Indiana University Department of Biology

Visit our list of 2007 research honors and awards.
IU Biology faculty members Thom Kaufman, Mike Wade, and Mimi Zolan have been selected to become fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. [ IU press release]
Ellen Ketterson, Joel McGlothlin (former grad student) and Jodie Jawor (former postdoctoral researcher) in the American Naturalist: Testosterone turns male juncos into blustery hunks -- and bad dads [IU press release | AmNat press release | AmNat abstract ]
One of our Biology advisors for undergraduates, Anna Bednarski, has been selected as an Outstanding Professional Advisor for the Indiana Academic Advising Network (IAAN).
Mark Estelle has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the highest honor in American science. [IU press release | NAS press release]
The acquisition by Tuli Mukhopadhyay and Bogdan Dragnea of a new 300 kV field emission Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) from JEOL distinguishes Indiana University as a major U.S. research facility where scientists can examine both biological and materials science structures at nanoscale resolution. [press release]
The Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index survey ranks the IU Biology program in Plant Biology second in the country, and the IU Biology program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology as third in the country. As a whole, IU ranked 10th among public universities. [January 2007 press release]
Matthew Hahn and colleagues features in the Science news: "Evolutionary Sprint Made Us Human" [ Science article | Genetics abstract]
The U.S. Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute has accepted a proposal by Yves Brun to sequence the genome of six bacterial to study their potential for bioremediation of toxic compounds in water sources. [IU press release]
Yaniv Branvain, Michael Barker (graduate students), and Mike Wade in Science: Mitochondrial genes move to the nucleus -- but it's not for the sex. [press release | abstract]
Matt Hahn, Jeff Demuth (postdoc) and colleagues featured in the Science news: "Relative Differences: The Myth of 1%" [Science article | IU press release ]
Roger Hangarter has been named the Class of 1968 Chancellor's Professor in recognition of his achievements in the lab as well as in the classroom.
Matthew Hahn, Jeff Demuth and colleagues, on the cover of Science: Evolutionary and Biomedical Insights from the Rhesus Macaque Genome. [abstract]
J. Ade, B. DeYoung, C. Golstein (all postdocs in the Innes lab) and Roger Innes in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: Indirect activation of a plant NBS-LRR protein by a bacterial protease. Insights from this work may enable scientists to transfer disease resistance traits from one plant species to another, even when these plant species are very distantly related. [abstract]
Luz Irina Calderon Villalobos (postdoc in Estelle lab), Mark Estelle and colleagues, on the cover of Nature: Mechanism of auxin perception by the TIR1 ubiquitin ligase. [abstract | editor's summary | news & views]
Yves Brun and colleagues' discovery of nature's strongest glue produced by the bacterium Caulobacter crescentus was selected as one of the Top 2006 Stories in Science by the online science magazine The Future of Things. The discovery was also highlighted by the National Science Foundation in their "Discovery 2006: Year in Review".
Yves Brun and colleague Jay Tang from Brown University have received a $1.25 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the mechanisms of bacterial adhesion to surfaces, including the biosynthesis of the Caulobacter crescentus adhesive holdfast, the strongest known glue of biological origin. (20 January 2007)
Ke Hu and colleagues in Science: Differential Transmission of Actin Motion Within Focal Adhesions. [abstract]
Greg Demas, graduate student Tim Grieves and colleagues: Kisspeptin hormone signals mating season. [press release | Washington Post coverage | Endocrinology preprint download ]
Matthew Hahn, postdoc Jeff Demuth and colleagues, in Public Library of Science ONE: Human-chimp difference may be bigger. [ press release | article ] (20 December 2006)
Armin Moczek, graduate student T.E. Cruickshank, and undergraduate T. A. Shelby have presented a surprise function of beetle horns. [press release | Nature news piece | Evolution abstract | American Naturalist abstract] (6 December 2006)
Our newest EEB faculty member, Jim Goodson, and colleague, in PNAS: Groups And Grumps: Study Identifies 'Sociality' Neurons [press release | abstract] (30 October 2006)
Beth Raff, Rudy Raff, Rudi Turner and colleagues in Science: Cellular and Subcellular Structure of Neoproterozoic Animal Embryos. [press release] (12 October 2006)
NSF has awarded David Kehoe, and George Weinstock of the Baylor College of Medicine, over $550,000 to sequence the entire genome of the cyanobacterium Fremyella diplosiphon, a prokaryote that has color vision. [press release] (19 September 2006)
Richie Madewell, an undergraduate student working with Armin Moczek, has won the annual Genesis Award for the best undergraduate poster presentation at the Annual Animal Behavior Society meetings in Snowbird, Utah. (18 August 2006)
