Mirley Balasubramanya, Ph.D., Associate Professor
This faculty  member will NOT participate as a SURF mentor during summer 2008 and will not accept students
The availability of fullerenes and other nanoscale structures has prompted investigations into adsorption of various atomic and molecular species onto substrates with complex two-dimensional surfaces. Experimental efforts are underway by my collaborators examining the behavior of xenon adsorbed onto complex surfaces, and the adsorption of fullerenes onto graphite. The project for undergraduate researchers uses molecular dynamics to model (1) the phases and phase transitions of systems of noble gases and saturated molecules, with system sizes of the order of a few thousand atoms or molecules, adsorbed onto graphite, and a variety of surfaces which are pre-coated with carbon nanostructures, and (2) the adsorption of fullerenes and other carbon based nanostructures on planar and corrugated substrates. I will investigate melting in these quasi two dimensional systems, interacting with the above substrates, introducing relevant bond-orientational, thermodynamic and structural parameters. The specific project that students would work on would be simulations of fullerenes on graphite substrates using a grid computing platform. Students should have completed two semesters of calculus, be proficient, in C or C++, and have prior experience with Linux operating system.

Eugene Billiot, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Environmental Chemistry
The primary focus of my research is investigating and elucidating factors responsible for chiral recognition with media specifically designed for use as chiral pseudostationary phases in capillary electrophoresis. The other area of research focuses on an examination of the distribution, fate, and effect of endocrine disruptors in the environment.

Fereshteh Billiot, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Chemistry
This faculty  member will NOT participate as a SURF mentor during summer 2008 and will not accept students
My research is heavy in instrumentation, so students get to use a variety of state of the art instrumentation, such as nuclear magnetic resonance, fluorescence spectroscopy, capillary electrophoresis, high performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography. Currently, students are working on two different types of research: synthesis of novel tripeptide surfactants for analysis of chiral compounds using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and capillary electrophoresis and analysis of organic and inorganic contaminants in water, sediments and fish tissues. I accept freshmen and expect them to be self-motivated and work independently. only accept students who are serious about doing research, and are not trying to just boost their resume.

Gregory Buck, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biology
The long-term goal is to determine how V. vulnificus can go from free-living forms to association with mollusks and shellfish, and how it can cause disease in humans (septicemia from wound infections). The objective is to determine how vibrios survive different stresses in the environment and what genes may be involved, as well as characterization of the vibrios by PCR. Another project involving regulation of aromatic substances in Pseudomonas putida is also available. Students MUST have a "B" or better in Microbiology. Genetics is strongly suggested, and courses in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology are helpful. I am not interested in students who wish to solely "check off" an activity box for professional school. Students must be able to safely work alone with pathogenic bacteria, to do research independently after 3 months, and to work as a team member with graduate students and other undergraduates.

Kirk Cammarata, PhD., Associate Professor of Biology
This faculty  member will NOT participate as a SURF mentor during summer 2008 and will not accept students
My laboratory trains students to use molecular and biochemical techniques to learn how organisms respond and adapt to environmental changes. One project focuses on Inflammatory Bowel Disease, inflammatory processes in the colon that are pre-disposing to cancer. Current drug therapies are not considered highly efficacious. Complementary and Alternative Medicine approaches suggest that mint and chamomile may help inflammatory digestive disorders. However, few studies have been conducted on the mechanistic aspects. Long-term effects of these treatments will be tied to changes in the cellular expression of genes using yeast as a model organism, and then comparatively using cultured mammalian cells. DNA microarrays will be used for global gene expression datasets of cells exposed to aqueous extracts of peppermint or chamomile. Data mining will reveal the biochemical pathways or key enzymes are either up- or down-regulated by the treatments. Prospective students should be motivated and dedicated to work in the laboratory for at least two years. Computer proficiency and interest in bioinformatics would be very helpful.

Tim Causgrove, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Chemistry
This faculty  member will NOT participate as a SURF mentor during summer 2008 and will not accept students
My research is aimed toward understanding the role of charged amino acid side chains in helix formation and aggregation. The goal is to characterize the underlying parameters that influence folding and the physical basis of those parameters. My approach uses both pH-triggered kinetic experiments and molecular modeling. The underlying parameters currently under study are the thermodynamics of interactions between oppositely-charged side chains, both intra-helix and inter-helix, and the effect on folding of short peptides.

