Biological Sciences

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Dr. Claire de la Cova
2024-09-13 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Dr. Claire de la Cova, assistant professor of biological sciences at UWM, will present a talk about her work entitled, “The very elegant patient: How the worm C. elegans provides insights into Raf signaling in disease.”
The summary is as follows:
“Raf protein kinases act as Ras-GTP sensing components of the ERK signal transduction pathway in animal cells, influencing cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. In humans, somatic and germline mutations in the genes BRAF and RAF1 are associated with cancers and developmental disorders. Our approach to investigate Raf signaling uses the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, which has a single Raf ortholog termed LIN-45. I will share our insights into how Raf kinase activity, protein localization, and degradation are controlled in animals, and how these mechanisms may impact human diseases.”
The presentation will begin at 4:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 3:45 – 4:00 PM.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Wendy Shelton
2024-09-20 16:00 - 17:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Wendy Shelton, UW-Milwaukee graduate student, will present a talk about her work entitled, “Exploring the causes and consequences of variation in flowering patterns.”
The abstract is as follows:
“Flowering patterns often vary widely, both within and among populations. Among-individual variation in flowering can affect the number of prospective mates, the risk of mating with lower quality individuals, and the likelihood of self-pollination. In this colloquium, I describe two studies that explore variation in flowering patterns in monkeyflower (Mimulus ringens), a hermaphroditic herb. In the first study, I employed an experimental design that minimized environmental variation and allowed me to quantify substantial flowering pattern variation due primarily to genetic factors. In the second study, I investigated the relationship between genetic diversity and variation in mating opportunity due to among-individual heterogeneity in flower production. My work enhances our understanding of the evolution of flower deployment strategies and associated mating patterns.”
The presentation will begin at 4:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 3:45 – 4:00 PM.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Dr. Carole Labonne
2024-09-27 16:00 - 17:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Dr. Carole Labonne of Northwestern University will present a talk about her work entitled, “Control of Stem Cell Attributes in Early Vertebrate Development.”
The presentation will begin at 4:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 3:45 – 4:00 PM.

UWM Biological Sciences Greenhouse: Doors Open Milwaukee
2024-09-28 12:00 - 17:00, 2024-09-29 12:00 - 17:00 | Northwest Quadrant C, Room 4600, 1930 E Hartford Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Join us this weekend, September 28th and 29th, from 12:00-5:00PM at the UWM Biological Sciences Greenhouse for Doors Open Milwaukee! The greenhouse is located at the NWQ-C building, 1930 E Hartford Ave, in room 4600.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Battle of the Organisms
2024-10-11 16:00 - 17:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Please join us for this special colloquium event: Battle of the Organisms! Participating labs from Biological Sciences each chose a lab member to represent the organism they study. Presenters have 5-minutes to convince you that their organism is the greatest. You can expect unique, organism-themed snacks, persuasive presentations, the occasional organism-to-organisms trash talk, and a round of voting for best, coolest, and cutest organism. This is a great opportunity to learn about the diverse organisms we study in the Biological Sciences department.
The presentation will begin at 4:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 3:45 – 4:00 PM.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Dr. Kyle Leistikow
2024-10-18 16:00 - 17:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Dr. Kyle Leistikow, research manager at Microbial Discovery Group (MDG), will present a talk about his work entitled, “From Soil to Solution: Discovering Bacillus subtilis Peptides That Battle Biofilm-Forming Superbugs.”
The abstract is as follows:
“Multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus auerus poses a critical challenge to both human and animal health, largely due to its ability to form biofilms that protect it from antibiotics and promote resistance. To help combat this issue, Bacillus subtilis, a probiotic bacterium, has emerged as a natural source of biofilm-disrupting compounds. After screening over 1,000 Bacilius isolates, we identified a unique strain, B. subtilis 6D1, that produces peptides capable of disassembling mature S. aureus biofilms and enhancing antibiotic sensitivity. This talk will explore the journey from soil to solution, unearthing the powerful antibiofilm properties of Bacillus peptides and their potential to combat superbug infections.”
The presentation will begin at 4:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 3:45 – 4:00 PM.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Dr. Mingzi Xu
2024-10-25 16:00 - 17:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Dr. Mingzi Xu from the University of Minnesota will present a talk about her work entitled, “The evolution and genomics of sexual signals and mating preferences.”
