Faculty and Staff
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Faculty

- Sterling Wright
- Associate Professor, Chair
- Neurophysiology
- Wright Lab
- 2112B Biology Building
- Murray, KY 42071
- swright@murraystate.edu
- 270.809.2087
BS, Texas Tech University; MS, Texas Tech University; PhD, University of Texas at Austin. The research in our laboratory examines the pharmacology and biophysics of voltage-dependent sodium channels. We investigate the influence of local anesthetic agents and naturally occurring neurotoxins on the gating kinetics of the channels

- Alexey Arkov
- Professor
- Genetic Cell Biology
- Arkov Lab
- 2112I Biology Building
- Murray, KY 42071
- aarkov@murraystate.edu
- 270.809.6053
BS, MS, Moscow State University (Russia); PhD, University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center. We are interested in understanding the genetic and molecular mechanisms of germline and stem cell development. In addition, we aim at the identification of novel molecular factors which promote longevity of living organisms.
- Oliver Beckers
- Associate Professor
- Behavioral Ecology
- Beckers Lab Beckers Lab YouTube
- 1112B Biology Building
- Murray, KY 42071
- obeckers@murraystate.edu
- 270.809.6054
MS, Friedrich-Alexander University (Germany); PhD, University of Missouri Columbia. I am fascinated by the evolution of animal behavior. More specifically, I study how the environment (i.e., phenotypic plasticity), female choice (i.e., sexual selection), and parasitoids (i.e., natural selection) affect the evolution of reproductive communication in insects. My lab is currently working on two of the only three described Orthopteran species that exhibit phenotypic plasticity in their mating calls.

- David Canning
- Associate Professor
- Developmental Biology
- 1112G Biology Building
- Murray, Ky 42071
- dcanning@murraystate.edu
- 270.809.6368
BSc [hons], Manchester University; DPhil, University of Oxford. Research Interests: We study the epigenetic factors affecting the differentiation of neural stem cells in the stem cell niche. We also take examine theoretical aspects of gene expression profiles in morphogenetic fields.

- Andrea Darracq
- Assistant Professor, Program Coordinator
- Wildlife Biology
- Darracq Lab
- 2309D Engineering and Physics
- Murray, KY 42071
- adarracq@murraystate.edu
- 270.809.5122
BS, University of Maine; MS, University of Arkansas-Monticello; PhD, University of Florida. I am interested in how wildlife respond to management and anthropogenic stressors, including urbanization, agriculture, and invasive species. I address these impacts on individuals (e.g. predation risk and stress) and populations. I aim to understand the broader implications of individual and population level impacts on ecosystem health and for my research to help inform the management and conservation of wildlife.

- Michael Flinn
- Professor, Director of Hancock Biological Station
- Aquatic Community Ecology
- Flinn Lab
- 1112I Biology Building
- Murray, KY 42071
- mflinn@murraystate.edu
- 270.809.6051
BA, Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota; MS, Kansas State University; PhD. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale. I am an aquatic community ecologist with a wide range of interests which have recently included the use of aquatic macroinvertebrates for bioassessment in stream restoration and Arctic scaling studies, the role of invasive Asian carp on reservoir biology, and the reintroduction of native fish species.

- Claire Fuller
- Dean of Jones College of Science, Engineering and Technology
- Professor
- Parasitology
- 201A I&T Building
- Murray, KY42071
- cfuller@murraystate.edu
- 270-809.2888
BA, University of California, San Diego; MS, PhD, Oregon State University. I study how environmental factors affect the host-parasite ecology of terrestrial insects. I am especially interested in how climate change affects Caribbean termites and how agricultural chemicals affect dragonflies.

- Kate He
- Professor
- Plant Ecology
- He Lab
- 1112F Biology Building
- Murray, KY 42071
- xhe@murraystate.edu
- 270.809.3135
BS, MS, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China; PhD, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. I am interested in large-scale species distribution modelling using information derived from remote sensing and biophysical traits of plant species. I also study the characteristics of invasive plants and their impacts on native ecosystems.

- Christopher Lennon
- Assistant Professor
- Microbiology
- 2112J Biology Building
- Murray, KY 42071
- clennon1@murraystate.edu
- 270.809.6367
BA, MS, University of Montana; PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison. My lab is broadly interested in the biological importance and biotechnological application of inteins. Inteins, or internal proteins, are self-catalytic, mobile genetic elements removed from host genes through protein splicing. Abundant in the microbial world, inteins have recently emerged as adaptive regulatory elements, representing a novel and potentially widespread form of posttranslational regulation. Further, the power of inteins to make and break peptide bonds has been utilized extensively in biotechnology, and my lab seeks to develop new applications of this chemistry.

