Faculty - UNC DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY

Some of our faculty have indicated more specialized mentoring training that they have completed in the directory below. If you would like more information on some, but not all, of these trainings, please visit our faculty training information page.

Ahmed, Shawn
Professor
216 Fordham Hall
shawn@med.unc.edu
(919) 843-4780

Research interests: Telomere biology and germ cell immortality

Baldwin, Albert S., Jr.
William Rand Kenan, Jr. Distinguished Professor
22-000 Lineberger Cancer Center
abaldwin@med.unc.edu
(919) 966-3652

Research interests: Regulation of gene expression, and control of oncogenesis and apoptosis.

Barry, Edward G.
Professor (Emeritus)
439 Wilson Hall
(919) 962-6933

Bautch, Victoria L.
Beverly Long Chapin Distinguished Professor
415 Fordham Hall
bautch@med.unc.edu
(919) 966-6797

Other affiliation(s): Program in Molecular Biology & Biotechnology
Mentoring Training: OGE, CAS Leadership Diversity, SOM Leadership Mentoring
Research interests: Animal Models of Vascular Development and Endothelial Cell Biology

Bloom, Kerry S.
Thad L. Beyle Distinguished Professor
623 Fordham Hall
205 Coker Hall (Chair)
kerry_bloom@unc.edu
(919) 962-1182

Research interests: Molecular Biology; Chromosome and Spindle Dynamics

Bruno, John
Professor
340 Wilson Hall
jbruno@unc.edu

Research interests: Marine and Climate Change Ecology

Burch, Christina
Professor
Associate Chair, Development
3163 Genome Sciences Building
cburch@bio.unc.edu
919-962-4445

Other affiliation(s): Department of Microbiology & Immunology; Curriculum in Genetics & Molecular Biology
Mentoring Training: OGE, Culturally Aware Mentor Training
Research interests: Experimental Evolution of Viruses

Burmeister, Sabrina
Professor
316 Wilson Hall
sburmeister@unc.edu
(919)-843-5105

Other affiliation(s): Neurobiology Curriculum
Research interests: Neurobiology & behavior

Cárdenas, Paúl
Adjunct Professor
pacardenas@usfq.edu.ec

Other affiliation(s): Professor of Microbiology, Universidad San Francisco de Quito

Chaves, Jaime
Adjunct Professor, Biology, UNC
Adjunct Professor, Evolutionary Biology, Universidad San Francisco de Quito
jachaves@usfq.edu.ec

Chen, Jiakun
Assistant Professor
2161 Genome Sciences Building
chenjk@unc.edu

Research interests: Neuroscience, Glial Biology, Astrocytes, Development, Genetics

Claytor, Jordan
Teaching Assistant Professor
104A Wilson Hall
jclayto@unc.edu

Conlon, Frank
Professor
220 Fordham Hall
frank_conlon@med.unc.edu
(919) 843-5500

Other affiliation(s): Department of Genetics
Research interests: Developmental Genetics

Copenhaver, Gregory P.
Chancellor's Eminent Professor of Convergent Science
Associate Dean of Research & Innovation
4161 Genome Sciences Building
gcopenhaver@bio.unc.edu

Other affiliation(s): Carolina Center for Genome Sciences; Curriculum in Molecular Biology & Genetics
Mentoring Training: Safe Zone; Green Zone; UndocuCarolina; School of Medicine DEI Certification
Research interests: Genetics

Costa, James
Adjunct Professor
Director, Highlands Biological Station
costa@email.wcu.edu

Crews, Stephen
Adjunct Professor
2151 Genome Sciences Building
steve_crews@unc.edu
(919) 423-8236

Other affiliation(s): Professor of Biochemistry & Biophysics
Research interests: Drosophila Nervous System Development; Gene Regulation

Dangl, Jeff
HHMI Investigator and John N. Couch Professor
4260 Genome Sciences Building
dangl@email.unc.edu
(919) 962-4469