The abstract is as follows:
“Sexual signals and mating preferences are key to sexual selection and speciation. The evolution of sexual signals and preferences involves trait divergence within each sex and coevolution between males and females. In addition, signals and preferences are susceptible to environmental perturbations, presenting a challenge to the stability of signaling systems. What genetic and genomic mechanisms govern the evolution of sexual signaling systems and maintain their stability against environmental perturbation is a crucial outstanding question in evolutionary biology.
In this talk, I will present a study on the genetic basis of signal-preference coevolution in Laupala crickets, where male song pulse rate and female preference for pulse rate have coevolved repeatedly. Using QTL fine mapping, I have identified 3 pairs of co-localizing song and preference loci in the Laupala genome, providing strong evidence for genetic coupling, a long-dismissed hypothesis. I have also identified promising candidate genes that may pleiotrophically regulate male singing and female preference. I will then present new research in my lab on how environmental perturbations such as chemical pollutants and temperature fluctuations affect coordination between signals and preferences, as well as neurogenomic mechanisms maintaining the stability of the communication system.”
The presentation will begin at 4:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 3:45 – 4:00 PM.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Dr. Ethan Degner
2024-11-01 16:00 - 17:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Dr. Ethan Degner of Wisconsin Lutheran College will present a talk about his work entitled, “Chronicling a mosquito’s sex life from intromission to oviposition.”
The abstract is as follows:
“Each year, mosquito-borne infections kill hundreds of thousands and sicken hundreds of millions more. Controlling populations of mosquitoes is a public health imperative, but despite decades of effort and technological advances, mosquitoes remain humanity’s number one killer.
Manipulating mosquito reproduction offers a promising avenue by which mosquito populations may be controlled, but doing so requires an intimate understanding of mosquito reproduction, from mating to egg-laying and a host of events in between. In this seminar, I use the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti to chronicle a mosquito’s reproductive life, highlighting the modifications that a mosquito’s sperm undergo prior to fertilization. I also present efforts to catalog the proteins and transcripts involved in these events. Proper sperm function within a female is a requirement for producing the next generation of pathogen-transmitting mosquitoes, and therefore understanding the molecular and cellular underpinnings that govern mosquito reproduction may allow new methods for mosquito control.”
The presentation will begin at 4:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 3:45 – 4:00 PM.

Graduate School Open House
2024-11-07 17:00 - 19:00 | Union Wisconsin Room East, 2200 East Kenwood Blvd, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Join us at the Graduate School’s In-Person Open House event to learn more about Biological Sciences! The Graduate School will also pay the application fee for all applicants who attend the Open House (fee waiver eligibility requirements outlined here).
Click here for more details and to register.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Dr. Eillen Tecle
2024-11-08 16:00 - 17:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Dr. Eillen Tecle, Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Medical College of Wisconsin, will present a talk about her work entitled, “Purine nucleotide salvage enzymes regulate epithelial cell resistance to infection in C. elegans.”

The abstract is as follows:

“The Intracellular Pathogen Response (IPR) was identified as a common host transcriptional response to diverse natural intracellular pathogens in C. elegans, including the Orsay virus, as well as Microsporidia, which cause the most observed infection in wild-caught C. elegans. IPR genes in C. elegans are distinct from those induced by heat shock and other stressors. Constitutive IPR activation protects C. elegans from intracellular pathogen infection while compromising development and lifespan. Despite its dramatic effects on host physiology, we know little about how the IPR is activated, regulated, and promotes defense. However, we have identified a novel role for the C. elegans orthologs of human purine metabolism genes as negative regulators of the IPR. We are currently working to understand the mechanism by which these enzymes and, more broadly, purine metabolism regulate immunity.”

The presentation will begin at 4:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 3:45 – 4:00 PM.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Dr. Chris Quinn
2024-11-15 16:00 - 17:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Dr. Chris Quinn of UW-Milwaukee will present a talk about his work entitled, “Harnessing human genetics to investigate the development and degeneration of axons in C. elegans.”
