FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES

Herbert W. House, Professor of Biology and Chair of Health Professions
B.S. Biology – Wake Forest University; M.S. Biology – University of South Carolina; Ph.D. Biology – University of South Carolina
Office: MCM 224E; Phone: 278-6187; E-mail: househ@elon.edu;
URL: http://www.elon.edu/househ

My teaching career really began as a lab assistant in general biology labs at Wake Forest University where I was a premed student. A teaching assistantship was available at the University of South Carolina that led to research on brain enzymes while working towards M. S. and Ph. D. degrees in Biology. I also earned money during summers as a hospital orderly. It was during this period that I married Sarah, my wife.
After teaching biology for six years at Lander College, my wife, daughter and I left Greenwood, South Carolina and came to Elon in 1977. My wife and I live in Burlington with our poodle Snuggles. I enjoy outside activities such as biking, hiking, and camping as well as reading.

My primary teaching responsibilities include: Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, and General Biology.

Memberships include: ODK, the Sierra Club, Human Anatomy and Physiology Society, The American Physiological Society, Association of Southeastern Biologists, and charter membership in the Elon University Sigma Mu chapter of Beta Beta Beta.

As chair of the Health Professions Advising Committee, I oversee the advising and evaluation of students wishing to go into a variety of health professions.

Nancy E. Harris. Associate Professor of Biology and Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
B.S.-University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Zoology; B.S.-North Carolina State University, Horticultural Science; Ph.D.-North Carolina State University, Plant Pathology
Office: ALA 107D; Phone: 278-6191; E-mail: harris@elon.edu

As you can see from my degrees, my academic training has been somewhat varied. What doesn’t show up is the two plus years of medical school at UNC Chapel Hill which came in between my two undergraduate degrees. Some of us take rather circuitous paths in our lives as we try to find the most appropriate and satisfying niche! No time spent learning is a waste, I have discovered. The years in medical school has enabled me to have special insights into that career path and to help advise students who have an interest in pursuing medicine. I have also been able to teach courses such as human anatomy and physiology and human histology. Having spent approximately equal time studying animals and plants has enabled me to cross some boundaries in various classes and draw interesting connections.

I currently teach the following courses: general botany, plant physiology, science without borders, human histology, the field course in Belize and Elon 101. In past years I have taught the following courses: general biology for non-majors, global studies, intro cell biology for majors, senior seminar, symbiosis and others.

My doctoral research involved trying to characterize the nature of the resistance of specific peanut germplasm to a very virulent fungal root pathogen. The research primarily involved microanatomical studies. I guess for this reason I am fascinated by microanatomy and probably insert more of this than I should in my classes and labs! My current research interests relate primarily to plant physiological questions, which arise out of student projects. I have supervised several students in undergraduate research involving physiological questions such as: effects of phytohormones on plant water loss and the nature of plastids in albino leaf tissue. I am very willing to work with students interested in questions related to plant function.

I have served the Biology Department as either a Co-Chair or as Chair. Currently I am serving as the Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. I maintain a close connection with the Biology Department and continue to teach 1 or 2 courses per year. I welcome students to come and talk to me about biology, courses, research, careers and other issues.

I live on a farm near Graham where my husband raises cattle when he is not practicing dentistry. The other members of our family include my 22-year-old daughter Wendy, six dogs, four cats and a tank of fish. My favorite things to do are reading, gardening, hunting for antiques, walking the track and spending time at the coast.

Kathy Gallucci, Assistant Professor of Biology
B.S.-LeMoyne College, Biology; M.S.-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Marine Sciences
Office: MCMI 116; Phone: 278-6180; E-mail: gallucci@elon.edu

Before going on to graduate school, I taught high school biology in Syracuse, NY and worked as a lab technician and phlebotomist in Syracuse and Huntsville, Alabama, where I was briefly a veterinary technician as well. In 1977, we moved to Greensboro where I worked as a chemical analyst in a quality control laboratory at Pfizer, Inc. When I went back to graduate school I began to study algal-bacterial interactions in the algal blooms on the Chowan River, NC. I continued this research until I came to Elon in 1984. Two papers have been published as a result of this research in Applied and Environmental Microbiology and Science.

