Faculty

BINDER Dr. Wendy Binder, Assistant 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.

CarmonaDr. 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.

DAHLQUIST Dr. Kam D. Dahlquist, Associate Professor - 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; 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.
http://myweb.lmu.edu/kdahlqui/

DACINGER Dr. Michael Danciger, Professor - e-mail
Education:
Ph.D. in Microbiology, University of Oregon, 1971
B.S. in Microbiology, Drexel University, 1966
Research interests:
The molecular genetics of inherited retinal degeneration.


DRENNAN 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.


HOUSTON Dr. Roy S. Houston, Professor - 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.


KULECK 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:
The role of the plant hormones auxin and cytokinin in plant growth and development,
including embryogenesis and nitrogen metabolism via nodulation.
The identification of novel microbial enzyme activities capable of modifying plant growth
and development.

LUM 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.

MCELWAIN 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:
Genetic research using Drosophila melanogaster.
Gene control during development.
Genetic control of developmental processes.
Other interests:
Research for undergraduate students.
Secretary of the local Sigma Xi Chapter.
Liaison for the Council on Undergraduate Research
Chair of the Biology Department Undergraduate Research Committee.
Science education K-12.


RAMIREZ 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


URBINATI Dr. Carl R. Urbinati, Assistant 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.


WAGGONER 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. (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

SMULDERS Bro. Anthony P. Smulders, CFMM, (1942-2009)
Professor, Department of Biology, Loyola Marymount University (1970-2009)
Brother Smulders passed away on 19 April 2009.  Click here to read his obituary.

Staff

TOWNER Linda Towner, Director of Laboratories - e-mail
Phone: (310) 338-7342
Fax: (310) 338-4479
Office: Seaver 212B

Polidan_ElizabethElizabeth Polidan, Laboratory Technician - e-mail
Phone: (310) 338-5776
Fax: (310) 338-4479
Office: Seaver 209A

GARCIA Angelina Garcia, Department Administrative Assistant - e-mail
Phone: (310) 338-7776
Fax: (310) 338-4479
Office: Seaver 123

Last modified: 9/21/09