The abstract is as follows:
“Genome sequencing studies have generated a list of de novo variants that are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and intellectual disability. However, little is known about how variants in these genes can disrupt neuronal cell biology to cause defects in neurodevelopment. Our laboratory is using these variants to uncover novel mechanisms that regulate neuronal development in C. elegans. In the first part of this talk, I will focus on our work with the RBM-26(RBM26/27) RNA binding protein. We found that mutations in rbm-26 cause mitochondrial dysfunction, axon degeneration and axon targeting defects. Mechanistically, we discovered that RBM-26 negatively regulates the MALS-1 mitoribosomal assembly factor and that this interaction is required to protect against axon degeneration and axon targeting defects. In the second part, I will talk about the anc-1 ortholog of SYNE1, which has been associated with autism and bipolar disorder. We have found that mutations in anc-1 disrupt the polarization of axon growth by disrupting the localization of mitochondria within the neuron. These studies highlight the roles that autism-associated genes can play in promoting mitochondrial function and how disruptions in these processes can lead to the defects in neurodevelopment that underlie autism.”
The presentation will begin at 4:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 3:45 – 4:00 PM.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Claudia Rodriguez
2024-11-22 16:00 - 17:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Claudia Rodriguez, graduate student of Biological Sciences at UW-Milwaukee, will present a talk about her work entitled, “An alternative mode of signal transduction by the EGL-15 FGF receptor in Caenorhabditis elegans.”
The abstract is as follows:
“How is an animal body built and maintained? The answers lie in animal development, which is regulated by cell signaling modules present in every animal, from worms to mammals. One of these modules involves Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs) and their receptors (FGFRs), which stimulate Ras and the downstream kinases Raf, MEK, and ERK. The Caenorhabditis elegans FGFR, termed EGL-15, is required in the sex myoblasts (SMs) for their cell migration during post-embryonic development, and in the hypodermis (Hyp7) for homeostatic fluid balance throughout life. To investigate cell-specific differences between the SMs and Hyp7, we used the kinase reporter ERK-KTR to assess activation of ERK. We found that EGL-15 utilized different signaling mechanisms in the SMs and Hyp7 and identified the IRS/DOK-like protein SOC-3 as required for EGL-15 signaling in Hyp7. This work highlights how one receptor can use cell-specific signaling mechanisms to achieve diverse developmental outcomes.”
The presentation will begin at 4:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 3:45 – 4:00 PM.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Jill McClary-Gutierrez
2025-01-31 16:00 - 17:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Jill McClary-Gutierrez, Biological Safety Officer at UW-Milwaukee, will present a talk about her work entitled, “From LAIs to AI: History and current trends in biosafety & biosecurity.”
The abstract is as follows:
“Even before the establishment of germ theory in the late 1800s, humans have studied disease-causing organisms and, in turn, developed practices for working with those materials safely. However, it wasn’t until the late 1900s that lab-associated infections (LAIs) were identified as a significant threat to the health of research and clinical scientists, leading to the development of modern biosafety principles. Nowadays, in the golden age of molecular biology, new biological research tools are being developed at an incredible rate and can be implemented with ease for studies spanning a wide range of disciplines, from physics to anthropology. In this talk, I’ll discuss both the origins of biosafety for preventing LAIs, as well as current trends in biosafety & biosecurity policy related to gene drives, gain-of-function research, and artificial intelligence. I’ll also provide a brief overview of UWM’s Biosafety Program and share what it’s like to work as a biosafety professional in a post-pandemic world.”
The presentation will begin at 4:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 3:45 – 4:00 PM.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Drew Little
2025-02-14 16:00 - 17:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Drew Little, Ph.D. Candidate at UW-Milwaukee, will present a talk entitled, “Female interactions and their roles in mate choice.”
The abstract is as follows:
“Currently, many scientific studies in courtship emphasize the behavior and traits of males in determining mate choice. While incredibly successful, this scope has led to misconceptions about the complexity of females when assessing potential mates. Using Enchenopa binotata as a model, I will be challenging the misconceptions that (1) female interactions are simple; and (2), that female mate choice is only informed by the cues of courting males. To make my case I will be presenting evidence of the complex interactions of females during courtship, that females interpret their social environment when assessing potential mates, and that this interpretation can lead to maternal effects on offspring mate choice and courtship behaviors.”
The presentation will begin at 4:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 3:45-4:00 PM.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Dr. Matthew Shoulders
2025-02-21 16:00 - 17:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Dr Matthew Shoulders of MIT will present a talk about his work entitled, “Collagen Folding and Assembly in the Secretory Pathway.”
The abstract is as follows:
“Collagen is the most abundant protein in humans and the molecular scaffold for animal life. Yet, much remains to be elucidated regarding how cells successfully fold, quality control, and secrete this fundamental and uniquely complex component of the extracellular matrix. Progress towards defining how procollagen trimers are assembled with correct stoichiometries and composition will be discussed. Discoveries regarding key roles of sugar modifications in ensuring collagen proteostasis will also be presented. Connections to diseases of the extracellular matrix and potential therapeutic opportunities will be integrated throughout.”