I love to study small things, especially bacteria, algae, and fruit flies. At Elon I have taught the introductory biology labs for both majors and nonmajors and have written manuals for Bio 102, Bio 113, and Bio 114, as well as a lab assistants' handbook. I was the lab coordinator for Bio 102 for 14 years and I have been the Bio 101 coordinator since 1998. I also coordinate the Glaxo Women in Science Scholars program here at Elon and teach Women in Science (GST 388). My professional interests also include bioethics, the nature of science, and the evolution-creation controversy.

Environmental issues are a personal passion of mine and I have drafted position statements and lobbied on behalf of a national environmental organization. I am a Girl Scout leader and also enjoy camping, travel, and theater. My artist-husband, Jim, has his own business in Greensboro where he fabricates large outdoor sculptures. We have 2 children, Mario and Madeline.

Michael B. Kingston, Chair and Associate Professor of Biology
B.S.-Long Island University, Southampton, Marine Science; M.S.-University of California, Irvine, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Ph.D.-Duke University, Botany
Office: MCMI 124E; Phone: 278-6182; E-mail: kingston@elon.edu;
URL: http://www.elon.edu/kingston

I am one of the marine biologists. Although, my research interests focus on the evolutionary ecology of marine and freshwater algae, feel free to come by to talk about marine mammals, fishes, or any marine science topic that interests you. A special area of interest for me is photobiology — the interaction between light and living systems, which includes phototaxis, vision, and photosynthesis. My previous research projects include phytoplankton community dynamics in Lake Huron, the ecology and zonation of intertidal seaweeds in California, and the vertical migration rhythms of benthic microalgae living on coastal sand flats in North Carolina. My current research interests are focused on the benthic microalgae of Piedmont streams in the Burlington/Elon area. In addition to my own research interests, I have advised many students in research areas of their own choosing or projects related to my own research. Past student research projects included feeding behavior in fiddler crabs, visual perception of freshwater fishes, community metabolism of a small pond, vertical migration of pond phytoplankton, an assessment of Hurricane Fran damage to Cedarock Park, seasonal effects on human mortality, fish herbivory on tropical sea grasses, black band disease on Carribean corals, vertical migration of microalgae on southern Californian beaches, and slope inclination and aspect effects on tree fall during Hurricane Fran.   

Recent courses I have taught include Ecology, Current Issues in Biology, Aquatic Biology, Introduction to Population Biology, Senior Seminar, and Environmental Issues in Southeast Asia. I am a member of the Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society, the Ecological Society of America, the Phycological Society of America, the Association of Southeastern Biologists, the North Carolina Academy of Science, Sigma Xi, and Project Kaleidoscope’s Faculty for the 21st Century.

Robert Vick, Associate Professor of Biology
B.A.-Wake Forest University; Ph.D.-Medical College of Virginia
Office: MCMI 220; Phone: 278-6205; E-mail: vickrs@elon.edu

I came to Elon University in 1995 with a wide background in physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, biochemistry, and neurochemistry. My doctoral research examined the specific proteolysis of the hormone prolactin and the effects the cleaved subunits had on various organs. Part of my postdoctoral work involved remyelination of the adult central nervous system, with emphasis on the role of the oligodendrocyte. Another part of my postdoctoral work involved examining gene changes in response to recurrent seizures, specifically in the hippocampus. I am currently interested in the role of glial cells in the central nervous system in both remyelination and seizure.

I teach Human Anatomy (BIO 161) and Human Physiology (BIO 162) almost every semester, and I teach Developmental Biology (BIO 316) every 4th semester. I teach in an interactive style, one that involves the student as an active learner. I am also the faculty advisor for the Lincoln PreMedical Society, the Alpha Kappa Lambda fraternity, and am currently the chair of the Faculty Research and Development committee.

When I am not in my office, classroom, or laboratory, I can usually be found exercising, reading scientifically related material, or listening to my shortwave radio. Please feel free to stop by and introduce yourself.

Below is a representative list of publications:
1. Vick, RS, S-J Chen, and GH DeVries (1990) The isolation, characterization, and culture of adult rat oligodendrocytes. J Neurosci Res. 25(4):524-534.
2. Vick, RS, TJ Neuberger, and GH DeVries (1991) Role of adult oligodendrocytes in remyelination after neural injury. J Neurotrauma. 8(suppl 2):S93-S104.
3. Perlin, J, C Gerwin, DM Panchision, RS Vick, ER Jakoi, and RJ DeLorenzo (1993) Kindling produces long-lasting and selective changes in genetic
expressions of hippocampal neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci, USA, 90(5): 1741- 1745.
4. Vick, RS, A Rafiq, DA Coulter, ER Jakoi, and RJ DeLorenzo (1996) GABAA 2 mRNA levels are decreased following induction of spontaneous epileptiform discharges in hippocampal-entorhinal cortical slices. Brain Research, 721: 111-119.

