cell biology; microbiology; ecology, evolution, behavior and conservation; physiology and neurobiology; and biotechnology. Faculty in the Department collaborate with other UWM departments, schools and colleges as well as national and international organizations to foster a multidisciplinary approach to complex projects. Funding sources include NSF, DOE, NIH, USDA and corporate partners.

Research Foci
Biotechnology
Keywords: novel pharmaceuticals, molecular biology tools, biofuels, enzymes, biodegradation and bioremediation
Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology
Keywords: Blood cytology, Mammalian cell biology, Cell-Mediated coagulation, Immunology, Evolution of Bacterial Bioluminescence, Plant cell development
Ecology, Evolution and Behavior
Keywords: Animal behavior, Aquatic biology, Plant systematics and evolution, Plant and algal ecophysiology, Plant community ecology, Pollination ecology, Plant development and regulation, Insect behavioral ecology, Parasitology
Keywords: microbial physiology; molecular microbiology; genetics; genomics; environmental microbiology; host/microbe interactions; nitrogen fixation; the molecular bases of motility, anaerobic respiration, and membrane assembly; and the production of proteins, antibiotics and other products in microbes
Keywords: Molecular signaling, Neural development, Neuroendocrinology, Neurobiology of learning and memory

Departmental Publications
Gifts, Grants and Contracts
Departmental Patents
Collins, M. L. P. and Y. Cheng. 2004 and 2005. Host/vector system for expression of membrane proteins. U.S. patents 6,680,179 and 6,951,741.

Collaborations
Forst, Steven; USDA sponsored grant for collaboration with Dr. Hanan El-Sadawy of the National Research Center in Cairo, Egypt. The project is designed to study novel antibiotic activity of Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus against pathogens of medical and veterinary importance.