Teaching Experience
ISC 201 Biotechnology
BSc 322 Principles of Cell Biology
BSc 450 Molecular Biology
IST 424 Environmental Risk Assessment
Master of Science Students
Joseph A. Kelly, (Committee member). Optimization of the Particle Bombardment Technique of Gene Insertion and Associated Wound Ethylene Response in Pisum sativum. (May 2004).
Bartholomew, Michael: (Chair). Selective Extraction of bio-active compounds from Plant Cell Cultures in a microgravity-based Hydrodynamic Focusing Bioreactor (HFB) (Thesis-In Progress)
Sherrine Ibrahim: (Chair). Gravistimulation of Pisum Sativum and expression of the cell membrane expansin proteins. Thesis Completed (July 2002).
Terri Holt, Thesis advisor. Regulation of gene expression in gravistimulated pea stems (Graduation date 2000)
Loretta Woolum. Co-Chairman. Systematics of Selected Populations of Acmella brachyglossa Cassini and A. radicans (Jacquin) Jansen var.radicans (Asteraceae) Using Morphometric and DNA Analysis (Graduation date Dec 1997).
Boyd Evans. Committee member. M.A. Oral Exam Defense. Graduated 1997.
T.D. Maize. Committee member. Thesis topic: Effects of Estrogen in a Place Preference Conditioning Paradigm Using Non-Sexual Social Interaction to Condition Female Rats (Graduated 1997).
Yaqun Bao. Committee member. Thesis topic: Medial preoptic area K-Opioid receptor involvement in control of FSH release in rats (Graduated 1996).
Eric Ewing. Committee member. Thesis topic: Morphometric Analysis and Comparisons of Electrophoretic Protein Profiles of Scutellaria ovata Hill (Lamiaceae) Complex in West Virginia, Virginia and Ohio with Emphasis on Shale Barren Taxa (Graduated 1996).
Lew Taylor, Committee member. Thesis topic: Evaluation of Soluble Apoplastic Cell Wall Proteins during Gravitropism in Etiolated Pea Stems (Graduated in 1996).
Candice Steed. Committee member. Thesis topic: Effects of gravistimulation and red light on ethylene biosynthesis and peroxidase and invertase levels in pea stems. (Graduated 1996).
Julie C. Hannah. Thesis advisor. Thesis topic: Characterization of molecular responses in Santalum album L. in response to drought and salt stress
(Graduated 1994).
Anthony B. Borda Jr. Committee member. Thesis topic: Utilization of Wood Duck nest boxes relative to cover-type classification, orientation, and mounting-type at the green bottom wildlife management area, West Virginia( Graduated 1994).
Undergraduate Research and Capstone Projects
Cassie York (Fall 05 – Spring 06) Biomass production in a Microgravity-based Hydrodynamic Focusing Bioreactor
Wesley Neal (Fall 05 – Spring 06) Optimizing Plant cell suspensions in a Microgravity-based Hydrodynamic Focusing Bioreactor
Kris Reynolds (Fall 05) Cell culture development.
Curtis Moriarty (Spring 04) Periwinkle Cell Culture and media development.
Mike Bartholomew (Fall 02): Plant Cell Culture growth in Microgravity-based Bioreactors.
Susan Hoppe (Spring 02): Photo-bioreactor Culture of Kantikari Plant Cells.
Nnamdi Dike (Fall 2001): Growth and Initiation of Kantikari Calli Cultures.
Nnamdi Dike (Spring 2002): Bioreactor culture of Sandalwood for aromatic compounds.
Dan Jackson (Summer 98): Research was conducted using scanning electron microscopy. Morphology of Sandalwood calli exposed to drought stress was studied.
David Deraimo (Fall 98, Capstone): Cell culture techniques for Masu (fishkill plant) were established. Partial characterization of natural products by GC-MS was undertaken.
Ryan Morrison (Fall 98, Capstone): Bioproduction of secondary metabolites from cell cultures of eucalytus was investigated. Clonal variants of eucalyptus cell cultures were identified.
Huang Ying (Spring 98): Bioremediation protocols were studied. Research also involved tissue culture of pine and sandalwood callus cultures.
Amy Grant (Spring 98 and Fall 98): Tissue culture of sandalwood and slash pine was conducted. The student was trained in aseptic techniques for cell culture. Photomixoptrophic sandalwood suspension cultures were developed.
David Deraimo (Fall 97): DNA isolation techniques from sandalwood. Protocols for isolation of DNA from cell cultures were developed. The student was trained in PCR and running of SDS-PAGE and agarose gels.
Jonathan Hisghmann (Fall 97): Cell biology multimedia presentation was developed. The Biology home page was developed.
Todd Arnott (Spring 97): The role of peroxidase during host-pathogen interaction was studied. Callose and peroxidase enzyme production was investigated.
Jonathan Hisghmann (Fall 96, Spring 97): Photomixotrophic cell lines of sandalwood were isolated from heterotrophic sandalwood callus tissue.
Jason Barnett (Spring 1994 to Spring 97). Molecular responses in sandalwood callus cultures in response to heat shock and drought stress. Results from this work were presented at the American Society of Southern Biologists , American Society of Plant Physiology and the West Virginia Academy of Science.
Three best paper awards at the WV Academy of Science (1995, 1996) and at the ASB (1997) were won by this student for excellent research work. This student was also recipient of NASA-EpSCor research grant and Sloan Foundation grant for undergraduate research. This student is now employed as a research scientist by Novartis which is the largest biotechnology company in the world.
John Campbell (Fall 94). Tissue culture techniques and media making.
The effects of varying concentrations of 2-4D on callus proliferation was studied.
James Marcum (Fall 94, Spring 95). Tissue culture of Panax Ginseng. Tissue culture of ginseng was accomplished. In Vitro production of secondary metabolites was investigated.
Ahmad Charkawi (Fall 1992, Spring 1993). Tissue culture of Eucalyptus and anthocyanin production was investigated.
Brain Greenley (Fall 1992, Spring 1993). Tissue Culture of Pinus elliotti was accomplished. Somatic embryogenesis by varying hormone concentration was studied.
Jason Barnett (Fall1993). Molecular responses in sandal callus in response to mycoplasma infection was investigated.
Cheryl Neace (Spring 1991). Clonal propagation of slash pine tissue was accomplished. The student has also gained knowledge on aseptic cell culturing techniques.
Julie Hannah (Fall 1991). Changes in protein patterns in callus cultures exposed to drought stress was investigated. This student upon completion of her undergraduate work has joined my lab for graduate study. She completed a master's thesis which is an extension of her undergraduate independent study. Results from this work were presented at the ASB and WV Academy of Science.
Doug Chambers (Spring 1990). The effect if heat shock on sandalwood callus was investigated. For the first time HSP proteins were characterized in the sandalwood calli cultures.
Brian Love (Fall 1990). Establishment of Panax Ginseng suspension cultures. Antihypertensive factors were investigated. Joint collaborative efforts with
Dr. McCumbee's Physiology lab were established.
Beth Pauley (Fall 1989). Tissue culture of slash pine and eucalyptus was undertaken. Somatic emryogenesis of slash pine by varying 2-4 D concentrations was studied.