Janet MacFall, Coordinator of the Environmental Studies Program and Associate Professor of Biology
B.S.-Juniata College, Biology; M.S.-University of Maryland, Botany; Ph.D.- University of Wisconsin, Plant Pathology
Office: MCMI 124B ; Phone: 278-6202; E-mail: macfall@elon.edu

I am the Coordinator of Environmental Studies at Elon University as well as being a member of the faculty of the Dept. of Biology. My career in science began with an interest in environmental science that was nurtured at a small college similar to Elon. I completed my master's degree studying interactions between cultivated and wild fungi. I then served as a faculty member for the University of Delaware, studying systems of induced resistance in plants, mechanisms plants develop for defense against disease. I then moved to the Midwest for my doctoral degree in plant pathology, although I worked on a topic more related to soil ecology. Nearly all plants have fungi growing on their roots, which help them in nutrient and water uptake, making them more competitive in nature. My research focused on these relationships from a physiological and an ecological perspective. I named a new species of mushroom which was symbiotic on pines, and studied their interactions. Following this work, I went to Duke University where I was appointed a Research Assistant Professor in both the School of the Environment and the Duke University Medical Center. I was fortunate to be able to continue study of soil ecology and plant/microbe interactions as well as to use magnetic resonance imaging, a state of the art medical technology, to study these relationships. At this time, however, I was also fortunate in having the opportunity to develop and teach two courses, Belowground Ecosystems and Applied Ecology. I found working with students to be a challenging and extremely rewarding experience, and I welcomed the opportunity to come to Elon. I also look forward to the opportunity to work with students and faculty in developing a new and exciting, multi-disciplinary program in Environmental studies.

My home life centers on my family and family activities. I live in Graham with my husband James, a health physicist on the faculty at Duke Univ., my two daughters Julia and Jaime, three cats and three horses. Most of our free time is spent riding, gardening, canoeing, hiking or playing sports. I have also been actively involved with the Girl Scouts for many years.

I teach Introduction to Environmental Science, Organismal Biology and Field Techniques, Introduction to Biology, General Botany, Geographical Information Systems, and Environmental Studies Senior Seminar although I would love to hear what other courses students would be interested in attending related to Environmental Studies. Although you are Biology majors, I invite you to explore the new options for students interested in the scientific aspects of Environmental Studies as well as the opportunities for a multi-disciplinary course of study.

Lisa Carloye, Associate Professor of Biology
B.A.-Whitman College, History; M.S. -University of Illinois, Entomology; Ph.D. University of Illinois, Entomology
Office: MCMI 224B; Phone 278-6201; E-mail: carloyel@elon.edu

My path into a career in the biological sciences has taken many unexpected turns from my undergraduate days as a History major at Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA. I was first introduced to the sciences when I took a position in the Air Program at the Washington State Department of Ecology. Excited by the relevance of the environmental issues on which I worked and the community in which I worked and played in the Seattle area, I took basic science courses and introductory biology courses at both the University of Washington and Washington State University (in my hometown of Pullman, WA) in preparation for graduate school at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign in entomology. My master’s research focused on the physiological control of dietary self-selection in corn earworm caterpillars. My primary interests, however, lie in the areas of chemical ecology and insect pathology so, for my doctoral research, I examined the interaction of plant secondary chemicals on the ability of microsporidian spores to infect insect hosts. I delved deeper into insect pathology by examining the physiological mechanisms by which albendazole, a pharmaceutical drug currently under investigation to combat microsporidiosis in AIDS patients, disrupts spore production in caterpillar hosts.

The courses I teach include Human anatomy laboratories, population biology, zoology and non-majors biology. I have also taught a non-majors course on insects and human society (but majors are encouraged and welcome to enroll!) which allows me to share my love and wonder of the insect world with others. I am a member of the Entomological Society of America and the Society for Invertebrate Pathologists. I am also the faculty advisor of the Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society and the Biology Club.

I live in Elon with my husband Wade, who is a stream ecologist and a dragonfly fanatic, and our son Benjamin. We love to hike and backpack, and hope to explore North Carolina by canoe in the future. My indoor interests include quilting and reading. Please stop by to say hello anytime!

