UNT Home | Graduate Studies | College of Arts and Sciences | Biological Sciences
Graduate faculty and areas of research
Brian Ayre, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Alberta, 1995; bgayre@unt.edu.
Plant physiology; tissue-specific metabolic engineering to understand nutrient partitioning and signaling via
phloem with an emphasis on sugar transport and biomass accumulation; genetic studies on phloem structure and function.
Thomas L. Beitinger, Professor; Ph.D., Wisconsin, 1974;
beitingr@unt.edu. Behavior and physiological ecology of aquatic animals;
aquatic toxicology.
Robert C. Benjamin, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Harvard, 1980; benjamin@unt.edu
. Structure, evolution and expression of Pseudomonas genes encoding catabolic pathways; identification and
characterization of loci useful for lineage analysis of avian genomes.
Warren W. Burggren, Professor and Dean of College of Arts and Sciences; Ph.D., East Anglia (UK), 1976;
burggren@unt.edu. Developmental physiology, especially of embryonic heart and respiratory
systems; environmental and genetic influences on developmental trajectories of developing vertebrate embryos and fetuses;
neural and endocrine regulation of embryonic physiological processes.
Kent Chapman, Professor and Director of the Center for Plant Lipid Research; Ph.D., Arizona State, 1991;
chapman@unt.edu. Biogenesis of plant membranes and characterization of enzymes that regulate
lipid synthesis in cotton seedlings; engineering added-value traits in cotton; phytochemicals and agricultural biotechnology.
Rebecca Dickstein, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Johns Hopkins, 1985;
beccad@unt.edu. Development of symbiotic nitrogen fixing nodules in the
legume Medicago truncatula and in the important crop plant M. sativa (alfalfa); molecular biology and protein
biochemistry of enzymes that contribute to development of nodule structure; molecular genetics of mutants that
nodulate aberrantly.
Edward Dzialowski, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Drexel, 1999; edzial@unt.edu
. Developmental physiology of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems; physiological ecology of reptiles, amphibians and
birds; physiological responses to environmental stress and toxins; thermal biology of reptiles.
Lloyd C. Fitzpatrick, Professor and Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Biology; Ph.D., Kent State, 1970;
lloydf@unt.edu. Population and physiological ecology; life history energetics; environmental
impact assessment; ecotoxicology.
Jannon L. Fuchs, Professor; Ph.D., California at San Diego, 1979; fuchs@unt.edu
. Neurotransmitter systems and second messengers in the developing brain; effects of sensory
deprivation on cortical ontogeny.
Harrell Gill-King, Director, Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology; Ph.D., Southern Methodist, 1974;
harrell@unt.edu. Human identification; skeletal biology; taphonomy; human
evolution; comparative primate biochemistry.
Art J. Goven, Professor and Chair; Ph.D., North Carolina, 1978; goven@unt.edu.
Comparative immunology; immunotoxicology; immunoparasitology.
Guenter W. Gross, Regents Professor and Director of the Center for Network Neuroscience; Ph.D.,
Florida State, 1973; gross@cnns.org. Network neurophysiology, pharmacology
and pathology; investigation of pattern generation and fault-tolerance mechanisms in cultured mammalian neuronal
networks growing on microelectrode arrays; development of substrate integrated microelectrode arrays and
associated data-processing methods for the long-term, multichannel monitoring of network dynamics; application of
network dynamics to the fields of neurotoxicology, drug development and tissue-based biosensors.
Duane Huggett, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Mississippi, 2001;
dbhuggett@unt.edu. Aquatic and mechanistic toxicology; comparative animal
physiology and pharmacology; toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics; pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the environment.
Pudur Jagadeeswaran, Professor; PhD., Indian Institute of Science, 1978; jag@unt.edu
. Genetics of blood diseases; use of zebrafish as a model to study mammalian hemostasis and thrombosis; thrombopoiesis; role
of thrombocyte microparticles in thrombosis; in vivo mechanisms of thrombus formation; discovery of novel antithrombotic
drugs and role of aquatic proteins in hemostasis.
James H. Kennedy, Professor; Ph.D., Virginia Tech, 1980; kennedy@unt.edu.
Ecology and life cycles of benthic invertebrates; ecotoxicology.
Daniel A. Kunz, Professor and Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology;
Ph.D., Minnesota, 1979; kunz@unt.edu. Metabolism and ecology of cyanide in
microorganisms; enzymology and genetics of cyanide biodegradation; diversity of microbial metabolism; adaptive
mechanisms of microbial pathogenesis.
