Let us introduce you to our newest faculty members . . . from Ankur to Zentner. Each of them took a few minutes from their busy schedules to provide information about their backgrounds and research—and to share interesting tidbits about themselves that are not usually found on departmental faculty web pages.
"We have been fortunate to hire a cohort of accomplished and promising biologists over the past few years. Many use and develop cutting-edge approaches such as next generation DNA sequencing applications, metabolomics, optogenetics, and high resolution microscopy—taking advantage of IU’s excellent research facilities. Their contributions to the department are already significant, and their potential for the future is boundless. We are delighted that these talented individuals have joined the IU Biology faculty."
Clay Fuqua, Professor and Chair, IU Department of Biology
Executive Director, Kinsey Institute
Rudy Professor of Biology
Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior
Education
PhD in Zoology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
NIH Postdoctoral Trainee, Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing
Joined IU Biology faculty
November 2014
Research expertise
Hormonal basis of behavior: Biological basis of monogamy and love; oxytocin, vasopressin and social behavior; developmental effects of oxytocin and birth interventions
Previous position
Professor, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Recent accomplishment
Distinguished Alumni Award, Life-Time Achievement, Drury College, 2016
Roots
Born in San Francisco, CA, but grew up in Missouri Ozarks
What you might not know about her
Of all the positions she’s held, Dr. Carter finds her current position as Director of the Kinsey Institute by far the most interesting.
Assistant Professor of Biology
Microbiology
Education
PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology,University of Pennsylvania
Joined IU Biology faculty
August 2015
Research expertise
Dissecting the regulation and mechanism of natural transformation and exploiting this process to develop novel genetic tools
Previous position
Postdoc, Andrew Camilli Lab, Tufts University of Medicine
Recent accomplishment
K22 transition award from NIH (NIAID)
Roots
New Jersey
What you might not know about him
Dr. Dalia likes to climb (mostly bouldering and plastic indoors). He enjoys relaxing with his furry feline kids Sancho, Chewie, and Taco.
Assistant Professor of Biology
Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior
Education
PhD in Entomology, University of California, Riverside
Joined IU Biology faculty
August 2014
Research expertise
Genetic regulation and evolution of developmental plasticity, biodiversity and the evolution of novelty, nematode systematics
Previous position
Postdoctoral Fellow, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology
Recent accomplishment
Publication: Ragsdale, E. J. and Ivers, N. A. (2016). Specialization of a polyphenism switch gene following serial duplications in Pristionchus nematodes. Evolution 70: 2155–2166.
Roots
California
What you might not know about him
Dr. Ragsdale plays the bagpipes.
Assistant Professor of Biology
Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior
Education
PhD in Biology, Duke University
Joined IU Biology faculty
August 2014
Research expertise
Identifying genomic and physiological bases of behavioral adaptation and plasticity and how these mechanisms change over evolutionary time by using conceptual and analytical tools from animal behavior, neuroendocrinology, evolutionary ecology, physiology, and genomics—almost entirely by studying free-living birds
Previous position
Research Scientist, Indiana University
Recent accomplishment
Approximately half-million-dollar National Science Foundation grant to understand behavioral and physiological effects of social competition on female birds at local field sites where the lab monitors tree swallows breeding in nest boxes.
Roots
Southern California. Dr. Rosvall notes that her secret goal to study/work at historically important NCAA basketball powerhouses (UCLA, Duke, and IU) severely tests her alliances in spring.
What you might not know about her
Dr. Rosvall loves to spend her free time with her family building forts, exploring the outdoors, or making pancakes with her husband and daughter.
Linda and Jack Gill ChairAssociate Professor of Biology
Genome, Cell, and Developmental Biology
Education
PhD in Genetics, SUNY Stony Brook Postdoctoral Fellow, California Institute of Technology
Joined IU Biology faculty
January 2015
Research expertise
Molecular and cellular mechanisms of nociception (pain) and of touch sensation; development of neuroscience research tools; high throughput methods for behavioral analysis; molecular genetics
Previous position
Associate Professor, Departments of Anesthesiology, Neurobiology and Cell Biology, Duke University
Recent accomplishment
Publication: Nociception. Tracey WD Jr. Curr Biol. 2017 Feb 20;27(4):R129-R133.
Roots
Williamsville, NY (a suburb of Buffalo)
What you might not know about him
Dr. Tracey likes to ride bicycles and cook and is fond of craft beers; he fits in well in Bloomington! He’s also a sailor—on his one-person Laser here and with his dad on a 34-foot sailboat in Florida.
Assistant Professor of Biology
Microbiology
Education
PhD in Molecular Biology, University of PittsburghPostdoctoral Fellowship, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Princeton University
Joined IU Biology faculty
August 2016
Research expertise
Quorum sensing (bacterial cell-cell communication) in pathogenic Vibrio species to understand how bacteria coordinate group behaviors, including biofilm formation, virulence factor secretion, and bioluminescence
Previous position
Assistant Research Scientist, Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Department, Indiana University
Recent accomplishment
Publication: Chaparian RC, Olney SG, Hustmyer CM, Rowe-Magnus DA, and van Kessel JC. Integration Host Factor and LuxR synergistically bind DNA to co-activate quorum-sensing genes in Vibrio harveyi. (2016) Molecular Microbiology.
Roots
Born in Danbury, CT, and grew up in Millbrook, NY
What you might not know about her
Dr. van Kessel enjoys camping in the Adirondacks, tasting microbrewed beer, gardening, and baking sweet treats for her family. She plays piano, flute, and piccolo, and she loves musicals.
Assistant Professor of Biology
Microbiology
Education
DPhil in Biochemistry, University of OxfordPostdoctoral Fellow, University of Oxford
Joined IU Biology faculty
January 2017
Research expertise
Combination of classic and modern molecular, genetic, and imaging approaches to study contribution of a set of highly conserved factors in bacterial chromosome biology in order to uncover general principles of chromosome organization and segregation in all domains of life
Previous position
Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard Medical School
Recent accomplishment
Publication: Wang, X., Brandão H.B., Le, T.B., Laub, M.T., Rudner, D.Z. (2017) Bacillus subtilis SMC complexes juxtapose chromosome arms as they travel from origin to terminus. Science. 03 Feb 2017: Vol. 355, Issue 6324, pp. 524-527.
Roots
Northeast China
What you might not know about her
Dr. Wang makes a lot of dumplings. She notes that her friends love them (they say).
Assistant Professor of Biology
Genome, Cell, and Developmental Biology
Education
PhD in Genetics, Case Western Reserve University
Joined IU Biology faculty
August 2015
Research expertise
Regulation of transcription and chromatin. Specifically, the regulation of transcriptional initiation by general transcription factors and the Mediator complex using genetic and genomic methods in budding yeast and the role of CTCF and its paralogous protein BORIS in the regulation of chromatin structure in human cells.
Previous position
Postdoc, Steve Henikoff Lab, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Recent accomplishments
The lab’s first paper on CTCF and BORIS, a genome-wide study of their binding in mouse germ cells, in Scientific Reports. Publications in the works include a video methods article on our ChEC-seq technology and a theoretical population genetic study of CRISPR/Cas9-based gene drives in beetles in collaboration with IU Biology colleague Mike Wade.
Roots
Indianapolis, IN
What you might not know about him
Dr. Zentner has been playing guitar since he was 13. His favorite music to play—believe it or not—is metal.
The College of Arts