Gregory J. Haenel, Associate Professor of Biology
B.S. -Ohio University, Zoology; Ph.D. -University of Pennsylvania, Biology
Office: MCMI 124F ; Phone 278-6283; E-mail: haenel@elon.edu

My lifelong interest in the outdoors is what eventually lead me to my career in the biological sciences. I teach population biology and evolutionary biology courses in the Biology Department and Introductory Environmental Science in the Environmental Studies Program. In my research, I enjoy both field and lab work and focus on questions that deal with animals in their natural environment. I have combined ecological field studies and molecular biology to address both ecological and evolutionary questions. For example, DNA fingerprinting techniques allow me to directly measure reproductive success of male lizards while they are living and behaving in their natural, undisturbed populations. I have used a treadmill to measure physiological performance (endurance) of lizards and then, with DNA fingerprinting, I measured reproductive success of these same individuals. This allowed me to address the question, “Does individual level variation in physiology have an evolutionary impact on populations?” I have also used DNA analyses to study geographic variation in the wide-ranging Tree Lizard. Students doing research with me have carried out research projects that range from isolating microsatellite DNA from lizards to paternity analyses of chimpanzees born in a mixed sex captive population.

I also enjoy hiking, camping, and exploring quiet lakes in my kayak. I have found the natural beauty and mild climate of North Carolina make it a wonderful place to live and study the environment. However, I am equally at home in the deserts where I did much of my dissertation research or the mountains of Montana where I love to escape to from time to time.

Catherine C. Newsome, Science Lab Manager-Biology
B.S.-The University of Alabama in Birmingham, Cytotechnology; M.S.- Jacksonville State University, Biology
Office: MCMI 108; Phone 278-6193; E-mail: newsomec@elon.edu

My background is varied and covers two broad fields in the sciences. Most of my undergraduate work, which was done at Auburn University, dealt with fresh water ecology. Even as a child I was always collecting things. So I loved all the fieldwork I did at Auburn. I married after my second year of college, which led eventually into a detour into motherhood and a delay in finishing school. I maintained my interest in things ecological by volunteering at a natural museum. When I went back to school after my second child was born, I decided to do something “practical” and thus finished my degree in Cytotechnology at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. I worked as a cytotechnologist for several years before going to graduate school. Having learned that I really preferred fieldwork, I earned my Masters degree at Jacksonville State University by performing a study of the vascular and non-vascular flora of Little River on Lookout Mountain in northeast Alabama. During graduate school, I organized a Girl Scout Troop for my oldest daughter (serving as Troop Leader, Cookie Chairman, and Day Camp Leader); actively worked with The Alabama Conservancy; performed environmental impact assessments for the US National Parks Service and the Nature Conservancy; and worked as a teaching assistant and assistant curator of the herbarium. I came to North Carolina eight years ago with my three children to work full-time as a Senior Cytotechnologist with Lab Corp. writing my masters thesis at night. I’ve been teaching general biology and anatomy and physiology in the community college system at night. I’ve also presented continuing education for teachers and science programs for day care centers and preschools. I live out in the country near Falls Lake with my husband, Jim, a senior claims adjuster who specializes in catastrophes, and my daughter, Jennifer, a college student and our two dogs. I continue to perform contract work for various companies. While my primary duties at Elon involve lab management and safety training, my heart is in the woods.

Sandra S. Seidel, Associate Professor of Biology
B.S.-College of William and Mary, Biology, M.E. and Ph.D.-University of Virginia, Biomedical Engineering
Office: MCMI 224A; Phone:278-6171; Email: sseidel@elon.edu

While I am trained as a biomedical engineer, I identify myself as a human physiologist. My academic knowledge base includes a bit about sleep, breathing, and swallowing. I lived in Palo Alto, CA, and worked at the Stanford University Sleep Research Center as a Polysomnographic Technologist (aka sleep technician) between my undergraduate work in biology at W&M and my graduate studies in biomedical engineering at UVa. My graduate work investigated the central (medulla oblongata region of the brain) control of breathing. My postdoctoral work, also at UVa, and then my first research position at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, WI, investigated the role of the esophagus in swallowing. Before coming to Elon in 2000, I was a faculty member at Carthage College in Kenosha, WI, for eight years.