The presentation will begin at 4:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 3:45 – 4:00 PM.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Dr. Caroline Turner
2025-02-28 16:00 - 17:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Dr. Caroline Turner of Loyola University will present a talk about her work entitled, “Effects of resource limitation on the evolution of biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance.”
The Abstract is as follows:
“Growth and reproduction of organisms is frequently limited by the availability of food resources, often by the availability of one particular limiting element. Adaptation to this nutrient scarcity is a key way in which organisms can improve their evolutionary fitness in these environments. However, we know little about how nutrient limitation alters the evolution of key microbial traits that impact humans, such as growth of biofilms and resistance to antibiotics. I use experimental evolution, evolving bacteria under controlled conditions in the laboratory, to test how variation in resource availability affects the evolution of biofilm formation and of antibiotic resistance.”
The presentation will begin at 4:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 3:45 – 4:00 PM.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Alyssa Kline
2025-04-18 16:00 - 17:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Alyssa Kline will present a talk about her work entitled, ‘Not All Adaptors Are Created Equal: Determining the Roles of the Dual Adaptors in the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Chp Chemosensory system’
The Abstract is as Follows:
The opportunistic pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, relies on the expression of type IV pili (T4P) for aspects of its virulence. T4P are long, flexible appendages used by bacteria in surface adhesion, biofilm maturation, and twitching motility. Expression of T4P-related genes and modulation of T4P activity in P. aeruginosa is dependent on the Chp chemosensory system. The core signaling complex of the Chp system consists of a single methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein (MCP; PilJ), two adaptor proteins (PilI, ChpC), and a histidine kinase (ChpA). These proteins organize themselves into large, highly ordered chemosensory arrays that are localized towards the poles. Classical models of chemosensory systems are based on the Escherichia coli Che system, which crucially contains only one adaptor protein. We investigated the roles of the two adaptors in Chp array composition and signal transduction using bacterial two-hybrid (BACTH) assays to identify interacting partners within the Chp system and fluorescence microscopy to investigate how the two adaptors impact protein localization and array formation. Using the results of these experiments, we constructed a model of Chp chemosensory arrays that describes the phenotypes seen in wild type, as well as pilI and chpC deletion mutants.
The presentation will begin at 4:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 3:45 – 4:00PM.

UWM Greenhouse Open House
2025-04-23 12:00 - 18:00 | Northwest Quadrant C, 1930 E Hartford Ave, Milwaukee, 53211, United States
Celebrate Earth Week at the UWM Greenhouse Open House on Wednesday, April 23rd, from 12:00-6:00 PM. The Greenhouse is located on the 4th floor of NWQ-C.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Dr. Judith Smit
2025-09-12 15:00 - 16:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Dr. Judith Smit, NOMIS-STRI postdoctoral fellow, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá will present a talk about her work entitled, ‘Communication in changing environments: urban túngara frogs & vibrationally duetting treehoppers‘
The Abstract is as Follows: Animals have evolved elaborate sexual signals, including songs, dances and substrate-borne vibrations, to attract and localize mates. Finding a mate is essential for reproduction, but is challenging in a complex and changing world. Urbanization is an example of drastic environmental change, with animals needing to deal with interference from sensory pollutants, such as artificial light at night and anthropogenic noise. On a smaller scale, animals can interact with different conspecifics that potentially vary greatly in their phenotypes. Feedback from and adjustments to conspecifics can shape sexual communication. Focusing on urban túngara frogs and vibrationally duetting treehoppers, my research explores how animals adjust their sexual communication to environmental changes.
