Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry Faculty

Main Content

Bender, Kelly, Associate Professor and Program Coordinator, Microbiology, Ph.D., Southern Illinois University, 2003; 2006. Metabolic regulation of bacteria involved in bioremediation, small non-coding regulatory RNAs.

Bhaumik, Sukesh R., Professor, Ph.D., Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (University of Bombay), 1997; 2003. Regulation of eukaryotic gene expression, transcription-coupled ubiquitination and DNA repair, NMR structural studies on proteins and nucleic acids.

Braundmeier-Fleming, Andrea, Associate Professor, Ph.D., (Springfield), 2005; 2014. Immune cell function and influence on the GI and vaginal microbiome and their implication in reproductive disorders.

Cai, Weijia, Assistant Professor, Ph.D. (Springfield), Wuhan University, China, 2010; 2022. Explore the mechanisms that tumor cells suppress or avert immunogenic cell death (ICD) and discover novel targets to enhance the efficacy of current cancer therapies.

Davie, Judy, Associate Professor, Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley, 1998; 2006. Mechanisms of gene regulation, focusing on myogenin, a transcription factor that controls skeletal muscle development.

Elble, Randolph C., Associate Professor, Ph.D., (Springfield), Indiana University, 1986; 2005. Tumor suppression mechanisms in breast cancer, biology of CLCA family proteins, gene regulation in differentiation and stress.

Fisher, Derek, Associate Professor, Ph.D., University of Pittsurgh School of Medicine, 2006; 2012. Bacterial pathogenesis and physiology, developmental regulation in Chlamydia.

Gagnon, Keith T., Assistant Professor, Ph.D., North Carolina State University, 2007; 2014. Biochemistry of nucleic acids, RNA and RNA-protein interactions in human biology and disease.

Hamilton-Brehm, Scott D., Assistant Professor, Ph.D., University of Georgia, 2008; 2016. Microbial characterization of unique extreme environments, characterization of novel metabolism pathways, and DNA investigations from ancient artifacts.

Hascup, Kevin N., Assistant Professor, Ph.D., University of Kentucky Springfield, 2001; 2007. Molecular and cellular biology of Alzheimer's disease, neurological disorders.

Jayakody, Lahiru N, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., Kagoshima University, Japan, 2014; 2019. Developing synthetic microbes to produce renewable fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and proteins from biomass and industrial waste, including plastic, and investigate protein post-translational mechanisms to develop synthetic microbiology and metabolic engineering tools.

Kadyrov, Farid, Associate Professor, Ph.D., Russian Academy of Sciences, 1997; 2008. DNA replication and repair, DNA damage in cancer.

Konjufca, Vjollca, Associate Professor, Ph.D., University of Arkansas, Fayettevile, 2002; 2010. Immunology, host-pathogen interactions.

Nie, Daotai, Professor, Ph.D., (Springfield), University of South Carolina, 1997; 2005. Molecular and cellular biology of cancer, tumor metastasis, development of tumor therapeutics.

Olivo-Marston, Susan, Associate Professor, Ph.D., M.P.H., (Springfield), Georgetown University, 2004; Johns Hopkins University, 2005; 2021. Cancer epidemiology, the role of lifestyle, diet, and obesity on carcinogenesis.

Olson, Michael, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., (Springfield), University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2009; 2014. Characterization of the biology of Staphylococcus Aureus at the host interface.

Rader, Bethany, Associate Professor, Ph.D., University of Oregon, 2006; 2014. Beneficial host-microbe interactions, innate immunology, microbial ecology and systems biology.

Ran, Sophia, Professor, Ph.D. (Springfield), Weizmann Institute of Science, 1989; 2003. Tumor physiology, angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, breast cancer metastasis.

Rao, Krishna, Associate Professor, M.D., Ph.D., (Springfield), University of Washington, 2002, University of Miami, 1991; 2007. Role of Rab25 as a tumor suppressor, treatment of head and neck cancer.

Selinfreund, Richard, Associate Professor, Ph.D. (Springfield), New Mexico State University/Los Alamos National Laboratory; 1988; 2021. Clinical biomarkers and treatment for Metabolic Disease.

Tischkau, Shelly A., Professor and Chair of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, Ph.D., (Springfield), University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 1995; 2007. Neuroendocrinology, environmental toxicology, regulation of molecular circadian rhythms in health and disease states, including cancer and diabetes.

Tobón, Gabriel J., Assistant Professor, M.D., Ph.D. (Springfield), Université de Bretagne Occidentale, France, 2012; 2021. Study of B lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of Autoimmune Diseases (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Sjogren’s syndrome).

Torry, Donald S., Professor and Associate Dean for Research, Ph.D., (Springfield), Southern Illinois University, 1989; 2000. Human reproductive biology, cellular biology of angiogenic growth factors and immune cytokines during pregnancy, molecular biology of placental gene expression.

Vargas-Muñiz, José M., Assistant Professor, Ph.D., Duke University, 2017; 2020. Fungal genetics, fungal cell biology, marine mycology, human fungal pathogens. 

Weilbaecher, Rodney, Research Assistant Professor, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, 1997; 2007. Gene regulation, post-translational modifications, telomere biology.

Wilber, Andrew, Associate Professor and Director, MBMB Graduate Program, Ph.D., (Springfield) University of Minnesota, 2006; 2008. Gene therapy for hemoglobin disorders beta-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia, gene expression regulation, stable gene delivery using non-viral and viral integrating vector systems and cancer immunotherapy.

Young, Matthew J., Assistant Professor, Ph.D., University of Manitoba, Canada, 2008; 2015. Understanding the mechanisms of how toxicants disrupt mitochondrial DNA homeostasis, mitochondrial DNA genome maintenance in human diseases such as cancer and mitochondrial disease.

Yuan, Rong, Associate Professor, M.D., Ph.D., (Springfield), Shanghai Second Medical University, P.R. China, 2000; 2012. Molecular Biology of aging and longevity.

Emeriti Faculty

Achenbach, Laurie, Professor and Dean, College of Science, Emerita, Ph.D., University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign 1988; 1990.

Bartholomew, Blaine, Professor, Emeritus, Ph.D., University of California, Davis; 1988; 1991. 

Bartke, Andrzej, Professor, Emeritus, Ph.D., (Springfield), University of Kansas, 1965; 1984. 

Cao, Deliang, Associate Professor, Emeritus, Ph.D., (Springfield), Institute of Molecular Biology (University of Hong Kong), 1996; 2005.

Clark, David P., Professor, Emeritus, Ph.D., University of Bristol, 1977; 1980.

Gupta, Ramesh, Professor, Emeritus, Ph.D., University of Illinois, 1981; 1984.

Haddock, John D., Associate Professor, Emeritus, Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1990; 1995.

Hardwicke, Peter M. D., Professor, Emeritus, Ph.D., Kings College, London, 1969; 1985.

Madigan, Michael T., Professor and Distinguished Scholar, Emeritus, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, 1976; 1979.

Martinko, John M., Associate Professor and Distinguished Teacher, Emeritus, Ph.D., SUNY (Buffalo), 1978; 1981.

Parker, Jack, Professor, Emeritus, Ph.D., Purdue University, 1973; 1977.