The departmental courses that I teach include BIO 162: Human Physiology, BIO 261: Introductory Seminar, and BIO 370: CardioPhysiology, a 2 credit winter term course. I teach non-majors in BIO 101 and BIO 102 lab, SCI 121: Science Without Borders, and SCI 251: Science in London. Since my background is broad and I can advise/mentor students interested in studying many physiological processes including ventilation, cardiovascular dynamics, and the measurement of various biopotentials. My research interests involve the scholarship of teaching and learning - understanding how to effectively teach biological and general science effectively to all students.

Rev. Matthew W. Clark, Associate Professor of Biology
Pitt Community College, Diploma-Surgical Technology; B.S.- Johnson C. Smith University, Biology (General Science); M.S.-North Carolina State University, Physiology; Ph.D.- East Carolina University School of Medicine, Anatomy & Cell Biology
Office: MCMI 224C; Phone:278-6265; Email: mclark@elon.edu

My academic training and service has covered a vast area of teaching, administration, and research endeavors, between the States of North Carolina and Florida. I have taught basic science courses to medical, allied health, and other science students. Currently, I am teaching Human Gross Anatomy (BIO 161). My plans in the future are to establish and teach other human based courses for Elon University.

I have been actively involved in outreach recruiting and career planning for customers pursuing education through college and university systems. This training has assisted community leaders and I with skills that led to developing various community-based learning and enrichment programs for various counties in North Carolina. My research interest in this area is to establish service oriented and funded opportunities, that will help open doors for under served but gifted and talent customers interested in pursing higher education. As a minister, I am also continuing my training in the areas of counseling and spiritual guidance.

My scientific research background and interest covers the areas of musculo-skeletal dysfunctions (low back pain), forensic medical science (parasitology/entomology), prostate and breast oncology (epidemiology/molecular biology), sickle cell anemia (epidemiology/molecular biology), and neuroendocrinology (prolactin hormone regulation), respectively.

Research and Campus Coordinator, National Institute of Health Bridges Grant-Biomedical/Biotechnology

Health Science Coordinator/Instr., Science Department, Roanoke-ChowanCommunity College, Union, NC.

1998: Adjunct Professor Biochemistry, Continuing Studies, East Carolina
University (ECU), Greenville, NC

1998: Outreach Specialist, Student Development Department, Pitt Community College, Greenville, NC.

1994-1997: Assistant Professor, Physical Therapy Department, Florida A&M University,Tallahassee, Florida

1992-1994: Science Instructor, Science Department, Pitt Community College Greenville, NC.

1991-1992: Science-Computer Coordinator, Cornerstone, Free Will Baptist Church, Greenville, NC

1990-1992: Teaching Assistant, Center for Student Opportunities, School of Medicine, ECU, Greenville, NC.

1985-1986: Graduate Teaching Assistant, Biology Department, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC

Linda M. Niedziela, Assistant Professor of Biology
B.S. University of Pittsburgh – Biology; Ph.D. – West Virginia University – Genetics
Office: MCMI 124D; Phone 278-6236; E-mail: lniedziela@elon.edu

I came to Elon University in 2001 with a variety of academic and research experiences. My main research interests are in the areas of genetic and molecular toxicology. The study of the changes in the DNA and gene expression that occur in response to occupational and environmental contaminants has been at the center of my research. I am especially interested in organisms with unique mechanisms of toxic response. I began my career as a research scientist but decided I liked the variety and student interactions found in academia. During my time as a teacher/researcher I have been very involved in the development of courses and programs related to biotechnology. These efforts have always had a significant component of student research in the classroom and out. I plan to continue this approach. I would like to get Elon students involved in some of the following projects: refinement of a brine shrimp toxicity model to evaluate the toxic potential of chemicals or water sources, basic molecular studies of the developmental and toxic response processes in brine shrimp, evaluation of the anti-microbial and toxic effects of ozone, and comparisons of molecular diversity in microbial populations.

Courses I teach include Introductory Cell Biology (BIO 111/113), Genetics (BIO 345) and Biotechnology (BIO 348) as well as non-majors biology. I strive to conduct interactive classes centered on problem solving.

I think because all my research is done in the laboratory, I spend a lot of time outdoors in my free time. I enjoy camping, bird watching and live out in the country with my husband, Carl; and two dogs, Pepper and Sparky. My husband and I enjoy social dancing; including shag, polka, and square dancing. My creative side comes out in my woodworking shop, where I enjoy furniture making and power tools.

