As a learner-centered and discovery-driven institution, Western Michigan University values the research of its faculty. The following lists the research interests of faculty members in the Department of Biological Sciences.
Faculty research areas
- Todd Barkman, Ph.D.—plant systematics, genetics
- Wendy Beane, Ph.D.—stem cells, regeneration
- Devin Bloom, Ph.D.—ecology evolution, macroevolution, systematics of fishes
- Christine Byrd-Jacobs, Ph.D.—cellular neurobiology
- Kathryn Docherty, Ph.D.—microbiology, ecology
- Jeremy Duncan, Ph.D.—Developmental Neurobiology
- Jackie Eng, Ph.D.—Biological Anthropology
- Karim Essani, Ph.D.—virology, immunology
- Robert Eversole, Ph.D.—investigative pathology, Eosinophil, host parasite relationships
- John Geiser, Ph.D.—microbiology, molecular biology
- Sharon Gill, Ph.D.—behavioral ecology, sound ecology, ornithology
- Terri Goss-Kinzy, Ph.D.—fungal genetics, biochemistry
- Pam Hoppe, Ph.D.—C. elegans developmental biology
- John Jellies, Ph.D.—neurobiology
- Donald Kane, Ph.D.—developmental genetics
- David Karowe, Ph.D.—global change ecology
- Benjamin Koestler, Ph.D.—microbiology, infectious deseases
- Steven L. Kohler, Ph.D.—population, community ecology, aquatic ecology
- Cindy Linn, Ph.D.—neurophysiology
- Yan Lu, Ph.D.—plant cell biology
- Silvia Rossbach, Ph.D.—microbiology
- David Rudge, Ph.D.—science education
- Tiffany Schriever, Ph.D.—freshwater ecology, community and ecosystem ecology, herpetology and aquatic entomology
- John Spitsbergen, Ph.D.—neurobiology, physiology
- Brian Tripp, Ph.D.—enzymology, protein engineering
- Maarten Vonhof, Ph.D.—ecology, vertebrate biology
- Jian Yao, Ph.D.—plant pathology
Principal research associate
- Hector Quemada, Ph.D.—policy genetic modified organisms
Joint appointment research areas
- David Reinhold, Ph.D.—biochemistry, cancer biology
- Susan Stapleton, Ph.D.—biochemistry, metabolism
Adjunct research areas
- Allen Buhl, Ph.D.—pharmacology
- Alvar Carlson, Ph.D.— plant breeding and plant genetics
- Nicholas Duesbery, Ph.D.—cancer biology
- Katrin Epplemann, Ph.D.—biochemistry
- Chris Fisher, Ph.D.—antiviral research
- Neal Goodwin, Ph.D.—microbiology
- Nichol Holodick, Ph.D.—immunology
- Rolf Kletzien, Ph.D.—cell and molecular biology
- Erik Larson, Ph.D.—molecular and cellular biology
- David Linn, Ph.D.—neurophysiology
- Charles Mackenzie, Ph.D.—tropical disease
- James Mobley, Ph.D.—cancer research
- Gregory Reichard, Ph.D.—pharmacology and chemistry
- Ivan Richards, Ph.D.—pharmacology
- Tom Rothstein, Ph.D.—immunology
- Richard VanEnk, Ph.D.—microbiology
- John Vrbanac, Ph.D.—pharmaceutical drug discovery
Emeriti research areas
- Bruce Bejcek, Ph.D.—cancer biology
- Leonard Beuving, Ph.D.—pathology, imaging
- Richard Brewer, Ph.D.—ecology
- David Cowan, Ph.D.—evolution, behavioral ecology
- Joe Engemann, Ph.D.—zoology
- Leonard Ginsberg, Ph.D.—cell biology, toxicology
- Charles Ide, Ph.D.—gene expression, environmental risk assessment
- Stephen B. Malcolm, Ph.D.—ecology, chemical ecology