Research interests: Plant and Pathogen Genetics, Genomics and Cell Biology, Plant Disease Resistance and Plant Metagenomics

de Lourdes Torres, María
Adjunct Professor, Biology, UNC
Vice-Dean, College of Biological and Environmental Sciences &
Head of the Biotechnology Department,
Universidad San Francisco de Quito
ltorres@usfq.edu.ec

DeSaix, Jean S.
Teaching Professor
302 Coker Hall
jdesaix@email.unc.edu
(919) 929-1580

Mentoring Training: Safe Zone

Dowen, Jill
Associate Professor, Biochemistry and Biophysics Department, Biology Department
3360 Genome Sciences Building
jilldowen@unc.edu
(919) 962-8132

Other affiliation(s): Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics; Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences (iBGS); Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCCC)
Mentoring Training: Coach Approach
Research interests: Three-dimensional genome architecture and gene regulation in development and disease

Dowen, Rob
Assistant Professor
321 Fordham Hall
dowen@email.unc.edu
858-736-6579

Other affiliation(s): Department of Cell Biology and Physiology; Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences (iBGS)
Mentoring Training: OGE, DEI Certificate
Research interests: Regulation of fat metabolism during development, aging, and disease

Duronio, Robert J.
Professor & Department Chair
Director of the Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences
3350 Genome Sciences Building
duronio@med.unc.edu
(919) 962-4568

Other affiliation(s): Department of Genetics; Curriculum in Genetics & Molecular Biology; Director, Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences (iBGS)
Mentoring Training: OGE, Culturally Aware Mentor Training, Safe Zone
Research interests: Epigenetic control of the cell cycle during animal development

Evans, Mara
STEM Teaching Associate Professor
104A Wilson Hall
mara1@email.unc.edu
(919) 843-7107

Mentoring Training: Safe Zone, Coach Approach Training

Feduccia, Alan
S. K. Heninger Distinguished Professor (Emeritus)
216 Wilson Hall
feduccia@bio.unc.edu
(919) 962-3050

Research interests: Avian Evolution, Paleobiology and Systematics

Feng, Xiao
Assistant Professor
203 Wilson Hall
xiao.feng@unc.edu

Research interests: Biogeography, Biodiversity Informatics, Quantitative Ecology

Fodrie, F. Joel
Adjunct Associate Professor, Biology Department
157 Coker Hall, 3431 Arendell Street, Morehead CIty, NC
jfodrie@unc.edu
(252) 726-6841 ext. 149

Other affiliation(s): Institute of Marine Sciences; Department of Marine Sciences; Curriculum for the Environment and Ecology
Research interests: Coastal Biological Oceanography

Furey, Terry
Professor
5022 Genetic Medicine Building
tsfurey@email.unc.edu
(919) 966-7033

Other affiliation(s): Department of Genetics; Center for Intestinal Biology and Disease (CGIBD); Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility (CEHS); Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCCC)
Mentoring Training: Center for Faculty Excellence Mentoring Workshops
Research interests: Genetics of gene regulation in complex traits; Computational genomics; Chromatin biology; Crohn's disease; Environmental toxicogenomics

Gabrielson, Paul
Adjunct Assistant Professor
3144 Genome Sciences Building
drseaweed@hotmail.com

Research interests: Biodiversity and Biogeography of Marine Algae (seaweeds)

Garland, Alaina
Teaching Assistant Professor
135 Wilson Hall
agarland@email.unc.edu

Gensel, Patricia G.
Professor
414 Coker Hall
pgensel@bio.unc.edu
(919) 962-6937

Research interests: Paleobotany

Gladfelter, Amy
Adjunct Professor
C341 LSRC, 308 Research Drive, Duke University
amyglad@duke.edu

Mentoring Training: Safe Zone; Mental Health First Aid; Haven; Mentor Training
Research interests: Cytoskeleton dynamics, biophysical cell biology, cytoplasm organization

Goldstein, Bob
James L. Peacock III Distinguished Professor
616 Fordham Hall
bobg@unc.edu
(919) 843-8575

Mentoring Training: OGE, Safe Zone; Coach Approach
Research interests: Cell Biology of Development, Evolution of Development, Tolerance of Extremes

