Dr. Wendy Binder, Associate Professor - e-mail

Education:

• Ph.D in Organismal Biology, U.C. Los Angeles, 1998
• M.S. in Behavorial Ecology, Purdue University, 1993
• B.S. in Organismal Biology, U.C. Los Angeles, 1990

Research interests:

Functional, biochemical and evolutionary aspects of carnivore feeding, both in extinct and extant species.

Dr. Victor Carmona, Assistant Professor - e-mail

Education:

• Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arkansas, 2005
• B.S. in Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1995

Research interests:

Evolutionary ecology of mutualisms, spatio-temporal variability, stable isotope ecology/chemical ecology, exotic/ invasive biology, and sexual dimorphisms. My work focuses on the conditionality of specialized interactions; specifically how mutualisms vary with the local abiotic/biotic environment and the effect of variable outcomes on ecological processes as well as across landscapes.

Dr. Deepa V. Dabir, Assistant Professor - e-mail

Education:

• Ph.D. in Biology, University of Pennsylvania, 2006
• M.S. in Biotechnology, University of Pune, India, 2000
• B.S. (Honors) in Life Sciences/Biochemistry, St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, India, 1998

Research Interests:

Understanding the mechanism of protein import into mitochondria of budding yeast and determining the process by which defects in mitochondrial protein translocation lead to disease.  Developing small molecule inhibitors of protein import for use in mammalian systems to elucidate disease mechanisms.  My research is interdisciplinary combining conventional yeast genetics, chemical biology approaches, and tissue culture.

Dr. Kam D. Dahlquist, Associate Professor and William F. McLaughlin Chair - e-mail

Education:

• Ph.D. in Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 2000
• B.A. cum laude in Biology, Pomona College, 1993

Research Interests:

The analysis of gene regulatory networks in budding yeast using DNA microarrays and mathematical modeling; development of bioinformatics software (XMLPipeDB); assessment of the diversity of soil bacteria and the identification of biochemical pathways responsive to urban pollution in the Ballona Wetlands.

Dr. W. Wesley Dowd, Assistant Professor - e-mail

Education:

• Ph.D. in Ecology, University of California, Davis, 2009
• M.S. in Marine Science, College of William and Mary/Virginia Institute of Marine Science, 2003
• B.S. in Biology, Duke University, 1999

Research Interests:

Physiology and ecology of marine and estuarine invertebrates and fishes,in particular the ecological and evolutionary consequences of environmental stress (salinity change, hypoxia and oxidative stress, temperature extremes, global change). His research combines proteomics, organismal physiology, acoustic telemetry, environmental monitoring, and evolutionary modeling.

Dr. Phillipa M. Drennan, Professor and Chair - e-mail

Education:

• Ph.D. in Biology, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa, 1987
• B.Sc. (Hons) in Biology, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa, 1981
• B.Sc. in Biology, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa, 1980

Research interests:

Plant stress biology, especially ecophysiological and ecological aspects of water stress and salt stress of desert and estuarine species.  Structure/function relationships in plants with emphasis on secretory structures.

Dr. Gary Kuleck, Associate Professor - e-mail

Education:

• Ph.D. in Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, 1992.
• B.A. in Biology and Chemistry, University of Maryland, 1975.

Research interests:

Distributive bioinformatics education, development of a molecular ecology toolkit, coastal wetlands research: reservoir for antibiotic resistance, HHMI SEA Phage program.

Dr. Michelle Lum, Assistant Professor - e-mail

Education:

• Ph.D. in Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, UC Los Angeles, CA, 2003
• B.S. in Molecular Biology, UC San Diego, CA, 1995

Research interests:

Plant-microbe interactions. In particular, the nitrogen-fixing symbiosis that occurs between soil bacteria of the Rhizobiaceae and plants of the legume family.

Dr. M. Catharine McElwain, Associate Professor - e-mail

Education:

• Ph.D. in Biology, University of Utah, UT, 1985
• A.B. in Biology, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA, 1973

Research interests:

Gene regulation in Drosophila melanogaster and science education K-16.
Fly Lab Facebook page

Dr. Martin G. Ramirez, Associate Professor - e-mail

Education:

• Ph.D. in Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1990
• B.S. in Biology, Loyola Marymount University, 1981

Research interests:

Conservation biology, population genetics and evolutionary biology of spiders.

Dr. Eric Strauss, President's Professor - e-mail

Education:

• Ph.D. in Biology, Tufts University, 1990
• B.A. in Mass Communication, Emerson College, 1981

Research Interests:

• Biological and human social dynamics of urban ecosystems
• Behavioral ecology of animals in urbanizing habitats
• Public engagement in the doing and teaching of science

Other Professional Interests:

• DIrector of the Ballona Discovery Center
• Editor in Chief, Cities and the Environment Journal
• Co-Director of the Cape Cod, Massachusetts Coastal Field Station
• Interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate program development in urban ecology, sustainability and social justice 

Dr. Heather Watts, Assistant Professor - e-mail

Education:

• Ph.D. joint degree in Zoology and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology & Behavior, Michigan State University, 2007
• B.S. in Biology, Duke University, 2001

Research interests:

Behavioral ecology, behavioral endocrinology, and reproductive physiology. Her research investigates the relationships between environmental variation, life history patterns, and the behavior of individuals in birds and mammals.
http://myweb.lmu.edu/hwatts/

Dr. Carl R. Urbinati, Associate Professor - e-mail

Education:

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1998
• B.S. in Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1992

Research interests:

The molecular genetics of gene expression, RNA transport/localization, structure and function of ribonucleoproteins.

Dr. John Philip Waggoner III, Professor - e-mail

Education:

• Ph.D. in Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1972
• M.S. in Zoology and Physiology, University of Nebraska, 1967
• B.A. in Zoology, Duke University, 1965

Research interests:

The ecology of Yuccas and yucca moths.

Emeritus Faculty

Dr. Roy S. Houston, Professor Emeritus - e-mail

Education:

• Ph.D, in Zoology, University of Arizona, 1974
• M.S. in Marine science, University of the Pacific, 1970
• B.S. in Zoology, University of Arizona, 1968

Research interests:

• Functional morphology and ecology of marine gastropods.
• Intertidal and subtidal ecology.
• Coral reef ecology.

Other interests:

• Director of the LMU Baja California Biological Station.
• Certified SCUBA instructor.
• Teacher and organizer of the LMU SCUBA Program taught through LMU Continuing Education.

Dr. (Esther) Virginia Merriam, Professor Emerita - e-mail

Education:

• Ph.D. in Biochemistry, University of Washington, 1966
• B.S. in Chemistry, Elizabethtown College, 1962

Research interests:

The cytogenetics of Tetrahymena.

In Memoriam

Dr. Michael Danciger, (1943-2010)

Bro. Anthony P. Smulders, CFMM, (1942-2009)

Staff

Linda Towner, Director of Laboratories - e-mail

Angelina Garcia, Department Administrative Assistant - e-mail