Joe Fox, Ph.D., Professor of Mariculture and Environmental Sciences
My research involves nutrition and physiology of marine aquatic organisms (e.g., fish, shrimp, corals, sea urchins). in my lab will work with live aquatic organisms in a wet laboratory environment at either TAMUCC or the TAES Shrimp Mariculture Research Project in Port Aransas. will receive hands-on training in the rearing of aquatic organisms and use of analytical instrumentation to determine nutrient concentration in animal feeds and tissues. will also learn how to design aquatic animal nutritional research.

David Grise, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biology
I am a plant ecophysiologist interested in the physiological basis of ecologically-important traits and how these impact plant community composition. I am also interested in how plants deal with stress at both the physiological and ecological level and have worked with species in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. Due to growing interest in ecological genetics, Dr. Overath and I have begun to collaborate on projects related to the genetic basis of and variation in traits of ecological importance, such as life history, competitive abilities, and invasiveness.

Kenneth Ihenetu, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Clinical Laboratory Science
One of my projects focuses on understanding how digoxin and digoxin-like immunoreactive factor, an endogenous mammalian cardenolide, exert beneficial effects in cancer patients. Another project investigates the factors predisposing Hispanic women to adverse birth defects such as spina bifida. Students have learned about cell culture techniques, Western Blotting, PCR and numerous quantitative techniques. My lab is open to students with knowledge of the above techniques, otherwise full training is offered provided they are motivated.

Patrick Larkin, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biochemistry
This faculty  member will NOT participate as a SURF mentor during summer 2008 and will not accept students
My research focuses on the molecular and chemical ecology of native plant species, in particular their interaction with their environment and response to habitat fragmentation. It includes both specific events, such as the effect of temperature on the expression of allelic variants of Granule Bound Starch Synthase and broader events, such as the genetic relationships among populations in fragmented habitats. Some of the plant species studied include rice, shoalgrass, turtlegrass, bundlefl-ower, and Kleberg's bluestem. The research involves characterization of genomic and organellar DNA variation and expression using DNA sequencing and fingerprinting techniques. Field, molecular and environmental data are used to examine how plants respond and, eventually, adapt to their environments.

Alberto Mestas-Nunez, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Environmental Science
This faculty  member will NOT participate as a SURF mentor during summer 2008 and will not accept students
I am developing a research team to look at regional climate problems.The team will analyze available oceanic and atmospheric datasets to study climate variability with emphasis on the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding regions.Prospective undergraduate researchers should have an interest in quantitative and computational sciences. The projects that an undergraduate researcher could work on include:a website for our group, data preparation and archiving, and statistical analysis of oceanographic and meteorological data.

Joanna Mott, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
My research is focused on coastal waters and human health. Specifically my lab group works on microbiological aspects of water quality relating to public health. This includes beach water quality, tracking sources of contamination using microbiological techniques, and studying marine pathogens such as Vibrio vulnificus in water and oysters. Students can work on projects in the field and/or lab in any of these areas provided they have successfully taken a microbiology class with a lab.

Riccardo Mozzachiodi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Neurobiology
This faculty  member will NOT participate as a SURF mentor during summer 2008 and will not accept students
I am interested in how learning shapes the interaction between competing behaviors. I use the marine mollusk, Aplysia californica, to study two competing behaviors: feeding and the siphon withdrawal reflex. Using well-established in vivo training procedures as well as extracellular and intracellular electrophysiological techniques in in vitro preparations, the mechanisms of the suppression of feeding will be studied at behavioral network and single-cell levels. The project may help to understand psychiatric conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder and schizophrenia. Depending on their interest/background, students may decide to be involved in the behavioral or/and neurophysiological aspects of the project. A background in cellular/animal physiology and a general interest in neuroscience are recommended for students who are interested in conducting research in my laboratory.