Gordon, Kacy
Assistant Professor
Lab 316 Fordham, Office 315
kacy.gordon@unc.edu
(919)962-2164

Mentoring Training: Safe Zone, OGE
Research interests: Duplicate gene function in the germ line stem cell niche

Grant, Sarah R.
Research Professor (Emeritus)
4258 Genome Sciences Building
sgrant@email.unc.edu

Other affiliation(s): Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology
Research interests: Plant-Microbe Interactions

Guayasamin, Juan
Adjunct Professor, Biology, UNC
Professor/Investigator, Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Quito, Ecuador
jmguayasamin@usfq.edu.ec

Hastie, Eric
Teaching Assistant Professor
235 Wilson Hall
ehastie@email.unc.edu

Hearn, Alex
Adjunct Professor, Biology, UNC
Professor, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Universidad San Francisco de Quito
ahearn@usfq.edu.ec

Hedrick, Tyson L.
Professor
Associate Chair, Space
G40 A Wilson Hall
thedrick@email.unc.edu
(919) 962-0757

Mentoring Training: OGE, Understanding Multiracial Identity
Research interests: Biomechanics and Animal Locomotion

Hige, Toshihide
Assistant Professor
2157 Genome Sciences Building
hige@email.unc.edu
(919) 962-4736

Other affiliation(s): Department of Cell Biology & Physiology; Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences (iBGS)
Research interests: Neurophysiology and Behavior in Drosophila

Hogan, Kelly A.
Adjunct STEM Teaching Professor
Associate Dean of Instructional Innovation, College of Arts & Sciences
kelly_hogan@unc.edu

Mentoring Training: Safe Zone, Mental Health First Aid, Green Zone, Carolina Firsts, Equity in Teaching Institute
Research interests: Curriculum and Instruction: Inclusive learning in large STEM courses

Horvath, Julie
Adjunct Associate Professor
julie.horvath@naturalsciences.org

Other affiliation(s): North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
Research interests: Genomics & Microbiology

Hurlbert, Allen
Professor
331 Wilson Hall
hurlbert@bio.unc.edu
(919) 843-9930

Research interests: Biodiversity, Biogeography, Macroecology

Johnson, Corey
Teaching Professor
210 Wilson Hall
johnsonc@bio.unc.edu

Research interests: Curriculum and Instruction

Johri, Parul
Assistant Professor
3157 Genome Sciences Building
pjohri@unc.edu
919-843-7700

Other affiliation(s): UNC Department of Genetics
Research interests: Population Genetics, Statistical Inference, Evolutionary Genomics

Jones, Alan M.
Kenan Distinguished Professor Emeritus and Research Professor
312 Coker Hall
alan_jones@unc.edu
(919) 962-6932

Research interests: Signal Perception and the Regulation of Growth and Development

Jones, Corbin
Professor
3159 Genome Sciences Building
cdjones@email.unc.edu
(919) 962-4443

Research interests: Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics

Kieber, Joseph
Kenan Distinguished Professor
4163 Genome Sciences Building
jkieber@bio.unc.edu
(919) 962-4455

Research interests: Molecular Genetic Analysis of Ethylene and Cytokinin Action in Arabidopsis

Kier, William M.
Professor
313B Wilson Hall (Lab)
billkier@bio.unc.edu
(919) 962-5017 (Lab Office)

Research interests: Biomechanics of marine invertebrates and musculoskeletal systems

Kingsolver, Joel G.
Kenan Distinguished Professor
108 Coker Hall
jgking@bio.unc.edu
(919) 843-6291

Mentoring Training: Safe Zone, HAVEN
Research interests: Environmental physiology; evolutionary ecology; population biology; climate change

Laederach, Alain
Professor
3354 Genome Sciences Building
alain@unc.edu
919-962-4565

Mentoring Training: OGE, Culturally Aware Mentor Training, Safe Zone, DEI Certificate
Research interests: Disease-associated mutations and their effect on RNA Structure

