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The Department of Biology offers students the opportunity to study the living world, from biomolecules to ecosystems. Knowledge of biology is critical for addressing current medical, environmental, and social issues in our rapidly changing world.

Biology Feature Story

Dr. Carrie Wu, Dr. Kristine Nolin, and three UR students have published "Convergence of glandular trichome morphology and chemistry in two montane monkeyflower (Mimulus, Phrymaceae) species” in the journal Flora.

Bustamante Eguiguren S, H Nguyen, A Caldwell, KA Nolin, and CA Wu. 2020. Convergence of glandular trichome morphology and chemistry in two montane monkeyflower (Mimulus, Phrymaceae) species. Flora 265: 151567.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0367253020300311

 

 

2022 Student Award Winners

Congratulations to the following student award winners!

  • Willie M. Reams Award in Biology: Kristen Starks
  • Clarence Denoon Award: Carolyn Falco
  • Cole Memorial Scholarship Award: Dominique Pham
  • John Neasmith Dickinson Memorial Research Award: Dominique Pham
  • Robert F. Smart Award in Biology: London Nemmers, Daniel Frascella, Aelan Snyder, Mir Kim,
    Jean Patrick Gonzales, Daniel Larson, Betty Duan, Andrew Cook
  • Department of Biology Service Award: Lauren Stenson
  • Department of Biology Teaching Assistant Award: Sophia Jackson
  • Department of Biology Junior Research Award: Dominique Pham
  • Department of Biology Senior Research Award: Jean Patrick Gonzales
  • Department of Biology Junior Achievement Award: Narmeen Rashid
  • Department of Biology Senior Achievement Award: Anna Frisbie

Faculty Highlights

  • Brinkerhoff Awarded
    Brinkerhoff Awarded

    Jory Brinkerhoff, associate professor of biology, was named a 2022 recipient of the University’s Distinguished Scholarship Award at the annual Colloquy celebration.
  • Hilliker Awarded
    Hilliker Awarded

    Angie Hilliker, associate professor of biology, was named a 2022 recipient of the University’s Distinguished Educator Award at the annual Colloquy celebration.
  • Grayson Awarded
    Grayson Awarded

    Kristine Grayson, associate professor of biology, has been awarded $116,800 from the United States Department of Agriculture - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for “Research and Development on a Rearing System for Emerald Ash Borer.” This is the Grayson's fourth year of funding. 
  • Grayson & UR Colleagues Published
    Grayson & UR Colleagues Published

    Kristine Grayson, associate professor of biology, along with colleagues Angie Hilliker, associate professor of biology, and Joanna Wares, associate professor of mathematics and chair of the Department of Mathematics, published the article, "R Markdown as a Dynamic Interface for Teaching: Modules from Math and Biology Classrooms," in Mathematical Biosciences.
  • Hilliker & UR Colleagues Published
    Hilliker & UR Colleagues Published

    Angie Hilliker, associate professor of biology, along with colleagues Kristine Grayson, associate professor of biology, and Joanna Wares, associate professor of mathematics and chair of the Department of Mathematics, published the article, "R Markdown as a Dynamic Interface for Teaching: Modules from Math and Biology Classrooms," in Mathematical Biosciences.
  • Pierce, Norris, and Undergraduates Published
    Pierce, Norris, and Undergraduates Published

    B. Daniel Pierce, assistant professor of biology, and Michael Norris, assistant professor of chemistry, along with undergraduate students and former students, published "Mechanistic Analysis of the VirA Sensor Kinase in Agrobacterium tumefaciens Using Structural Models," in Frontiers in Microbiology.
  • Erickson Awarded NIH Grant
    Erickson Awarded NIH Grant

    Priscilla Erickson, assistant professor of biology, has been awarded a National Institutes of Health Research Enhancement Award for her research on an invasive fruit fly. Read more.
  • Lookingbill Published
    Lookingbill Published

    Todd Lookingbill, associate professor of geography, environmental studies, and biology, published an article, "Connectivity in the Urban Landscape (2015–2020): Who? Where? What? When? Why? and How?" in Current Landscape Ecology Reports.
  • Quintero-Carmona Awarded
    Quintero-Carmona Awarded

    Omar Quintero-Carmona, associate professor of biology received 2021 Prize for Excellence in Inclusivity from The American Society for Cell Biology. Read more.
  • Skromne Published
    Skromne Published

    Isaac Skromne, assistant professor of biology, and UR undergraduate students and alumni published an article on the development of bone-specific nanocarriers for drug delivery in the publication Drug Delivery.

