Research Grant from Tri-Beta Honor Society

Undergraduate student W. Kellen Myers received a research grant from the Tri-Beta Honor Society.

One of the primary functions of hormones is to control the growth and development of organisms. Thyroid hormone is essential for vertebrate development, while other hormones, such as those involved in stress response, are less essential, but can strongly influence patterns and timing of developmental change. Metamorphosis is a process involving rapid, concomitant changes in development and is often associated with life history transitions between juvenile and adult stages; for example a tadpole goes through metamorphosis to become an adult frog. One oddity of salamanders is that some species can forego metamorphosis and become adults while maintaining their otherwise juvenile body form, a process known as paedomorphosis. Kellen’s reserch will test how thyroid hormone interacts with the stress axis to influence patterns of gene expression and development in the Oklahoma salamander, a species that exhibits both paedomorphosis and metamorphosis. His experiments may lead to understanding why some salamanders metamorphose while other do not, as well as further understanding the impacts of stressful experiences during development, on the developmental outcome of the organism. His experiments are currently underway.

The Faculty of Biological Science at The University of Tulsa offers B.A., B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Biological Sciences and an interdisciplinary undergraduate program in Biogeosciences jointly managed between Geosciences and Biological Sciences.

Degree requirements are purposely flexible, providing the student with career choices in biotechnology, organismic biology, cellular biology, environmental biology, medicine, dentistry, medical technology, or further graduate training.

The undergraduate program provides a broad foundation in biological principles that will permit students to successfully pursue a variety of career options including academic work in a diversity of graduate and professional programs.

The graduate program offers specialized training in selected areas of biological science relevant to the research interests of individual faculty.

Students at all levels may participate in a wide range of research opportunities, including basic studies in molecular and cellular biology, animal behavior, developmental biology, environmental biology, genetics, glycobiology, physiological ecology, and molecular systematics.