Bioscience Research Institute - Research Expertise
Applied Medical Sciences
Monroe Duboise, Associate Professor
Dr. Duboise's research focuses on viruses, especially murine
gammaherpesvirus 68. His National Institutes of Health research
is directed understanding how this virus regulates programmed
cell death, an innate host defense during the spread of infection
and in response to abnormal cell growth that may result in lymphomas.
His National Science Foundation funded work is to study host
inflammatory responses to virus infection. Dr. Duboise is shown to the
left, seated, and Dr. Pelsue to the right. >>
David Ehrenkrantz, Assistant Professor
Dr. Ehrenkrantz has been doing toxicology-related epidemiology
studies for 14 years. He is presently examining the association
of indoor intoxicants and potential teratogens with the development
of chronic disease, and is providing epidemiologic support to
the State´s environmental health program.
Ah-Kau Ng,Professor
Dr. Ng´s research interests lie in the areas of cancer
biology and tumor immunology, with an emphasis on studying the
roles of cell surface molecules. Many cell surface receptors
and ligands for external stimuli and extra-cellular matrix components
respectively are crucial to normal biological processes such
as immune response, tissue development and homeostasis. Some
of these surface molecules are also associated with pathological
conditions such as oncogenesis, tumor metastasis and cardiovascular
disorders. Among them are surface proteases, cytokine
receptors and cytoadhesion molecules including the integrins
and selectins. His research projects include: (1) Investigation
of the roles of surface protease, integrins, and selectins in
tumor immunity and tumor metastasis and (2) Studies on cytokine
effects on human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. In addition
to basic research, Dr. Ng is also interested in developing immunodiagnostic
and immunotherapeutic methods for cancer.
Stephen Pelsue, Associate Professor
Dr. Pelsue's research focuses on the molecular genetics of the
immune response. He uses a Jackson Laboratory mouse as a model
for the study of asthma and allergy. The mouse also exhibits
characteristics consistent with human autoimmune disease such
as systemic lupus erythematosis and psoriasis. The goals of
Dr. Pelsue's research are to understand the molecular, genetic,
biochemical, and immunological basis of the mouse mutation.
W. Douglas Thompson, Professor
Dr. Thompson studies risk factors for breast cancer, including
reproduction and familial patterns of cancer; case-control evaluation
of the efficacy of screening for cancer; statistical analysis
in epidemiology; evaluation of gene-environment interactions;
and effects of measurement error in epidemiologic research.
John Wise, Associate Professor
Dr. Wise´s research interests are in environmental
toxicology, chemical carcinogenesis, molecular epidemiology
and comparative carcinogenesis.
The Wise
Laboratory uses novel cell culture models and state-of-the-art
molecular and toxicological techniques to investigate the effects
of metals and particulates to humans and marine animals. In
addition, the laboratory uses advanced molecular epidemiological
techniques to study gene-environment interactions and to assess
individual susceptibility to disease.
Biological Sciences
David Champlin, Assistant Professor
The goal of Dr. Champlin's research is to
characterize the role of hormones during insect metamorphosis
as a model for understanding how hormones govern development.
He is studying the molecular mechanisms by which cells, initially
programmed to become epidermis, later at metamorphosis switch
to form an eye.
Louis Gainey, Professor
Dr. Gainey is studying the control of fluid flow in the
gills of clams. His work has implications for shellfish aquaculture.
Thomas Knight, Associate Professor
Within a plant, carbon and nitrogen exist in a specific ratio.
Dr. Knight has successfully altered root nitrogen metabolism in
a way that increases the plant's capacity to utilize both nitrogen
and carbon while maintaining a balance of carbon and nitrogen.
Plants grow bigger and need less fertilizer. These results have
major implications for agriculture and for the environment. >>
Christine Maher, Associate Professor
The overall goal of Dr. Maher's research is to use a behaviorally
flexible species, the woodchuck, to study mechanisms by which
kin groups form, thereby elucidating steps by which animals
become social. A crucial first step toward this goal is to determine
genetic relationships among individuals. Ultimately, by manipulating
the population experimentally, processes that contribute to
increased sociality can be identified.
Lisa Moore, Assistant Professor
Dr. Moore studies the nutrient physiology and ecology of marine
phytoplankton, including gene expression studies of enzymes
involved in nitrogen utilization. Approximately 40% of global
photosynthetic activity is that of phytoplankton, and the organism
she studies is one of two that produce together as much as 80%
of the primary production in some regions of the ocean.
Theresa Theodose, Associate Professor
Dr. Theodose studies the role of nutrients, especially nitrogen
and phosphorus) in maintaining natural vegetation patterns of
high salt marshes. Current research is directed toward elucidating
the natural relationships among nutrient availability, hydrology,
mycorrhizae(symbiotic association of fungus with the roots of
certain plants), and plant community stucture in high salt marsh.
Such knowledge will enable us to better predict how future anthropogenic
changes on Maine coastlines may impact these communities.
Jeffrey Walker, Assistant Professor
Dr. Walker studies animal locomotion. His research addresses
three general questions: (1) How do the different parts of an
animal work together to produce a desired function? (2) How
does design variation affect the ability of an individual to
perform a function, such as high endurance swimming or rapid
acceleration? (3) What are the ecological and evolutionary consequences
of performance (and design) variation at the level of individuals,
populations, and higher taxa Dr. Walker's work focuses on fish
locomotion, and has considerable implications for design and
propulsion of underwater vehicles.