León, Antonio
Adjunct Professor, Biology, UNC
Professor, Agricultural and Food Biotechnology, Universidad San Francisco de Quito
aleon@usfq.edu.ec

Lohmann, Catherine
Teaching Associate Professor
402 Coker Hall
clohmann@email.unc.edu
(919) 962-3216

Research interests: Behavior, Neuroscience, Sensory Biology, and Conservation of Marine Animals

Lohmann, Kenneth J.
Charles P. Postelle, Jr. Distinguished Professor
403 Coker Hall
klohmann@email.unc.edu
(919) 843-4508

Other affiliation(s): Department of Marine Sciences; Advisory Board, Galapagos Science Center; Fellow, Center for Galapagos Studies;Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science; Fellow, Royal Institute of Navigation (U.K.)
Research interests: Behavior, Neuroscience, Sensory Ecology, and Conservation Biology of Marine Animals

Maddox, Amy Shaub
Professor
Associate Chair, Academic Affairs
408 Fordham Hall
asm@unc.edu
919-843-3228

Mentoring Training: OGE, Safe Zone, Mental Health First Aid, Groundwater
Research interests: Cytoskeletal Dynamics and Cell Division

Maddox, Paul
Associate Professor
William Burwell Harrison Scholar
608 Fordham Hall
pmaddox@unc.edu
919-843-8637

Research interests: Mitotic Mechanisms and Chromosome Dynamics

Maroni, Gustavo
Professor (Emeritus)
gmaroni@unc.edu

Research interests: Gene Organization and Expression in Drosophila

Marzluff, William F.
William Rand Kenan Professor
208 Fordham Hall
marzluff@med.unc.edu
(919) 962-2140

Research interests: Regulation of RNA Metabolism in Animal Cells

Matera, Gregory
Professor
3352 Genome Sciences Building
matera@unc.edu
(919) 962-4567

Other affiliation(s): Department of Genetics, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Curriculum in Genetics & Molecular Biology, Curriculum in Neurobiology
Research interests: RNA Processing: Biogenesis of Small Ribonucleoproteins in Health and Disease

Matthysse, Ann G.
Professor
304 Coker Hall
ann_matthysse@unc.edu
(919) 962-6941

Mentoring Training: Mental Health First Aid, Bystander Intervention, Conflict Resolution; Coach Approach
Research interests: Genetics and mechanisms of the interactions of bacteria with plant surfaces

Matute, Daniel
Professor
3161 Genome Sciences Building
dmatute@email.unc.edu
(919) 962-4442

Research interests: Evolutionary Biology

McCoy, Sophie
Assistant Professor
334 Wilson Hall
sophie.mccoy@unc.edu

Mentoring Training: TEAM ADVANCE
Research interests: Community Ecology, Microbial Ecology, Marine and Aquatic Systems

McKay, Daniel J.
Associate Professor, Biology Department and Genetics Department
3358 Genome Sciences Building
dmckay1@email.unc.edu
(919) 843-2064

Other affiliation(s): Department of Genetics
Mentoring Training: OGE, Safe Zone
Research interests: Developmental Genomics

Mitchell, Charles E.
Professor
411 Coker Hall
mitchell@bio.unc.edu

Other affiliation(s): Curriculum for the Environment and Ecology
Mentoring Training: OGE; Mental Health First Aid; Coach Approach
Research interests: Disease Ecology, Plant-Microbe Interactions, Community Ecology

Nagpal, Punita
Research Assistant Professor
318 Coker Hall
punita@email.unc.edu
(919) 843-4027

Research interests: Plant Signal Transduction and Development

Nimchuk, Zachary
Associate Professor
4155 Genome Sciences Building
zackn@email.unc.edu
919-962-4460

Research interests: Plant developmental genetics and stem cell regulation

Ott, Laura
Teaching Assistant Professor
104 Wilson Hall
leott@email.unc.edu

Mentoring Training: Green Zone, Safe Zone, Coach Approach
Research interests: Curriculum and instruction, assessment, inclusive learning strategies