Thomas W. LaPoint, Professor and Director of the Institute of Applied Sciences, Director of the Water Research
Field Station, Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Environmental Science; Ph.D., Idaho State, 1981;
lapoint@unt.edu. Aquatic ecotoxicology; ecological risk assessment;
sediment toxicity; contaminant fate and effects in aquatic communities.
Gerard A. O'Donovan, Professor; Ph.D., California at Davis, 1965; gerard@unt.edu
. Pyrimidine metabolism in bacteria; Pseudomonas ATCase; pyrimidine recycling (salvage) circuits.
Pamela Padilla, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., New Mexico, 1998; ppadilla@unt.edu
. Developmental genetics; use of model systems (Caenorhabditis elegans and zebrafish Danio rerio) to study the
genetic, molecular and cellular mechanisms organisms use in response to stressful environments; oxygen deprivation;
starvation; cell cycle regulation and development; suspended animation.
Robert M. Pirtle, Professor; Ph.D., Louisville, 1973; pirtle@unt.edu.
Plant and mammalian gene structure, organization and expression; genetic engineering of genes encoding enzymes involved in
fatty acid biosynthesis and genes for pathogenesis related proteins in cotton and analysis of repetitive elements in
mammalian and plant genomes.
Aaron P. Roberts, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Miami, 2005; aproberts@unt.edu
. Environmental toxicology; molecular toxicology; multiple stressors in aquatic systems; ultraviolet radiation in aquatic
systems; toxicity of nanomaterials; ecological risk assessment.
Douglas D. Root, Associate Professor; Ph.D., California at Los Angeles, 1992;
droot@unt.edu. Molecular motors; single molecule assays; protein chemistry;
protein engineering; signal transduction; energy transduction via ATP hydrolysis; molecular modeling; structure and
function; actin; myosin; cytoskeletal proteins; giant muscle proteins titin and nebulin.
Harris D. Schwark, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Illinois, 1985; schwark@unt.edu
. Neurobiology of the somatosensory system; anatomy, physiology and chemistry of somatosensory brain stem,
thalamus and cortex; plasticity and reorganization of the somatosensory system following alteration of peripheral inputs.
Richard J. Sinclair, Associate Professor and Dean of the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science;
Ph.D., Oklahoma Health Science Center, 1973; sinclair@unt.edu. Neurohumoral
control of circulation.
Don W. Smith, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Wisconsin, 1963; dsmith@unt.edu.
Steroids in plants; natural compounds that compete with estrogen for binding sites; plant tissue culture; boron functions on cell
wall and middle lamella formation; vegetative propagation of woody plants that are difficult to root.
Kevin J. Stevens, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Guelph, 2003;
kjstevens@unt.edu. Impacts of anthropogenic stress on wetlands and the potential
for natural and constructed wetlands to mediate such impacts; plant ecology; plant anatomy; wetland ecology; mycorrhizae.
David C. Tam, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Minnesota, 1987; dtam@unt.edu.
Computational neuroscience: simulation and analysis; multi-unit spike train analysis and discrimination; neuronal networks and
learning; sensori-motor integration and motor control; psychophysics and emotions; neurophysiology and neuropsychopharmacology.
Ruthanne Thompson, Assistant Professor; Ed.D., North Texas, 2003;
rudi@unt.edu. Measuring effects on pre service science teacher efficacy; science
teacher staff development; science education as a field of study; leadership support of science teachers.
Barney Venables, Associate Professor; Ph.D., North Texas, 1976;
venables@unt.edu. Biological effects and instrumental analysis of
environmental contaminants; comparative immunotoxicology.
For More Information
University of North Texas Department of Biological Sciences
P.O. Box 305220
Denton, Texas 76203-5220
Phone: 940-565-2011
TTY callers: 940-367-8652
Biology Building, Room 210
www.unt.edu
www.biol.unt.edu
Email: aconder@unt.edu
Toulouse School of Graduate Studies
940-565-2383 or
toll free (888) UNT-GRAD
Biological Sciences
Opportunities for graduate studies
The Department of Biological Sciences' mission is to provide you with a contemporary education of the highest quality while you pursue a graduate degree in biology, biochemistry, molecular biology and environmental science. Scholarly research, strong professor-student mentoring, high-quality instruction and professional community service are the foundation of our mission. The cornerstone of our graduate programs is the creation of new knowledge through research. We offer you the opportunity to conduct research, leading to your theses or dissertations, in aquatic biology, aquatic toxicology, biochemistry, cell/molecular biology, ecology, environmental sciences, forensic biology, genetics, limnology, microbiology, neurobiology, physiology and plant sciences.