Brant W. Touchette, Assistant Professor of Biology
B.A.-University of Delaware, Biology; M.S.- Nova Southeastern University, Marine Biology; Ph.D.- North Carolina State University, Botany
Office: MCMI 124A; Phone: 278-6185; E-mail: btouchette@elon.edu

My interest in aquatic biology began early in life -- growing up along the banks of the Chesapeake Bay in southern Maryland. I enjoyed the beauty of the Bay and all the life that resided within it. At the same time, I was saddened by the ever-increasing pollution that entered these waters and threatened this delicate ecosystem. This early indoctrination in aquatic ecology has remained with me today, as I continue to conduct research on the eco-physiology of aquatic plants. The primary goal of my research is to understand how plants have adapted to aquatic environments. Aquatic plants live in environments that would be considered biologically stressful, and these plants must contend with the stresses directly -- limited only to adjustments in their morphology and physiology. Over the past ten years, I have used freshwater and marine macrophytes as models of plants living in stressful habitats. In comparison to terrestrial plants, submersed marine plants, must contend with high salinity, oxygen depleted sediments, periodic increases in light-attenuating particles/epiphytes, and often growth limiting supplies of nutrients and inorganic carbon. My research on seagrass addresses questions concerning modifications in physiology that allow them to survive in marine shallow-water habitats. The physiology of seagrasses are particularly interesting because they have evolved from land predecessors that returned to the sea approximately 100 million years ago. Therefore, they retain numerous physiological processes that are typical of terrestrial plants, however they also have made a number of unique adjustments in order to survive submerged in seawater.

On a more personal note, when not involved in biological issues, I enjoy outdoor recreational activities, especially sports such as soccer. When the weather is not amenable for playing outdoors, I enjoy woodworking and refinishing antique furniture.

Selected Publications:
Touchette, B.W., and J.M. Burkholder (2001) Nitrate reductase activity in a submersed marine angiosperm: controlling influences of environmental and physiological factors. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 39: 583-593.

Touchette, B.W., and J.M. Burkholder (2000) Review of nitrogen and phosphorus metabolism in seagrasses. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 250: 133-167.

Mallin, M.A., J.M. Burkholder, M.R. Mclver, G.C. Shank, H.B. Glasgow, Jr., B.W. Touchette, and J. Springer (1997) Comparative effects of poultry and swine waste lagoon spills on the quality of receiving streamwaters. J. Environ. Qual. 26: 1622-1631.

Touchette, B.W., C.M. Featherstone, and B.J. Baca. (1996) The response of a south Florida mangrove wetland to petroleum-hydrocarbon contamination: a comparison of three mangrove species. In Southern Forested Wetlands Ecology and Management. K.M. Flynn (Ed.) Clemson University Press, Clemson SC. p. 223-227.

Douglas J. Stemke, Assistant Professor of Biology
B.S. Southwest Texas State University (Microbiology); Ph.D. Louisiana State University (Molecular Microbiology)
Office:MCMI 224B; Phone: 278-6188; E-mail: dstemke@elon.edu

While it is true that I was born in a hospital right outside Louis Pasteur’s microbial research institute in Paris, it was my activities as a naturalist in Pennsylvania, Alberta (Canada), and Texas that ultimately directed me into a life-long interest in Biology. As an undergraduate at Southwest Texas State University, I became fascinated increasingly with Microbiology as I found it to be an area of the life sciences with almost limitless potential. After Southwest I spent a summer working at Baylor College of Medicine (Houston) isolating proteins from pathogenic bacteria. Later that summer I moved into my graduate program at Louisiana State University where I analyzed Curved DNA’s role in transcription in the soil bacterium, Bacillus subtilis.

Following graduate school, I found I wanted a wider experience in microbiology and did so through four postdoctoral positions. At the Center of Marine Biotechnology in Baltimore, I had the chance to develop and identify transcription systems in Methanosarcina, a member of the primitive Archaeabacteria. At the University of Maryland (Pharmacy School) I help identify bacterial enzymes that could safely biodegrade the explosive Nitroglycerin. I then worked at the Biological Process Technology Institute (University of Minnesota St. Paul) with a Japanese fermentation company to construct a microorganism which would produce large quantities of an essential amino acid to help meet developing nation’s nutritional needs. Finally, also at BPTI, I was part of a research group that developed a bacterial biosensor to detect dangerous levels of mercury found in water and food items. My research interests reflect these general themes in looking at a variety of questions in the biological sciences using the available tools of Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.

