University of North Carolina Wilmington Spring 2006 BiologyBiology Notes from the Chair: MarineMarine BiologyBiology It is hard to believe another academic year Molecules, Cells, Muscles and Movement has ended! The Long and Winding Road Last fall we had one our largest by Stephen Kinsey, Ph.D., associate professor undergraduate classes for the past 10 years, with over 600 biology and marine Most of what we know about biochemistry that is available in molecules like carbohydrates biology majors and pre-majors. Following and cell function is derived from a century of and lipids into mechanical energy that causes our emphasis on involvement with research, carefully controlled laboratory experiments the muscle cells to shorten. Multiple cells over the past academic year we had 14 students complete and defend honors conducted using solutions in test tubes. This shortening in concert induces the muscle as a projects, 112 students participate in directed approach revolutionized much of biology and whole to contract, which leads to higher level independent study or internship projects, medicine and provided an understanding of responses such as an arm extension or a heart and many other students work as laboratory many metabolic diseases. Ultimately, however, beat. One of our goals is to characterize how research assistants or volunteers with various we wish to understand cell function in living events inside living muscle cells (biochemical projects. Students graduating after finishing organisms. In essence, this is an effort to level) influence activities such as locomotion honors research included: Jessi Ellenburg, reassemble the organism from the detailed (whole-animal level). Rebecca Hamner, Danelle Lekan, Anne data that exists on the individual biological Markwith, Jennifer Miller, Kristin Morrison, components. My students and I study both MOLECULES REACT, BUT THEY MOVE Andrew Ostrowski, Jeffrey Overton, Benjamin marine and terrestrial organisms in order ArOUND, TOO Parrott, Kyle Rommel, Devin Rosenthal, to better understand how processes at the One of the differences between the biochemical Lisa Pasqualetti, Matthew Weissenbach, biochemical, cellular, tissue and whole animal processes that occur in a test tube and those in and Nicole Zane. Among the students a living cell is that cells are highly organized and recognized at graduation, Danelle Lekan and level interact to affect animal function. structured. For instance, metabolic pathways are Anne Markwith received the Marine Biology MUSCLE IS A METABOLIC MACHINE Achievement Award, Kristin Morrison received nearly always depicted as a series of molecules the Biology Achievement Award, Andrew Muscle is an unusual tissue in that you can connected with arrows, where the arrows Ostrowski received the Department of Biology voluntarily increase its metabolic rate simply represent the conversion of one molecule to and Marine Biology James F. Merritt Service by moving (by more than 100 fold if you are the next. This view of metabolism describes Award, and Devin Rosenthal, Rebecca working hard). In fact, the goal of many exercise biochemistry in a test tube very well. However, Hamner and Sarah Braly were recognized for regimes is to activate the muscle metabolic in living cells the arrows may also represent the outstanding undergraduate research. furnace so that you can burn off the excess movement of the molecules from place to place This year marked a milestone with the sugars and fats. For our purposes, muscle is a within the cell. Molecular movement occurs by a graduation of our first Ph.D. candidate. David particularly interesting tissue for study because process known as diffusion, which is analogous Meyer walked at graduation this spring, its function is integrated over many levels of to a person walking through a forest in the dark, representing the first of many doctorates we biological hierarchy. At the biochemical level, and randomly changing direction every time expect to come through our program. muscle cells transduce the chemical energy – continued on page 5 — continued on page 2 Newsletter Notes, continued from page 1 In addition to Dave, we also saw 14 of our M.S. colleagues graduate. Our though he is helping Jennifer Abernathy with the transition as she takes graduate program had 47 M.S. biology and marine biology students and on that responsibility. Monica McGee left the laboratory coordinator nine Ph.D. students enrolled this past year. position after many years of making sure the introductory labs run smoothly, with that hefty responsibility being taken on by one of our One of the factors contributing to the extensive involvement of students former M.S. graduates, Leslie Moore. This past year we also conducted in research is an ongoing, strong research program. Our faculty searches for three new faculty positions in the areas of biological continue to work in diverse areas of biology, recognized at regional, oceanography, cell biology and vertebrate biology. national and international levels. Last academic year biology and marine biology faculty had over 85 new or continuing