The presentation will begin at 3:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 2:45 – 3:00PM.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Dr. Jeff Karron
2025-09-19 15:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Dr. Jeff Karron, Professor, UWM Biological Sciences, will present a talk about his work entitled, ‘Paternity in Flowering Plants’

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Dr. Shan He
2025-09-26 15:00 - 16:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Shan He, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin – Madison, will present a talk about her work entitled, ‘Structure and regulation of the CO2-concentrating organelle, the pyrenoid’
The Abstract is as Follows:
Approximately one-third of global CO2 fixation occurs in an algal organelle, the pyrenoid. Engineering the pyrenoid into crops has great potential to increase yields. The pyrenoid enhances photosynthesis by clustering the CO2-fixing enzyme Rubisco into a dynamic liquid-like condensate and supplying it with concentrated CO2. A molecular understanding of pyrenoid biogenesis and regulation will facilitate the engineering of the pyrenoid and shed light on how the pyrenoid plays such an important role in the global carbon cycle. However, both the structural basis of the pyrenoid condensate and how its phase separation is regulated were unknown. In my talk, I will share our structural characterization of how the pyrenoid condensate is formed by a linker protein that clusters multiple Rubisco holoenzymes, which reveals a critical motif that mediates the assembly of the pyrenoid’s three sub-compartments. Furthermore, I will discuss our discovery and characterization of a protein kinase that regulates the size and number of the pyrenoid condensate through disrupting phase separation. Our findings advance the structural and regulatory understanding of the pyrenoid, paving the way for its engineering into crops. More broadly, our work makes the pyrenoid a powerful model for studying biological and biophysical mechanisms of biomolecular condensates in cell biology.
The presentation will begin at 3:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 2:45 – 3:00PM.

Medical School Information & Networking Event
2025-10-07 16:00 - 17:30 | Lubar Enterpreneurship Center: First Floor Atrium, 2100 E Kenwood Blvd, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Dreaming about med school? 👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️ We’ve got just the event for you!
Join us for the 2nd Annual Medical School Information & Networking Event
📅 Tuesday, October 7 | ⏰ 4:00–5:30 PM
📍 Lubar Entrepreneurship Center (1st floor)
This event is your chance to:
✨ Connect with medical students from the Medical College of Wisconsin who get it—they’ve been where you are and are ready to share what it really takes to thrive.
✨ Hear insider tips on balancing pre-med life, surviving the MCAT grind, and navigating the med school application process.
✨ Meet Anton Johnson II, Admissions Recruiter at MCW, who will give you the lowdown on admissions requirements and pre-med enrichment programs you won’t want to miss.
Oh—and did we mention? Free refreshments + a raffle with awesome swag 🎉
If you are interested in attending, please register here: https://tinyurl.com/medschoolinfo25.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Battle of the Organisms!
2025-10-10 15:00 - 16:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
This year we will be holding our second annual “Battle of the Organisms“. Members of the Biological Sciences Labs will create brief presentations about why their study organism/system is the best of the best. What makes an organism the best? It could be that it’s adorable, has outrageously cool facts, or perhaps it has the most important implications. After hearing from the contenders, the audience will vote on the overall best organism. Points will be awarded for various categories spanning the organism itself as well as the quality of the presentation. The winner of the best organism will receive perhaps the most invaluable prize — bragging rights until the next battle.
The presentation will begin at 3:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 2:45 – 3:00PM.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Dr. Dominique Alfandari
2025-10-17 15:00 - 16:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Dr. Dominique Alfandari, professor of developmental biology at UMASS Amherst, will present a talk about his work entitled “ADAMs in Motion: A Cellular Odyssey from Surface to Nucleus.”
The abstract is as follows:
Cranial neural crest (CNC) cells are key stem cells that contribute to most of the facial structures in vertebrates. ADAM (A Disintegrin And Metalloprotease) proteins are essential for the induction and migration of the CNC. We have shown that Adam13 associates with the transcription factor Arid3a to regulate gene expression. Here we show that Adam13 modulates Histone modifications in the CNC. We show that Arid3a binding to the tfap2a promoter depends on the presence of Adam13. This association promotes the expression of one tfap2a variant expressed in the CNC that uniquely activates the expression of genes critical for CNC migration. We show that both Adam13 and human ADAM9 associate with proteins involved in histone modification and RNA splicing, a function critically affected by the loss of Adam13. We propose that ADAMs may act as extracellular sensors to modulate chromatin availability, leading to changes in gene expression and splicing.
The presentation will begin at 3:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 2:45 – 3:00PM.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Fatemeh Cheraghi
2025-10-24 15:00 - 16:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Fatemeh Cheraghi, a PhD student in the De La Cova lab, will be presenting a talk about her work entitled “Investigation of RASopathy variants and Raf protein regulation.”