Jennifer Wagner, Yves Brun and colleagues in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: A nutrient uptake role for bacterial cell envelope extensions. [press release | abstract | commentary] (19 July 2006)
Carl Bauer has been awarded a MERIT (Method to Extend Research in Time) grant by the National Institutes of Health, which will provide up to $5 million in research funding over the next ten years. [press release | IDS article] (16 June 2006)
The spring 2006 issue of the IU publication Teaching and Learning highlights Biology faculty Matthew Hahn, Leonie Moyle, Mike Wade, and adjuncts Frederika Kaestle, Vicky Meretsky, among others. (9 June 2006)
Suni Dharmasiri, Keithanne Mockaitis, Mark Estelle and colleagues in Science: AXR4 is required for localization of the auxin influx facilitator AUX1. [abstract] (29 May 2006)
Gregory Velicer and colleagues in PNAS: Comprehensive mutation identification in an evolved bacterial cooperator and its cheating ancestor. [article] (18 May 2006)
Gregory Velicer, Nicco Yu and colleagues on the cover of Nature: Evolution of an obligate social cheater to a superior cooperator. [abstract | news and views commentary | podcast ] (17 May 2006)
The spring 2006 issue of the IU publication Research and Creative Activity , "On the Human Condition", highlights Biology faculty Greg Demas, Ellen Ketterson, Michael Lynch, and Rod Suthers, among others. (8 May 2006)
Read up on our numerous achievements and awards over the past year, as they were presented at the spring reception. (4 May 2006)
Jared Strasburg (postdoc in the Rieseberg lab) in Nature: Large highways can seriously impede genetic exchange in large vertebrates. [full text (requires subscription)] (13 April 2006)
Whitney Schlegel, Heather Reynolds, Briana Gross (graduate student) and colleagues have been awarded the 2006 Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Leadership Grant (30K). The grant will develop and test a novel model of cross-disciplinary service-learning, promote new and integrative models for assessing student learning, and foster the development of learning communities that bring together faculty, students, and the Bloomington community. [SoTL award] (11 April 2006)
Loren Rieseberg, Troy Wood (graduate student) , and Eric Baack (postdoc) in Nature: Plant species are just as easily categorized as animal species. [abstract | editor's summary | press release] (11 April 2006)
Yves Brun and colleagues in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science: Nature's strongest glue could be used as a medical adhesive. [abstract | press release] (7 April 2006)
IU's EEB program ranked eighth in the nation, IU's biological sciences programs overall rise to 32nd. [press release] (31 March 2006)
Beth Raff, Rudy Raff, Jeff Villinski, Rudy Turner and colleagues in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science: Fossilized sea urchin embryos tell story of Earth's earliest animals. [press release] (29 March 2006)
Thomas Danhorn (graduate student), Clay Fuqua, and colleagues in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science: Quorum sensing and motility mediate interactions between Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Agrobacterium tumefaciens in biofilm co-cultures. [abstract] (2 March 2006)
Lauren Young, a graduate student working with Heather Reynolds, is one of two 2006 recipients of the Ecological Society of America Graduate Student Policy Award. She will be going to Capitol Hill in March to learn first hand about federal funding and its impact on the sciences. (15 February 2006)
Lina Li, a graduate student working with David Kehoe, was one of 20 life sciences graduate students world-wide who was invited to speak at the 4th International Student Seminar of the 21st Century Center of Excellence Program at Kyoto University, Japan. (2 February 2006)
Dai Horiuchi, a graduate student working with Bill Saxton, was awarded a Predoctoral Fellowship by the American Heart Association. (30 January 2006)
Saul Nava, a graduate student working with Emilia Martins, was awarded a National Institute of Health (NIH) Predoctoral Fellowship. (11 January 2006)
Devin Zysling, a graduate student working with Greg Demas and Ellen Ketterson, was awarded a Society for Comparative and Integrative Biology (SICB) grant-in-aid of research. (10 January 2006)
Tim Greives, a graduate student in the Demas lab, was awarded an Indiana Academy of Science research grant. (10 January 2006)
Mark Estelle has been selected to receive the 2006 Kumho Science International Award, one of the most prestigious awards available in the field of plant biology, which annually recognizes an outstanding scientist who has made notable contributions to the field of plant molecular biology and biotechnology. Mark will accept the prize during a banquet held in Seoul in June. [press release] (6 January 2006)
Mike Lynch discussed in the New York Times: From Bacteria to Us: What Went Right When Humans Started to Evolve? [article] (3 January 2006)
Work of Mark Estelle, and postdocs Nihal Dharmasiri and Sunethra Dharmasiri on auxin receptors was highlighted as part of the runner-up #3 in the Science "Breakthrough of the Year" issue, together with several other papers on plant development. [original Nature article | Science runner-up piece] (23 December 2005)
