Many Biology students engage in research experiences during their careers at USM, and those projects provide valuable experience once students graduate and move on to their careers, including professional school or graduate school.

Research opportunities span many disciplines, and some faculty work in multiple areas. Adjunct faculty from other USM departments and from local nongovernmental organizations and federal agencies bring additional expertise. For more information about their work, click on the faculty member’s name below. Then, please reach out to them to discuss specific research options!

In addition, the Biology Department posts internships, seasonal and permanent job openings  on its internal website, which current students can access through the MyUSM portal. 

Genetics, Molecular Biology, and Physiology

Faculty and students in microbiology lab

Hormonal control of insect metamorphosis – Dave Champlin

Effects of arsenic on the developing nervous system – Doug Currie

Mosquito and tick vectors that transmit pathogens to humans – Cat Miller

Trade offs between form and function in fishes – Jeff Walker

Role of brown and beige adipose tissue in obesity – Aaron Brown (adjunct faculty)

Signaling mechanisms impacting vascular development and remodeling – Lucy Liaw (adjunct faculty)

Role of bone marrow cells in progression of multiple myeloma – Michaela Reagan (adjunct faculty)

Interactions between immune and cardiac cells after heart injury – Sergey Ryzhov (adjunct faculty)

Ecology and Evolution

Students in forest

Predator-prey dynamics in marine systems – Rachel Lasley-Rasher

Evolution of mammalian social behavior – Chris Maher

Evolutionary models of trade offs between form and function – Jeff Walker

Estuarine ecology, restoration, and protection – Curtis Bohlen (adjunct faculty)

Marine ecology and fisheries in the Gulf of Maine – Marissa McMahan (adjunct faculty)

Mortality threats and factors affecting reproduction in loons – Jim Paruk (adjunct faculty)

Chemical ecology of insects – Joe Staples (adjunct faculty) 

Freshwater-marine linkages and salt marsh restoration – Karen Wilson (adjunct faculty)