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Biology Feature Stories

Century-Old Dead Mice May Hold Key to History of Lyme Disease
Biology professor Jory Brinkerhoff led a team studying hundreds of old dead mice to research the history of Lyme disease in Virginia and North Carolina.
UR Awarded Nearly $250K NIH Grant For Biomedical Research; Funding Will Support 11 Faculty and 70+ Research Students
The National Institutes of Health has awarded the University of Richmond a nearly $250K grant to purchase a high performance computer for biomedical research.
UR Professor Receives NIH Grant for Invasive Species Research
Biology professor Priscilla Erickson has been awarded a $415K National Institutes of Health Research Enhancement Award for her research on an invasive fruit fly.
Four University of Richmond Students - the Most at One Time in the Institution's History - Named Goldwater Scholars
Four University of Richmond students have received Goldwater scholarships, the preeminent undergraduate award in science and math. Four Goldwater Scholars in a single year is the most in UR’s history, and it’s the maximum number of awards Goldwater extends at each competing school.
University of Richmond Biology Professor Omar Quintero-Carmona Receives National Award for Excellence in Inclusivity
University of Richmond biology professor Omar Quintero-Carmona has been named the recipient of the 2021 Prize for Excellence in Inclusivity from The American Society for Cell Biology.
UR Biology Professor Jonathan Richardson Receives Grant for Research on Zoonotic Disease Risk in Richmond Rat Population
Jonathan Richardson, assistant professor of biology at the University of Richmond, has been awarded $100K from the Thomas F. and Kate Miller Jeffress Memorial Trust for his research on rodents and zoonotic disease risk in Richmond, Virginia.
University of Richmond Biology Professor Kristine Grayson Awarded Nearly $75K from USDA for Research on Invasive Pests
Biology professor Kristine Grayson has been awarded nearly $75,000 from the USDA to fund a research project focusing on the box tree moth, an invasive pest detrimental to boxwoods when they are caterpillars.
UR Biology Professor Colleen Carpenter-Swanson Receives Grant Support for Research on Severe Epilepsy in Children
Biology professor Colleen Carpenter-Swanson has been awarded $25,000 from the LGS Foundation for her research on Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, a severe childhood-onset epilepsy.
Biology Professor Jennifer Sevin Receives NSF Grant to Support Project Related to Wildlife Trade & Undergraduate Research
Biology professor Jennifer Sevin has received a grant from the National Science Foundation for a project focused on undergraduate research exploring the wildlife trade.
Leading a hospital during a pandemic
Adapting to rapid changes is key to leading during a crisis
University of Richmond Student Selected as Luce Scholar
Fiona Carter-Tod, a University of Richmond senior, has been selected as a recipient of the prestigious Luce Scholars Program. Carter-Tod is UR’s first Luce Scholar.
University of Richmond Biologist Eugene Maurakis Awarded NSF Grant for Documentary Focusing on Freshwater Fish Research
Eugene Maurakis, an evolutionary biologist who specializes in environmental sciences, has received more than $200K in grant support from the National Science Foundation for research on freshwater fishes in Virginia.
RVA Environmental Film Festival Awards UR Biology Professor 'Best Short Film' for Work Exploring Ocean Pollution through Art
Eugene Maurakis, a University of Richmond research scientist and adjunct professor, has been awarded “Best Short Film” in the RVA Environmental Film Festival for “Plastic Oceans,” which explores plastic pollution in oceanic environments through art.
University of Richmond Professor Todd Lookingbill Receives State Council of Higher Education Outstanding Faculty Award
Todd Lookingbill, University of Richmond associate professor of geography, environmental studies, and biology, has been named an Outstanding Faculty Award recipient by the State Council of Higher Education.
University of Richmond Biology Professor Omar A. Quintero Awarded Fellowship for Cell Biology Research
Omar A. Quintero, associate professor of biology, has been selected as the Keith R. Porter Fellow for 2020 by the Advisory Board of the Porter Endowment for Cell Biology.
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