Kenneth Weber, Associate Professor
Dr. Weber studies natural selection and how it works at the
genetic level. This includes both: 1) studies of the genetic
basis for traits of special evolutionary interest, as in the
genes that control shape; and 2) studies of adaptation under
extreme selection, involving many traits at once. His studies
span the areas of developmental and quantitative genetics. He
is currently focusing on wing shape of Drosophila melanogaster.
Bioscience Research Institute
Lewis Incze, Senior Research Scientist
Dr. Incze studies the relationship of the physical environment
and living organisms in the oceans. His research interests include
physical-biological coupling in the oceans; plankton ecology
and physiology, with emphasis on meroplankton; population dynamics
and recruitment, with emphasis on fisheries.
Chemistry
Nancy Gordon, Professor
Dr. Gordon´s research interests include the role of the
metal fraction of soils and dust in asthma, and interactions
of metals with DNA. She is establishing techniques to investigate
the effect of ambient particulate matter in Maine on human bronchial
cells.
Caryn Prudente, Assistant Professor
Dr.Prudente´s work has two areas of focus. One research
area is to provide a facile and general synthetic process that
affords an efficient method for preparing highly substituted
beta-amino acid compounds. Beta-amino acids are found in nature
and have been shown to impart significant biological and pharmacological
activity in many compounds. A second area of research is to
synthesize a chemical chain that attaches to dextran and the
combination reacts to mercury in a way that the mercury can
be detected using an immunological test.
Environmental Science and Policy
Samantha Langley-Turnbaugh, Associate Professor
Dr Langley-Turnbaugh´s areas of research interest include
the role of soils and dust in triggering adult and childhood
asthma, interactions between soil quality and vegetation health
in urban and forest ecosystems, and applications of phytoremediation
techniques in mitigating lead contamination in urban soils.
Soil assessments in urban ecosystems will help identify knowledge
gaps and enhance management of urban green space.
Robert Sanford, Associate Professor
Dr. Sanford's research is in two areas: 1) the use of protective
vegetative buffers to manage water quality for streams and rivers,
and 2) archaeological resource management and policy in local
and regional planning (archaeological resources are treated
as a subset of environmental resources). The implications of
these two areas are in the promotion of effective resource management
practices that appropriately balance ecological information
and public policy issues.
Christopher Pennuto, Associate Professor
Dr. Pennuto's research goal is to quantify the role of organic
matter quality and deposit-feeder ratios of carbon, nitrogen,
and phosphorus in Maine lakes. Accurately quantifying the role
of lake-bottom organisms in transport of materials between sediment
and overlying water is needed to formulate and evaluate conceptual
models and to clearly define seasonal and spatial patterns of
nutrient loading in lake ecosystems in temperate environments.
Natural and Applied Sciences
David Harris, Associate Professor
Dr. Harris has two areas of study. One research area is to work
with a group of clinicians in Franklin County to analyze the
impact of cardiovascular disease prevention programs on the
health of the local population. Both primary disease programs
(those designed to prevent healthy people from developing heart
disease) and secondary prevention programs (those designed to
prevent disease progression in those who already have heart
disease) are analyzed. The second area of research concerns
the seal populations of the Gulf of Maine; specifically, the
population dynamics and level of toxin exposure to harbour,
harp and hooded seals.
Ira Levine, Assistant Professor
Dr. Levine´s research is on the physiological ecology
of commercial red algae, the development of marine agronomy,
the conversion of selected cultivars to fresh water cultivation
systems, and the development of valuable algal-based natural
products. Presently, he and his collaborators (Northeastern
University) are developing marine and fresh water integrated
finfish:seaweed polyculture systems for the bioremdiation ofaquacultural
wastes and the production of valuable bioproducts. Additional
collaborations with Japanese phycologists at Shiminoseki University
include the development of genetic markers and the lineage determination
of the commercial cultivars of Porphrya Rhodophyta.
Blake Whitaker, Associate Professor
Dr. Whitaker´s laboratory is focused on the assessment
of genotoxicity levels in sentinel animals and humans living
in or close by surface waters in the form of lakes and rivers.
Genotoxicity is assessed using the single cell gel electrophoresis
(Comet) assay. The levels of observed toxicity then are
correlated with assessments of anthropogenic chemical burdens
to elucidate possible etiologic relationships.
Philosophy
Julien Murphy, Professor
Recent advances in genetic technology and gene mapping have
increased the value of human tissue and corresponding clinical
information for medical researchers. Many patients are interested
in donating their extra tissue from surgical biopsies to research
and several new genomic repository companies have identified
research tissue banking as an important new market. Yet genomic
research challenges many assumptions in human subject research.
Dr. Murphy's research examines the new ethical issues raised
by collaborations between hospitals and repository companies
in the new field of clinical genomics.
Psychology
Vincent Markowski, Assistant Professor
Dr. Markowski´s research interests include developmental
neurotoxicology, behavioral neuroscience, behavioral toxicology,
and psychopharmacology. They focus on the long-term health effects
of perinatal exposure to low doses of environmental toxicants
such as mercury, cadmium and 2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin
(TCDD).
Sports Medicine
Christina Beaudoin, Assistant Professor
Dr. Beaudoin studies the interactions among dietary behaviors
and physical activity patterns with bone mineral density and
the incidence of fractures in females, with the objective of
developing beneficial intervention programs.
Janet Whatley Blum, Assistant Professor
Dr. Blum examines bone mineral density, diet intake and physical
activity patterns in obese children. The aims of her work are:1)
to examine the relationship between percent body fat, body mass
index and calcium consumption, fat consumption, soda consumption
and bone mineral density; and 2) to examine the relationship
between percent body fat, body mass index, physical activity
patterns and bone mineral density.