- Jessica (J.B.) Moon
- Assistant Professor
- Wetland Ecology
- Moon Lab
- 2309C Engineering & Physics
- Murray, KY 42071
- jmoon8@murraystate.edu
- 270.809.6174
BS in Biology, Behrend College, Penn State University; MS in Wildlife and Fisheries Science, Penn State University; PhD in Ecology, Penn State University. I study landscape and ecosystem ecology, with a focus on wetlands. My current research examines how the landscape context affects microbial communities and nutrient cycling in freshwater and salt water wetlands. I use a combination of field studies, laboratory experiments, and spatial modeling tools to understand these dynamics.

- Suguru Nakamura
- Associate Professor
- Renal Cardiovascular Biology
- Nakamura Lab
- 2112D Biology Building
- Murray, KY 42071
- snakamura@murraystate.edu
- 270.809.6185
MD, Jiangxi Medical University; PhD, Tokyo Medical and Dental University. My research laboratory is focused on determining the physiological and pathological role of H+ secretion pumps of H+-ATPase (potassium-independent) and H+-K+-ATPase (potassium-dependent) in normal tissue homeostasis and disease processes.
- Suman Neupane
- Assistant Professor
- Botany, Systematics, and Phylogenetics
- Neupane Lab
- 1112G Biology Building
- Murray, KY 42071
- sneupane2@murraystate.edu
- 270.809.4758
BS and MS, Tribhuvan University, Nepal; Ph.D., University of Connecticut. I am a plant evolutionary biologist. I study how plants and their complex set of interacting traits have evolved through time (in million years) and space. I do that by building phylogenies (evolutionary trees) of mostly modern (extant) plants using DNA and morphological data.

- Timothy Spier
- Associate Professor, Graduate Coordinator
- Fish Ecology
- Spier Lab
- 2309F Engineering & Physics
- Murray, KY 42071
- tspier@murraystate.edu
- 270.809.7031
BS, Truman State University; MS, Morehead State University; PhD, University of Southern Illinois, Carbondale. I am a fish ecologist interested in fish, watersheds, and all things involved with aquatic ecology. I study both game and non-game native fishes.

- Laura Sullivan Beckers
- Assistant Professor
- Evolutionary Biology
- Sullivan Beckers Lab Sullivan-Beckers Lab Facebook
- 2112E Biology Building
- Murray, KY 42071
- lbeckers@murraystate.edu
- 270.809.3061
BA, University of Tulsa; BS Northeastern State University; PhD University of Missouri-Columbia. I am an evolutionary biologist interested in understanding the ecological conditions that influence the evolution of reproductive traits. I am particularly interested in exploring the role of the social environment in shaping selective environments. My current research program uses wolf spiders to examine the evolution of cognitive traits involved in the mating displays and decisions of these spiders.

- Christopher Trzepacz
- Assistant Professor
- Cell and Molecular Biology
- 2112H Biology Building
- Murray, KY 42071
- ctrzepacz@murrstate.edu
- 270.809.6062
BS, University of Massachusetts Amherst; PhD. University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Ohio. My research group explores the conserved pathways and mechanisms that regulate fertility in multicellular organisms, primarily through the cellular, molecular, and genetic dissection of the amazing model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

- Dena Weinberger
- Assistant Professor
- Neurobiology
- 1112H Biology Building
- Murray, KY 42071
- dweinberger@murraystate.edu
- 270.809.6160
BA, Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota; PhD, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I study nervous system development and function using the zebrafish as a model. I am investigating two related projects: 1. Is there neurotransmitter-receptor plasticity in the zebrafish neuromuscular junction? and 2. What is the role of Cabin1, a calcium-dependent repressor protein, in the development and function of the cerebellum, the site of motor learning and coordination.

- Howard Whiteman
- Professor, Director of Watershed Studies Institute
- Evolutionary Biology
- Watershed Studies Institute Whiteman Lab
- 0105 Biology Building
- Murray, KY 42071
- hwhiteman@murraystate.edu
- 270.809.6753
BS, Allegheny College; PhD, Purdue University. My interests span evolutionary ecology and conservation biology, particularly in aquatic systems. My research focuses on the evolution of alternative strategies, ecological consequences of predator-prey interactions, and understanding the distribution and restoration of biodiversity.

- Gary ZeRuth
- Associate Professor
- Houston Endowed Chair of Pre-Medicine
- Cell Molecular Biology
- ZeRuth Lab
- 2112F Biology Building
- Murray, KY 42071
- gzeruth@murraystate.edu
- 270.809.6754
BS, PhD, University of South Florida. My lab’s research is primarily focused on understanding how transcription factors mediate development, function, and disease. The principal focus is on the transcription factor, Glis3 and its role in the development and maintenance of the endocrine pancreas and the pathogenesis of diabetes.
Staff

- Debbie Plummer
- Administrative Assistant
- 2112K Biology Building
- Murray, KY 42071
- dplummer@murraystate.edu
- 270.809.2786
- Amanda Wetherington
- Accounting Assistant
- 2112C Biology Building
- Murray, KY 42071
- awetherington1@murraystate.edu
- 270-809-4427