The abstract is as follows:
RASopathies are a group of human developmental disorders caused by mutation of genes encoding components of the ERK signaling pathway, including RAF1 and BRAF. Although most RASopathy-associated variants enhance Raf signaling, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. We hypothesize that variants affecting different domains of RAF1 and BRAF may alter signaling through distinct mechanisms, such as changes in Raf protein expression or subcellular localization. To test this hypothesis, we used Caenorhabditis elegans and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to generate variants of the C. elegans Raf gene equivalent to those found in human patients. We analyzed phenotypes, Raf protein expression, and localization for five disease-associated variants. We will discuss how results from our C. elegans model may correspond to symptoms observed in human RASopathy patients.
The presentation will begin at 3:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 2:45 – 3:00PM.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Dr. Alita Burmeister
2025-10-31 15:00 - 16:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Dr. Alita Burmeister, professor of microbiology at UWM, will present a talk about her work entitled “Bio Sci Treehouse of Horror: The Grim Reaper is said to carry a scythe, but it’s seven times more likely that he carries tuberculosis.”
The abstract is as follows:
Every day, evolution shapes our lives. Through the rapid change of bacterial and viral populations, pathogens rapidly evolve new genotypes and phenotypes. Sometimes these new traits allow microbes to evade the immune system, to become more pathogenic, or to increase in resistance to antibiotics and antivirals. My group uses molecular genetics and evolutionary biology to understand populations of bacteria and bacteriophages (‘phages,’ viruses that infect bacterial cells). We also use bacteria and phages to study evolutionary processes, such as the evolution of innovation and relaxed selection. In this talk, I will present ongoing and new projects, seek community feedback on future directions, and share a spooky inspiration for grant writing and teaching. There will be references to Ghost Busters and the Teenage Ninja Mutant Ninga Turtles, among other organisms that frequent the sewers.
The presentation will begin at 3:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 2:45 – 3:00 PM.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Graduate Rep Q&A
2025-11-07 15:00 - 16:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Colloquium this week will be a Q&A with the Graduate Rep, Gerlinde Hoebel. Questions about grad school? Suggestions to improve student life in the department? Come chat with the Graduate Program Representative!
The presentation will begin at 3:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 2:45 – 3:00PM.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Dr. Ignacio Escalante
2025-11-14 15:00 - 16:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Dr. Ignacio Escalante, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at University of Illinois-Chicago, will be presenting a talk about his work entitled “Bouncing together: behavioral and biomechanical defenses in Neotropical arachnids.”
The abstract is as follows:
Animals have evolved various defenses against predation. My research focuses on animals that use multiple lines of defense—how they evolve, what their costs are, and whether they are effective in multiple contexts. I will present three case studies of an understudied arachnid group, Opiliones (“daddy long-legs”): (1) They often lose legs voluntarily to escape from predators. I found that leg loss brings consequences for locomotor performance, from which they can recover. (2) They perform a quick upand-down movement (bobbing). I found that bobbing can serve as an anti-predator strategy. (3) I explore their multispecies aggregation behavior. These aggregations are highly variable in terms of species composition and the individuals present. My work shows that they use shared and unique signals to coordinate this defensive strategy. Overall, these studies illustrate the diversity of defensive strategies that animals may evolve to counter predation.
The presentation will begin at 3:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 2:45 – 3:00PM.

Biological Sciences Colloquium: Dr. Gerlinde Höbel
2025-11-21 15:00 - 16:00 | Lapham Hall, N101, 3209 N Maryland Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States
Dr. Gerlinde Höbel, professor of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior at UWM, will be presenting a talk about her work entitled “Sexual selection theory meets frog behavior: on the architecture of mate choice decisions.”
The abstract is as follows:
Mate choice is an important cause of natural and sexual selection, driving the evolution of ornaments and promoting diversification and speciation. Mate choice decisions arise from the interaction of several components, and knowledge of whether they interact, and how, is crucial for understanding their contributions to selection. Research in my lab has focused on the relationship between preference functions (attractiveness ranking of prospective mates) and choosiness (effort invested in obtaining the preferred mate). We have shown that those are independent components of mate choice decisions in two species of treefrogs, suggesting that the joint study of variation in both components is required to gain a complete understanding of how mate choice contributes to sexual selection and speciation. We also uncovered surprising levels of individual variation in preference functions, which suggests that population-level curves may accurately capture the direction of sexual selection, but depending on the properties of the constituting individual functions they may over- or underestimate the strength of selection.
The presentation will begin at 3:00 PM in Lapham Hall N101, preceded by an informal reception from 2:45 – 3:00PM.
