Biology
Department

Education:

B.A. Tufts University 1961; MS Tufts University 1965; PhD Boston University marine Program 1974

Curriculum Vitae (pdf)

Courses Taught:

• Advanced Invertebrate Biology
• Biology of Animals
• Biology of Marine and Estuarine Organisms
• Biology of Organisms I and II
• Biology of Populations
• Biology of Plants
• Botany
• Contemporary Bioscience
• Environmental Physiology
• Environmental science
• Estuarine and Coastal Marine Biology for Pre-College Teachers
• Estuarine Dynamics
• Gas Chromatographic Techniques
• General Biology (for non- majors)
• Hazardous Waste and Chesapeake Bay Ecology
• Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology (non-majors)
• Invertebrate Physiology
• Invertebrate Zoology
• Issues in Human Ecology (non-majors)
• Principles of Biology I and II
• Physiology of Marine and Estuarine Organisms
• Physiology of Aquatic Animals
• Oceanographic Methods
• Tropical Marine Biology
• Tropical Ecology

Research Interests

My research interests are in the areas of environmental physiology and chemical ecology of tropical marine invertebrates.  My students and I are currently working on the chemistry and ecological significance of toxins produced by marine flatworms.  We are also investigating the chemistry and ecological significance of molecular communication in soft corals and zooanthids. The organisms we work with produce other secondary metabolites as well including un described antibiotics and neurotransmitters.  The projects in my lab, thus, lead to natural collaboration with Dr. Koch, Dr. Byrd, and Dr. Coughlin and their students working in the areas of natural product chemistry, microbiology, and neuro pharmacology respectively. In addition we also collaborate with Dr. Tanner on the chemical ecology of plant animal interactions.