Deborah Overath, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biology
I am a population geneticist interested in how characteristics of organisms or their environment may influence the amount and distribution of genetic diversity in natural populations and the potential for evolutionary change. I have studied the effects of asexual reproduction and polyploidy on the maintenance of genetic variation in and among populations both empirically and theoretically. Due to growing interest in ecological genetics, Dr. Grise and I have begun to collaborate on projects related to the genetic basis of and variation in traits of ecological importance, such as life history, competitive abilities, and invasiveness.

Lee Smee, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biology
This faculty  member will NOT participate as a SURF mentor during summer 2008 and will not accept students
My research is based in the areas of ecology, marine biology, and animal behavior. Within the area of animal behavior, there is a particular emphasis on chemical signaling in aquatic systems.

Kevin Strychar, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Microbiology
Many benthic invertebrates are believed to respond to stress and infections utilizing a 'primitive' immune-type system that includes "protective reactions" and phagocytic-like cells. Corals possess a blocking mechanism - one that may hold the key to understanding from where immune systems evolved in higher organisms, such as humans. I want to: 1) identify and characterize cells that participate in coral immunity; 2) describe how coral cells recognize self vs. 'non-self'; and 3)characterize the complexity of an archetypal host immune system in coral. An undergraduate student could help isolate individual polyps for immunology testing. Isolation of individual polyps will require culturing coral using various temperature, salinity, and media conditions - the ultimate goal is to "encourage" the polyps to leave their protective skeletal compartments and to grow on other substrates. Restrictions: Students must have strong motivational and communication skills, be willing to work 'extra' hours, and must have some knowledge regarding cell and invertebrate biology. I seek students who also have some lab experience.

Gregory Stunz, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Marine Biology
My research focuses on understanding the relative value of marine habitats, primarily determining temporal and spatial distributions of fishes and the causes and consequences of habitat use in terms of age, growth, and mortality. Recent projects include: the effects of a new tidal inlet on recruiting fishes; using biogeochemical fingerprints in fish otoliths to predict the natal origins of marine pelagic fishes; nursery habitats for red drum, spotted seatrout, and southern flounder; catch and release mortality of spotted seatrout; effects of boat propeller scars on marine fauna; and oyster reef as essential fish habitat. For more information see: http://www.fisheries.tamucc.edu.

Pablo Tarazaga, Ph.D., Professor of Mathematics
This faculty  member will NOT participate as a SURF mentor during summer 2008 and will not accept students
I am interested in linear algebra, numerical analysis, optimization and matrix theory. I have worked in several problems where techniques from these areas of research are needed as basic tools. I am also interested in applications; among them is Euclidean Distance Matrices which is an important model for the molecular conformation problem in chemistry and molecular biology and also for the multidimensional scaling problem in statistics.

Rebekah Thomas, Ph.D., Professor of Biology and Biomedical Sciences
My lab is focused on animal stress. I am looking at the effect of subtidal and intertidal environments on heat shock protein expression of Eastern oysters that are disease-free, as well as oysters that are infected with the protist Perkinsus marinus (Dermo). In natural habitats, intertidal oysters survive Dermo infection for longer periods of time than subtidal oysters. I hypothesize that the stressful intertidal environment increases the ability of the oysters to survive subsequent stressors, such as Dermo infection. I am also looking at metabolic and general stress responses of spotted seatrout following hook and line capture, focusing on animals captured in live-release tournaments. An undergraduate researcher in my lab is most likely to work on heat shock protein expression, I would prefer to take students who are at least juniors, but it really depends on the motivation of the student. Also, it would help if they have taken BIOL 3430 or its equivalent.

Philippe Tissot, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Physics
My research with undergraduate students focuses on two areas:
1) the modeling of physical coastal processes such as storm surges, water temperatures, salinity, sea level rises and the relationshipsweather and climate and these parameters.Undergraduate researchers typically help with the development of models and/or put together their own data sets and develop models.skills include some computer skills such as familiarity with Matlab and basic mathematic and modeling skills (Cal I or University Physics).
2) The other area of research is the investigation of environmental radioactivity, particularly as it relates to the transport of radionuclides from the former Texas uranium minessedimentary.Undergraduate researchers collect cores, prepare samples and help in the analysis of the collected data and associated models.They should have a basic background in geology, environmental science and physics.