Daniel Kearns and Richard Losick on the cover of Genes and Development: Cell population heterogeneity during growth of Bacillus subtilis. [article] (15 December 2005)
Daniel Ortiz-Barrientos (postdoctoral researcher) and M.A. Noor in Science: Evidence for a one-allele assortative mating locus. [article] (2 December 2005)
Matthew Hahn and colleagues in Public Library of Science Biology: Selection on a Neural Gene Regulator Sheds Light on Human Evolution. [press release | Science commentary | synopsis | article] (30 November 2005)
Mimi Zolan will discuss biological science as a career on JobTraks during the week of Nov 28. JobTracks is a radio program for high schoolers about careers and professions, which is produced by the IU Division of Broadcast & Electronic Media. JobTraks is also available as a podcast on iTunes. (21 November 2005)
Armin Moczek on the November cover of Bioscience: The Evolution of Novelties, or How Beetles Got Their Horns. (1 November 2005)
Gregory Velicer and colleague in PLoS Biology: Exploitative and hierarchical antagonism in a cooperative bacterium. [synopsis | article] (1 November 2005)
Keith Clay and Jeff Palmer are among the 2005 class of fellows who will be inducted into the American Association for the Advancement of Science during the annual AAAS meeting 0n February 18, 2006. They will join other AAAS fellows on the IU Biology faculty, including: Mark Estelle, Howard Gest, Curt Lively, Mike Lynch, Val Nolan, and Loren Rieseberg. [press prelease] (28 October 2005)
Roger Hangarter's sLowlife exhibit is on display at the US Botanic Garden Conservatory in Washington, D.C. from October 27, 2005 through March 26, 2005. [press release | sLowlife site] (24 October 2005)
Susan Strome will discuss genetics as a career on JobTraks during the week of October 10-15. (3 October 2005)
Roger Hangarter and documentarian Samuel Orr have been awarded first prize by Science Magazine and the NSF for their short video about Brood X cidadas. [press release | movie ] (22 September 2005)
Keith Clay, Jenny Holah, and Jennifer Rudgers in PNAS: Herbivores cause a rapid increase in hereditary symbiosis and alter plant community composition. [ abstract ] (19 September 2005)
Matthew Hahn and colleagues in Public Library of Science Biology: Genomic Islands of Speciation in Anopheles gambiae [Nature commentary (limited access)| article] (8 September 2005)
Mark Estelle, and postdocs Nihal Dharmasiri and Sunethra Dharmasiri in Nature: the F-box protein TIR1 is an auxin receptor. [press release | commentary | article] (26 May 2005)
Roger Hangarter and his time-lapse movies are featured in the Spring issue of the IU Research and Creative Activity Magazine [article], as well as the 22 May issue of the Herald Times [article pdf] (May 2005)
Susan Strome's teaching is profiled in the first issue of the new IU journal Teaching & Learning. [article] (May 2005)
Butch Brodie and colleagues at Utah State University and the University of Utah in Nature: at the molecular level, the predator is the prey. [press release] (4 April 2005)
Lynda Delph and Jeff Palmer have been awarded Guggenheim Fellowships for the coming year. (7 April 2005)
Roger Hangarter is creating a video from his plant and plant cell movies that will accompany a dance choreographed by Iris Rosa, director of the African American Dance Company, entitled "Rooted, Grounded and Manifested". The dance will be part of a show being put on by the IU African American Arts Institute on Saturday, April 9 at the Buskirk Chumley Theater in downtown Bloomington. (25 Mar 2005)
Roger Hangarter, Roger Innes, and Loren Rieseberg take on genetic modification's thorny issues. [article] (23 Feb 2005)
Susan Strome has been named the Class of 1970 Chancellor's Professor in recognition of her achievements in the lab as well as in the classroom, becoming the first woman in the department to receive a named position. (9 Feb 2005)
Michael Lynch has been awarded the title of Distinguished Professor [article]. (9 Feb 2005)
Jennifer Wagner (graduate student in the Brun lab) had her paper in the Journal of Bacteriology featured on the cover of the second January 2005 issue (187(2):544-53). [cover | article] (January 2005)
Indiana University will use $53 million Lilly Endowment grant to boost life sciences in Indiana [press release] (16 December 2004)
Thom Kaufman was awarded the 2005 George W. Beadle Award by the Genetics Society of America for outstanding contributions to the community of genetics researchers. [profile] (7 Dec 2004)
Cook Inc. and IU develop innovative internship program. [press release] (22 Nov 2004)
Jeff Mower (gradate student), Sasa Stefanovic (postdoctoral researcher), Greg Young (graduate student), and Jeff Palmer (distinguished professor) in Nature: Gene exchange between species is aided by parasitism. [press release] (8 Nov 2004)
Curt Lively was elected as a Fellow to the American Association for the Advancement of Science. [press release] (28 Oct 2004)
Loren Rieseberg and five colleagues were awarded a $5.5 million, three-year grant (estimated) by the National Science Foundation to identify some of the key genes that cause lettuce, sunflower, thistle, knapweed, and several other crops and weeds in the sunflower family to differ from their wild ancestors. [press release] (20 Sept 2004)