Peet, Robert K.
Research Professor
413 Coker Hall
peet@unc.edu
919-368-4971

Other affiliation(s): Curriculum for the Environment and Ecology
Research interests: Plant Ecology, Plant Geography, EcoInformatics

Peifer, Mark
Michael Hooker Distinguished Professor
521 Fordham Hall
peifer@unc.edu

Other affiliation(s): Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center; Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology; Curriculum in Neurobiology
Mentoring Training: OGE, Chancellor's Science Scholar's Program
Research interests: Cell adhesion, signal transduction, and cytoskeletal regulation in development and disease

Pfennig, David W.
Professor
320 Wilson Hall
dpfennig@unc.edu

Mentoring Training: Safe Zone, Team Advance Peer Mentoring Circles
Research interests: Evolution, Ecology, Developmental Biology

Pfennig, Karin
Professor
319 Wilson Hall
kpfennig@unc.edu
(919) 843-5590

Research interests: Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution

Prunet, Nat
Research Assistant Professor
Biology Imaging Core Director
1120 Genome Sciences Building
nprunet@unc.edu
919-962-4398

Reed, Jason W.
Professor
Director of Undergraduate Studies
305 Coker Hall
jreed@email.unc.edu
(919) 962-5640

Other affiliation(s): Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology
Research interests: Plant Signal Transduction and Development

Riddell, Eric
Assistant Professor
323 Wilson Hall
riddell@unc.edu
919-962-1379

Research interests: Physiology, Ecology, and Evolution

Rogers, Steve
Associate Professor
422 Fordham Hall
srogers@bio.unc.edu

Mentoring Training: OGE Training
Research interests: Cell Biology of the Cytoskeleton, Cell Migration, and Morphogenesis

Salmon, Edward D.
Research Professor (Retired James Larkin and Iona Mae Ballou Distinguished Professor)
608 Fordham Hall
tsalmon@email.unc.edu
(919) 962-2265

Research interests: Microscopy, Microtubule Assembly, Microtubule Motors, and The Mechanism of Chromosome Movement

Searles, Lillie L.
Professor Emeritus
508 Fordham Hall
lsearles@email.unc.edu
(919) 966-4989

Research interests: Regulation of nuclear RNA degradation/RNA quality control

Sekelsky, Jeff
Professor
303 Fordham Hall
sekelsky@unc.edu
(919) 843-9400

Other affiliation(s): Program in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology; Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
Mentoring Training: OGE, DEI
Research interests: DNA Repair and Recombination

Septer, Alecia
Adjunct Associate Professor
4202C Venable/Murray Hall
asepter@email.unc.edu
(919) 843-3410

Research interests: Interbacterial interactions affecting community structure and function; Genetic determinants of bacterial social interactions; Marine host-microbe interactions

Servedio, Maria R.
Professor
404 Coker Hall
servedio@email.unc.edu
(919) 843-2692

Research interests: Evolutionary Theory

Shemer, Gidi
Teaching Professor/Advisor
213A Coker Hall
bishemer@email.unc.edu

Research interests: Advising, Curriculum and Instruction

Shiau, Celia
Associate Professor
2159 Genome Sciences Building
shiauce@unc.edu
(919) 962-7010

Mentoring Training: OGE Faculty Mentoring Training; Center for Faculty Excellence training; Mental Health First Aid; DEI Certificate Program
Research interests: Crosstalk between immune and nervous systems; macrophages and microglia; immune activation and inflammation; vertebrate development

Slep, Kevin
Associate Professor
Associate Chair, Diversity & Inclusion
402 Fordham Hall
KSlep@bio.unc.edu
(919) 962-4858

Mentoring Training: OGE; Safe Zone; Green Zone; TEAM ADVANCE: Faculty Mentor Training; Mental Health First Aid; DEI Certificate
Research interests: Cytoskeletal Structure and Dynamics

