Graduate Faculty

Biology Graduate Faculty members teach graduate-level courses, guide thesis research, and serve on graduate examination committees. The MTSU Biology faculty have achieved national and international recognition based on their success in obtaining research funding (currently $20,000,000) and publishing peer-reviewed research articles and books (over 225 in the past five years).

The Biology Graduate Faculty, their institution of terminal degree, and their research and/or teaching specialties include:

Elliott Altman PhD - California Institute of Technology
Metabolic engineering and peptide therapeutics

Frank C. Bailey PhD - Clemson University
Aquatic toxicology

George W. Benz PhD - University of British Columbia
Marine biology; Aquatic ecology

Sarah Bergemann PhD - University of Wyoming
Botany (mycology); Plant genetics

Kurt Blum PhD - Florida State University
Angiosperm taxonomy and ecology

Andrew Brower PhD - Cornell University
Entomology; molecular systematics

A. Bruce Cahoon PhD - University of Virginia
Chloroplast biology; Maize genetics; Plant biotechnology

Vincent A. Cobb PhD - Idaho State University
Behavioral/physiological ecology; Thermal biology; Human anatomy/physiology

John D. DuBois PhD - Miami University of Ohio
Plant physiology; Biological literature

Matthew Elrod-Erickson PhD - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Developmental biology; Cell biology; Genetics

M. Gore Ervin PhD - Mississippi State University
Animal physiology; Embryology; Histology; Developmental/Perinatal biology

Anthony L. Farone PhD - Miami University of Ohio
Immunology; Microbiology

Mary B. Farone PhD - Miami University of Ohio
Clinical Microbiology; Biotechnology

Herlihy, Christopher PhD - Queen's University
Botany; Plant mating system evolution; Cedar glade ecology

R. Stephen Howard PhD - Indiana University
Evolutionary ecology; Population biology

Amy E. Jetton PhD - Northwestern University
Reproductive endocrinology; Animal physiology

Sandra Johnson PhD - University of South Carolina
Plant ecology; Plant-animal interactions

Matthew Klukowski PhD - Indiana University
Animal physiology; Endocrinology; Vertebrate anatomy

Jeffrey D. Leblond PhD - University of Tennessee
Environmental microbiology; Phycology

Brian T. Miller PhD - Washington State University
Vertebrate morphology and natural history; Herpetology

Dennis M. Mullen PhD - Michigan State University
Stream ecology; Ichthyology

George G. Murphy PhD - Mississippi State University
Vertebrate ecology; Herpetology

Anthony L. Newsome PhD - University of Memphis
Microbiology; Parasitology

Ryan Otter PhD - Clemson University
Environmental Toxicology; Ecology

Wayne C. Rosing PhD - University of Texas-Austin
Mycology; Botany; Microbiology

Michael Rutledge EdD - Ball State University
General biology; Evolution

Kim C. Sadler EdD - Tennessee State University
Biology education; Environmental education

Rebecca Seipelt PhD - University of Kentucky
Genetics; Microbiology; Bioethics

Cindi Smith-Walters PhD - Oklahoma State University
Environmental education; Environmental science

William C. Stewart PhD - East Carolina University
Animal physiology; Neurobiology

Jeffrey Walck PhD - University of Kentucky
Plant Ecology; Rare/endangered plants

Stephen M. Wright PhD - University of North Dakota
Microbiology; Virology