I followed up these postdocs with two- two year teaching positions; the first at the University of Minnesota Morris and the second position at Hanover College in Indiana. Collectively I’ve taught a variety of courses including Microbiology, Advanced Microbiology, Biochemistry, General Biology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Ecology and Evolution, Non-Majors Biology and Nature Photography. Currently I will be teaching Introductory Cell Biology, Molecular Cell Biology and Microbiology here at Elon.

On a personal note I love discussing a wide variety of areas in the Biological, Chemical and Physical Sciences and relish the opportunity to share student’s interests in these (and other) areas. I am an avid naturalist, hiker, bicyclist, nature photographer and general outdoorsman. I look forward to meeting you!

Selected Publications and Patents
Stemke, D.J. Purification of Coenzymes from Methanogens. In Archaea: A Laboratory Manual, F.T. Robb, K.R. Sowers, S. Das Sharma, A.R. Place, H.J. Schreier, E.M. Fleisschmann (eds.). Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1995.

Lyngberg, O.K., D. J. Stemke, J.L. Schottel and M.C. Flickinger. "A Simple Single use Luciferase Based Mercury Biosensor using Latex-Film Immobilized Escherichia coli HB101.

Sathyamoorthy, M., D. Stemke, MK. Speedie. (1996) Native and Heterologous Protein Secretion by Streptomyces lividans. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 46:347-352.

Stemke, D.J. (1993) Transcription Initiation Studies with Bacillus subtilis Promoters Containing Curved DNA. Dissertation, Louisiana State University.

Detection of Toxic Metals Using Latex Coatings Containing Viable Microorganisms. O. K. Lyngberg, M.C. Flickinger, D.J. Stemke, V. Thiagarajan, J.L. Schottel, L.E. Scriven. (1998). NIH invention disclosure number 1450401-98-0006.

Jeffrey S. Coker, Assistant Professor of Biology
B.S.-Davidson College, Biology; M.Ed.-North Carolina State University, Science Education; Ph.D.-North Carolina State University, Botany
Office: MCMI 124-C; Phone: 278-6206;
E-mail: jcoker@elon.edu ;
URL: http://www.elon.edu/facstaff/jcoker/

I joined the faculty at Elon University in 2004 and teach Biology 101/102, The Global Experience, and Science Without Borders. My research includes both educational and biological projects.

The year after graduating from college, I decided to "do something else for a year" before entering medical school and took a job teaching high school biology, chemistry, and calculus. During this year, I discovered my passion for teaching, decided against medical school, and opted for an academic life instead. In graduate school, I became deeply involved in both biological and educational research, and completed graduate degrees in both fields.  

My publications have spanned a wide range of topics including the ecology of eastern red cedars, gene expression of V-ATPases in tomato plants, responses of plants to fire damage, development of methods for analyzing DNA sequences, and assessment of undergraduate research experiences. My professional activities include being Chair of the Science Education Committee of the N.C. Academy of Science and Associate Editor for the Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education.

My odd assortment of life experiences include working on a hog farm, waiting tables at Shoney’s, working in an operating room, playing college baseball, studying classical art and architecture in Europe and Eurasia, publishing a couple dozen poems, and sky diving. Life is too short not to make it interesting. My wife Beth and I enjoy writing, traveling, gardening, contemplating art, watching movies, running, scuba diving, and playing with our cats. Beth recently left her chemical engineering career to become an 8th grade science teacher at Western Middle School.

Selected Publications:

Coker, J.S. and Davies, E. 2004. Identifying adaptor contamination when mining DNA sequence data. Biotechniques 37: 194-198.

Coker, J.S. and Van Dyke, C.G. 2004. Evaluation of teaching and research experiences undertaken by botany majors at N.C. State University. NACTA Journal. In press.

Coker, J.S. and Davies, E.   2003. Selection of candidate housekeeping controls in tomato plants using EST data. Biotechniques 35: 740-748.

Coker, J.S., Jones, D., and Davies, E. 2003. Identification, conservation, and relative expression of V-ATPase cDNAs in tomato plants. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter 21:145-158.  

Coker, J.S. and Davies, E. 2002. Involvement of plant biologists in undergraduate and high school student research. Journal of Natural Resources and Life Science Education 31: 44-47.