grants totaling Among the major challenges facing us next year will be the renovation of more than $8,500,000. Additionally, five biology faculty were involved Friday Hall. We are currently scheduled to completely move out of that with the Coastal Ocean Research and Monitoring Program (CORMP), building by early July — this means every piece of glassware, chair, or which was funded by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric specimen accumulated over four decades of use. During next year we Administration at more than $2.3 million. Research resulted in publication will be compressed into two large trailers, hopefully moving back into a of 85 national/international level papers (42 with student co-authors), renovated building for fall 2007. It will be a difficult process for all, but four books, more than 15 reports, and 158 scientific presentations (66 the renovation promises to provide a major upgrade with floor plan and with student authors). These numbers tell only part of the story, with infrastructure improvements that will help future classes and research labs. examples of faculty professional involvement including chair of the In addition to the work on Friday Hall, Dobo Hall is scheduled for HVAC N.C. Coastal Resources Commission; membership on N.C. Marine upgrades, the old Center for Marine Science building near Wrightsville Fisheries Crustacean, Habitat, Shellfish, Southeastern Regional, and Beach is tentatively on track to be sold and vacated this year, and Scallop Management Plan Advisory Committees; membership on construction for a new building wing is planned for the new CMS building advisory boards for the N.C. Division of Coastal Management, N.C. at Myrtle Grove this summer. It will be a busy year of building! Wildlife Resources Commission, and National Marine Fisheries Service; As I finish my second year of chair, I continue to be impressed by the participation on editorial boards of 12 journals; as well as participation success and enthusiasm of our students, the hard work of our faculty and on numerous other panels, review boards and other professional groups. staff, and the support of our alumni. Despite tight budgets, we continue Among other noteworthy happenings in our department last year, Dr. to maintain nationally recognized undergraduate and M.S. programs, are David Webster received the Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award, Dr. developing a growing Ph.D. program, and are conducting research and Richard Dillaman received the 2005 UNCW Faculty Scholarship Award, service activities with a national and international scope. Our efforts have Dr. Linda Potts was nominated for the Lecturer Excellence in Teaching been aided significantly over the past year by the receipt of several gifts Award, and several of our graduate students were recognized for their from alumni that will help in the establishment of new student scholarships teaching excellence. Dr. Scott Quackenbush left UNCW in December to as well as support of our teaching and research facilities. I hope all our take an associate dean position at Humboldt State University. We will alumni and friends will keep in contact with us and I appreciate your greatly miss him and wish him the best at his new position. Drs. Fritz continued support our efforts. Please visit our department Web site (www. Kapraun and Ned Hadley began their first year in phased retirement uncw.edu/bio) on a regular basis to see what’s happening. while Drs. David Padgett and James Merritt will begin their phased retirement next fall. Dr. Joe Pawlik returned to the department in Best Wishes, August after a three year stint as an associate program director for the National Science Foundation. Dr. Webster will begin a three year term as associate dean of the UNCW College of Arts and Sciences in July. Dr. Amanda Southwood joined our faculty in fall 2005 (see her biography Martin Posey Posey sketch in this newsletter). Bob York left us as greenhouse manager, professor and chair Webster Named Associate Dean Dr. William David Webster, professor in responsibilities are new to this position and Dr. Webster joined the faculty of the the department of biology and marine reflect the rapid growth and development in Department of Biology and Marine Biology biology, has been named the new associate graduate education and research initiatives in 1983 and earned the rank of professor dean of graduate programs, research, and that the college is experiencing. He will also in 1993. Highly respected on campus, infrastructure in the College of Arts and oversee issues related to the physical domain Webster is a superlative teacher, a recipient Sciences. Webster’s full-time appointment will of the college, including technology, facilities, of the Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence begin on July 1, 2006; until then he will serve construction, and renovation, also rapidly Award in 2005, and an active researcher as as associate dean on a part-time basis. expanding due to growth and advancement. well. He has mentored many graduate and As associate dean, Dr.