Sockman, Keith W.
Associate Professor
228 Wilson Hall
(919) 962-1379

Research interests: Behavioral and Physiological Ecology

Stafford, Darrel W.
Professor
442 Wilson Hall
dws@email.unc.edu
(919) 962-0597

Research interests: Molecular Biology

Stegenga, Barbara
Teaching Lab Supervisor
211 Coker Hall
bstegenga@bio.unc.edu

Research interests: Curriculum and Instruction, Student Advising

Stiven, Alan E.
Professor (Emeritus)
429 Wilson Hall
alan_stiven[at]unc.edu

Stuart, Bryan
Adjunct Associate Professor, Biology Department
318 Wilson Hall
bryan.stuart@naturalsciences.org
(919) 707-8861

Other affiliation(s): Curator of Herpetology, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
Adjunct Associate Professor, Dept. of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University
Research interests: Biodiversity, systematics, and conservation of amphibians and reptiles

Tie, Jian-Ke
Research Associate Professor
438 Wilson Hall
jktie@email.unc.edu
(919) 962-2267

Research interests: Structure-function study of enzymes in the vitamin K cycle

Truena, Gabriel
Adjunct Professor, Biology, UNC
Director, Professor, Institute of Microbiology, Universidad San Francisco de Quito
gtrueba@usfq.edu.ec

Vision, Todd J.
Associate Professor
3155 Genome Sciences Building
tjv@bio.unc.edu
(919) 962-4479

Research interests: Computational genetics, genome evolution and the architecture of complex traits

Waitt, Damon Edward
Director, NC Botanical Garden; Adjunct Professor of the Practice, Biology
North Carolina Botanical Garden
dwaitt@unc.edu

Research interests: Biodiversity Informatics, Citizen Science, Conservation Biology, Invasive Species, Plant Reproductive Biology

Weakley, Alan S.
Adjunct Associate Professor; Director, UNC Herbarium
419 Coker Hall
weakley@unc.edu
(919) 619-1101

Other affiliation(s): Director, UNC Herbarium, North Carolina Botanical Garden; UNC Curriculum in the Environment and Ecology; North Carolina Natural Heritage Trust Fund
Research interests: Plant Systematics, Floristics, Biogeography, Conservation Planning, Bioinformatics, Vegetation Classification and Mapping

Werner, Michael
Research Assistant Professor
407 Fordham Hall
wernerm@email.unc.edu

White, Peter S.
Professor
406 Coker Hall
peter.white@unc.edu

Other affiliation(s): Curriculum in the Environment and Ecology; Institute of the Environment
Research interests: Plant Community Ecology, Conservation Biology, Biodiversity

Wiley, R. Haven
Professor (Emeritus)
323 Wilson Hall
haven_wiley@unc.edu
(919) 962-1340

Research interests: Animal Behavior, Communication, and Social Organization

Willett, Christopher S.
Research Associate Professor
Director of Graduate Studies
406 Coker Hall
willett4@email.unc.edu
(919) 843-8663

Mentoring Training: OGE, HAVEN
Research interests: Molecular population and evolutionary genetics

Williams, Scott
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Biology Department
605A Brinkhous-Bullitt Building
scott_williams@med.unc.edu
(919) 966-2737

Other affiliation(s): Assistant Professor, Dept. of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
Center for Gastrointestinal Biology & Disease
Curriculum in Oral Biology
Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology
Research interests: Developmental and stem cell biology of epithelia; asymmetric cell division

Yang, En
Assistant Professor
Genome Science Building
enyang@unc.edu

Research interests: System neuroscience; Neuronal circuits implementation for cognitive behaviors at the whole-brain level; Neuroengineering to rescue learning disorders and boost learning performance.

Yeh, Elaine
Research Professor
603 Fordham Hall
elaine_yeh@unc.edu
(919) 962-2331

Mentoring Training: Mental Health First Aid, Diversity Workshop
Research interests: Nuclear division in yeast: cell cycle control; microtubule motor proteins and the cytoskeleton.

Yitbarek, Senay
Assistant Professor
Peter Thacher Grauer Fellow
2155 Genome Sciences Building
senay@unc.edu

Research interests: Population Ecology, Host-Microbe Interactions, Theoretical Ecology

Zwemer, Lillian
Teaching Assistant Professor
212 Coker Hall
lmzwemer@email.unc.edu