Our research is supported through dozens of public, private, and nonprofit agencies including the American Heart Association, Army Corps of Engineers, Environmental Protection Agency, National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation.
Department assets for research and graduate training occupy more than 200,000 square feet in the Biology Building, the Science Research Building, and the Environmental Education, Science and Technology Building. Resources include basic biological instrumentation, electron microscopes with preparative and X-ray analysis equipment, common instrument areas with facilities for proteomic and genomic research, an instrument shop, darkrooms, greenhouses, and land and water vehicles.
The Institute of Applied Sciences provides research and educational programs addressing natural and human resource issues. The institute also has laboratories for aquatic chemistry, aquatic toxicology, geographic information systems, data visualization and analyses of archaeological samples. The 40-acre Water Research Field Station is located a few miles from the campus.
Admission requirements
You must meet the requirements of the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies and specific requirements for admission to our master's and doctoral programs. Visit www.biol.unt.edu or consult the graduate catalog at www.unt.edu/catalog for admission requirements. For more information, e-mail gradsch@unt.edu or call 940-565-2383 or toll free (888) UNT-GRAD.
Degree requirements
Master of science degrees
- Biology - a 30-hour scholarly research degree that requires 24 hours of formal course work, special problems and seminars at the 5000-6000 levels, and a 6-hour thesis.
- Biology with a specialization in teaching - a 36-hour non-research degree if you desire initial teacher certification in the life sciences at the secondary level. The degree requires 18 hours at the 5000-6000 levels in biology and 18 hours in secondary education at the 5000-6000 levels. Admission to the secondary education courses requires meeting all College of Education requirements. You are not eligible for our Ph.D. program by completing the non-thesis M.S.
- Biochemistry - a 30-hour scholarly research degree that requires 24 hours of formal course work (with three core courses), special problems and seminars at the 5000-6000 levels, and a 6-hour thesis.
- Molecular biology - a 30-hour scholarly research degree that requires 24 hours of formal course work, special problems and seminars at the 5000-6000 levels, and a 6-hour thesis.
- Environmental science - two options: (1) a 36-hour scholarly research degree that requires 30 hours of organized course work, special problems and seminars at the 5000-6000 levels, and a 6-hour thesis; or (2) a 42-hour formal course work program including special problems and seminars at the 5000-6000 levels. Both options have a core course work requirement.
Master of arts degrees
- Biology - a 36-hour non-research degree is 30 hours of organized course work at the 5000-6000 levels and 6 hours of problems in lieu of thesis; or 36 hours of formal course work at the 5000-6000 levels. Students completing the M.A. are not eligible for our Ph.D. program. The M.A. has a language requirement.
- Molecular biology - a 36-hour degree with two options in lieu of a thesis: (1) 30 hours of course work at the 5000-6000 levels and a 6-hour problems course, or (2) 36 hours of course work at the 5000-6000 levels. Students have a foreign language requirement and are not eligible for the department's Ph.D. program.
Ph.D. degree
- Biology, biochemistry, molecular biology or environmental science - a scholarly research program of 90 hours at the 5000-6000 levels beyond the bachelor's degree or 60 hours beyond the master's degree, including a 12-hour dissertation. Specific requirements may vary among the four programs. The Ph.D. represents creation of new knowledge through independent research that culminates in a dissertation of scientific merit. You are expected to have been published or be accepted for publication with at least one original research article in a refereed journal before graduation.
Financial assistance
Qualified graduate students are supported through competitive teaching assistantships or research assistantships funded through research grants to faculty. Nine-month stipends range from $10,800 for entering master's students to $12,400 for Ph.D. candidates. Out-of-state and international students who are supported at least one-half time are eligible for in-state tuition. Contact the department for information about assistantships. Contact Student Financial Aid and Scholarships for student loan information at 940-565-2302 or (877) 881-1014.
Information about financial aid offered through the graduate school, including fellowships, is available at www.gradschool.unt.edu.
Libraries
The UNT libraries contain books, periodicals, electronic databases, maps, documents, microforms and audiovisual materials, plus a large and growing number of electronic journals and books.
The Science and Technology Library holdings emphasize biology, chemistry, computer science, library and information sciences, and physics, and include an outstanding collection in mathematics. Catalogs for other major research libraries throughout the world may be searched electronically and documents ordered through interlibrary loan.