- Karen Baumann
- Research Technician
- Ecology
- 1112A Biology Building
- Murray, KY
- kbaumann1@murraystate.edu
- 270.809.3194
BS, Beloit College; MS, Southern Illinois University Carbondale. I am a research technician studying ecological responses to riparian wetland restoration. My past research has focused on macroinvertebrate community responses to disturbance in a hydrologically altered river, native mussel populations and life history, and building a cDNA library for a marine polychaete worm.
Adjunct Faculty
BS, University of Georgia, MS, Utah State University, PhD, Utah State University (wildlife biology) (2001). Indiana Department of Natural Resources, State Deer Research Biologist.
BS, Benedictine University, Illinois; MBA, North Texas State University, Denton, TX; MS, PhD, Northern Illinois University. I study molecular plant systematics and population genetics, biogeography, conservation of rare and endangered species as well as the biology of invasive plant species.
Graduate Students

Melody Feden. (Advisor: Dr. Howard Whiteman) My field site is in western Colorado where I am looking at the influence of beaver activity on a degraded stream in a desert ecosystem. Specifically, how beavers effect stream temperature, macroinvertebrate communities, and decomposition. mfeden@murraystate.edu
John Hewlett. (Advisor: Dr. Andrea Darracq) My research is at the interface of endocrinology, wildlife
disease epidemiology, and ecology. Specifically I study how stress physiology affects
disease susceptibility and behavioral ecology with methods ranging from radio-telemetry
to molecular techniques. jhewlett@murraystate.edu
Andrew Lydeard (Advisor: Dr. Tim Spier) I am an ecologist studying ecology and population structure
of fish found in Land Between the Lakes Recreational Area and the surrounding agricultural
watersheds. alydeard@murraystate.edu
Jacob Pease. (Advisor: Dr. Howard Whiteman) My research pertains to the multidisciplinary reintroduction
of the American chestnut (Castanea dentata) in some of Kentucky’s public lands. This project focuses on combining principles
of GIS, conservation, forestry, remote sensing, and forest ecology to streamline the
reintroduction process for native tree species that face extirpation or extinction
by anthropogenic factors. jpease@murraystate.edu
Kyler Rogers. (Advisor: Dr. Oliver Beckers) I am interested in how the communication system in Neoconocephalus katydids are exploited by the eavesdropping parasitoid fly Ormia lineifrons. I study this arms race in multiple species of Neoconocephalus throughout the year. I am specifically trying to answer (i) if there are any katydid
host preferences for O. lineifrons, (ii) what the parasitism rate of these species are over the course of their respective
season, (iii) are there differences between the communication systems in males that
are parasitized and not parasitized, and (iv) if there are differences in host quality
among the utilized katydid species. krogers31@murraystate.edu
Dan Schoenberg. (Advisor: Dr. Laura Sullivan Beckers) The focus of my research is on the development and use of biochemicals in communication and aggression in the context of courtship/copulation of spiders. dschoenberg@murraystate.edu
Christy Soldo. (Advisor: Dr. Michael Flinn) My research focuses on the responses of macroinvertebrate
communities following wetland restoration. csoldo@murraystate.edu
Kiersten Youngquist. (Advisor: Dr. Andrea Darracq) My research takes a look at interactions between native
and invasive species and how they play a role in the physiological stress response
of the native species. Specifically, I hope to take a deeper dive into understanding
the relationship between native freshwater mussel species and the invasive Asian clam
using bivalve filtration rates and an understanding of the stress response of the
mussels. kyoungquist@murraystate.edu
Recent Emeritus Faculty
Derting, Terry, Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences. BA, Mount Holyoke College; MS, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; PhD, Indiana University. My research interests are twofold. As a mammalogist, I study impacts of anthropogenic stressors, such as habitat fragmentation, on the health of small mammals. As an educator, my research focuses on effective approaches to faculty professional development and improved student learning in higher education
Duobinis-Gray, Leon F., Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences (parasite populations, dynamics of freshwater vertebrates and invertebrates, histology, pathology). BS, MS, East Tennessee State University; PhD, Louisiana State University.
We are sad to report that our good friend Leon passed in August 2019.
Johnston, Timothy C., Professor. BA, Harding College; MS, Murray State University; PhD, Southern Illinois University. email Dr. Johnston
Martin, Robert A., Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences (mammal evolution, paleoecology) (1993). BA, Hofstra University; MS, Tulane University; PhD, University of Florida. email Dr. Martin.
Timmons, Tom J., Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences (fisheries biology) (1982). BS, Iowa State University; MS, Tennessee Technological University; PhD, Auburn University.
White, David S., Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences. AB, MA, DePauw University; PhD, University of Louisville. email Dr. White.
White, Stephen B., Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences (ornithology, wildlife biology and management, animal damage control) (1981). BS, West Virginia University; MS, Colorado State University; PhD, Ohio State University.
Zimmerer, Edmund J., Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences, Emeritus (behavioral genetics, molecular genetics, herpetology) (1989). BS, Moravian College; MS, PhD, Rutgers University. email Dr. Zimmerer.