Dr. Richard Mortensen (left) chats with
former biology professor Ken Ballou and his wife Polly at one of the many retirement receptions held in Mort's honor.

Dr. Richard Mortensen, the department's developmental biologist, retired after 35 years of dedicated service to Albion College.  No one in the department has been a more enthusiastic promoter of all things biological and he will be sorely missed!

The Biology Department welcomes Dr. Molly D. Scheel, the Department's Developmental Biologist, who replaced retired Professor Dr. Richard Mortensen. Dr. Scheel comes to Albion from a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Chicago where her work centered on cell cycle regulation during nervous system development.

Dr. Diane Constan, an Albion alum and a recent Michigan State University Ph.D., has joined the department as a sabbatical replacement for Dr. Ken Saville.

Cassandra Van Dunk (far left), Grand Rapids, Michigan, Junior, spent summer 2001 as one of the first student interns at the VanAndel Research Institute, a new world-class human health facility in Grand Rapids.

At the Institute, Cassandra worked in the Laboratory of Germline Modification under the direction of Dr. Pamela Swiatek (far right).  

Cassandra attempted to derive embryonic stem cell lines (ES cell lines) from C57BL/6 mice, a strain with cells that are difficult to culture in vitro.

She learned karyotyping and was able to produce one ES cell line that is currently undergoing testing.

Cassandra, who plans to pursue a research career in molecular biology /  genetics, found her internship to be very rewarding.

The biology department is pleased to welcome Dr. Dean G. McCurdy as our new tenure-track Invertebrate Zoologist!

Dr. McCurdy received his B.Sc. degree from Acadia University and his Ph.D. from Carleton University.  Prior to coming to Albion, he taught briefly at both Bowdoin College and Bates College.

His research interests center on the ecology and evolution of parasite-host relationships.  He is best known for his work on the complex manipulative relationships of arthropods, worms, and shorebirds as parasites, predators, and hosts.  Use the following links for more information on his research and publications.

Dr. McCurdy resides in Albion with his spouse, Vivien, and their infant son, Ian. 

Meridith Cleland (left), a senior from Vashon, WA, and Shannon McKenny (right), a junior from Marquette, MI, are shown on top of Loma Diego de OCampo, near Santiago in the Dominican Republic.

From June 29-July 13 they collected DNA and herbarium specimens of shrubs and small trees in the family Melastomataceae throughout the country with their faculty advisor, Dan Skean, Professor of Biology.  

Both Meridith and Shannon are writing honors theses based on analyses of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) nuclear ribosomal DNA obtained primarily from collections made on this trip.  Meridith is examining flower position and classification in plants traditionally placed in the genera Clidemia and Ossaea.  Shannon is examining the relationships of certain Hispaniolan species of Mecranium to the sole species of that genus found on Puerto Rico, with hopes of finding clues to its origin. 

Both researchers were supported generously by Albion's FURSCA and received tremendous field assistance from the National Botanical Garden in Santo Domingo, the National Parks Office, and several private conservation organizations.

Christopher Martinson (left), a junior from Negaunee, MI (shown with biology department chair, Dan Skean) has received the first Steven D. Reed Award for Excellence in Student Laboratory Teaching in Biology.  The award was announced at the annual honors convocation on April 18. 

The Reed Award was established last fall by the biology department to honor Steven Douglas Reed, '97, who disappeared tragically last summer while on a wilderness hike in Oregon, just after passing his board exams at Wayne State University Medical School. 

The award commemorates Steven's intellect and enthusiasm, which he freely shared as an outstanding departmental teaching assistant.  Steven's parents, Larry and Hope Reed, of Sterling Heights, MI, were present at the convocation and met with Chris at the luncheon following the ceremony. 

Although all biology labs at Albion are taught by Ph.D. scientists, a select group of outstanding undergraduates are invited to serve as teaching assistants.  The assistants make valuable contributions to lab preparation, addressing student questions, and establishing an exciting, collaborative learning experience.

Steven's classmates, friends and others interested in contributing to the award endowment should contact Dan Skean.

Paul DeRose, senior biology major, spent last summer conducting research at the Institute for Human Gene Therapy at the University of Pennsylvania, a world leader in gene therapy trials.  The Institute is directed by Dr. Jim Wilson, Albion Class of '77, and a current member of our Board of Trustees.

Paul's research investigated the function of the novel protein kinase Hunk, specifically its role in mammary gland development and carcinogenesis.

During the summer Paul was involved in two projects. One involved using a construct with two plasmids to engineer a cell line that would overexpress Hunk when induced by tetracycline.  The other examined whether or not Hunk modulated the effect of steroid hormones.  It involved transfecting cells with hormone receptors and hormone response element driven luciferase reporters.

Paul, who already has a refereed publication in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, says that the experience played an important role in his choice to become a medical scientist.