Monday, August 24
Geremy Lerma, Postdoctoral Scholar, Center for Life Sciences Education and Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University
"Modeling genetic modifiers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy using zebrafish"
Our 5th annual biology photo/artwork contest included 13 submissions from faculty, staff and students, representing a wide range of images. We awarded one first place and two honorable mention winners.
Winning photos will be hung by early June on our Gallery Wall in Gottwald, in the hallway around off the Atrium near the Biology and Chemistry office in B100.
The Science Belonging Committee (SBC) creates inclusive programs that support science students at UR by offering safe spaces, essential tools, and community-building events. Comprising faculty, staff, and student ambassadors — who help plan and run events — the SBC hosts initiatives like listening sessions, research fairs, field games, career workshops, and socials to foster connection and belonging in the sciences.
Rats have lived alongside us in cities for centuries. We don’t like them, and they’re not good for us — but we don’t know what to do about them. UR’s urban ecologist and biology professor, and his students are on the case.
Eugene Wu, associate professor of biology and biochemistry, along with Amanda Walsh, ’15, and Hye Rhee Kim, ’28, published "A thymine dimer stalls a high-fidelity DNA polymerase by provide no template information in the same manner as an abasic site" in Biochemistry.
Over the next three years, Stephanie Spera, associate professor of geography, environment, and sustainability, Hemali Oza, assistant professor of health studies, and Todd Lookingbill, professor of geography, environment, and sustainability and biology, will work closely with the local environmental justice nonprofit Southside ReLeaf on a community-led study of flooding on the Southside of Richmond with the support of a grant from the Jeffress Trust.
Melinda A. Yang, associate professor of biology, received a National Science Foundation CAREER award of more than $990,000 to support her research on genetic adaptations in modern humans. Over the next five years, Yang, an ancient DNA expert, will build an easy-to-use tool that combines present-day and ancient DNA data to help researchers identify the genetic changes that have helped humans adapt and survive over time. Yang will also develop a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) using ancient DNA datasets for students taking her Human Evolutionary Genomics course at UR.
Priscilla Erickson, assistant professor of biology, along with co-first authors Mia Hollekim, '26, and Lucy Smith, '26, published “Invasive African fig flies (Zaprionus indianus) have reduced cold acclimation ability compared to cosmopolitan drosophilid species” in microPublication Biology.
“Science often moves forward in small steps,” says professor Colleen Carpenter-Swanson.
Geography, environment, & sustainability professor Todd Lookingbill is quoted in this feature highlighting a research partnership between the University of Richmond and Southside ReLeaf.
Biology professor John Hayden is quoted.
Research by biology professor Peter Smallwood is featured.
Biology professor Nathan Derstine is quoted.
Biology Department, Gottwald Science Center B-100
138 UR Drive
University of Richmond, VA 23173
Phone: (804) 289-8871
Fax: (804) 289-8233
Department Chair: Linda Boland
Academic Administrative Specialist: Emily Phaup
Pre-Health and Integrative Science: Emily Phaup