Our department is made up of highly skilled faculty with national and international recognition as researchers in their fields. Information about their research areas can be found below, or the faculty’s individual websites. Our faculty conduct research on campus in many different facilities: the Center for Quantitative Obesity Research, the Microscopy and Microanalysis Research Laboratory, the Institute for Sustainability Studies, and the Passaic River Institute. Our reach extends beyond the campus in diverse locations both nearby, at our field research station at the New Jersey School of Conservation and other New Jersey habitats, and abroad in Ireland and St. Johns.
Faculty Research Interests
Matthew Aardema
Science Hall room 123 | aardemam@montclair.edu
Ecology and evolution of arthropod vectors and the pathogens they transmit
Sandra Daise Adams
Science Hall room 123 | adamssa@montclair.edu | 973-655-7527
Molecular virology, molecular biology, and biology education.
Paul Bologna
Science Hall room 112 | bolognap@montclair.edu | 973-655-4112
Seagrass Ecosystems: New Jersey and in the U.S. Virgin Islands; Stinging Sea Nettles: Population Biology and Impacts on food webs in New Jersey; Invasive Jellyfish in New Jersey
James J Campanella
Science Hall room 119 | campanellj@montclair.edu | 973-655-4097
Molecular genetics, Population genetics, phylogenetics, and molecular evolution.
Ann Marie Marie DiLorenzo
Science Hall room 109 | dilorenzoa@montclair.edu | 973-655-4396
Utilizing in vitro techniques to study the effects of environmental chemicals on toxicity, mutagenicity or carcinogenicity. All projects study cells or organs grown in culture under normal conditions as well as conditions of stress. All research falls within the area of “Alternatives to Whole Animal Testing” and strives to reduce the need for, and … Read More about Dr. DiLorenzo
Chunguang Du
Science Hall room 124 | duc@montclair.edu | 973-655-4405
Bioinformatics, Evolutionary Genomics
John J Gaynor
Science Hall room 114 | gaynorj@montclair.edu | 973-655-7253
Molecular biology of Cnidarians; jellyfish venomics
Colette Feehan
Science Hall room 114 | feehanc@montclair.edu | 973-655-4248
Marine ecosystems; host-pathogen interactions; climate-change ecology
Reginald Halaby
Science Hall room 120 | halabyr@montclair.edu | 973-655-7982
Induction of lysosomal-mediated cell death in apoptosis-resistant human breast and prostate cancer cells using triptolide (Thunder God Vine), a Chinese herb that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over two centuries.
Lisa C Hazard
Science Hall room 121 | hazardl@montclair.edu | 973-655-3418
Conservation physiology and physiological ecology; Reptile and amphibian physiology, ecology, and natural history (emphasis on northeastern and southwestern U.S. fauna)
Julian P Keenan
Science Hall room 207 | keenanj@montclair.edu | 973-655-2112
Neuroimaging; Self-awareness and theory of mind; Deception and deception detection; Evolutionary cognitive neuroscience
Jennifer Adams Krumins
Science Hall room 118 | kruminsj@montclair.edu | null
Microbial Ecology; Biodiversity; Food web ecology
Lee H Lee
Science Hall room 108 | leel@montclair.edu | 973-655-7164
Molecular Microbiology; Medical Microbiology; Environmental Microbiology; Heavy metal effects on cyanobacteria
Robert W Meredith
Science Hall room 133 | meredithr@montclair.edu | 973-655-7800
Vertebrate evolution, bristletail evolution, molecular and morphological systematics including the incorporation of extinct organisms, paleontology/paleobiology, biogeography, molecular dating, molecular evolution with particular interest in teeth, olfactory, and eye genes, pseudogene evolution, morphological evolution
Carlos Antonio Molina
CELS 400 | molinac@montclair.edu | 973-655-3302
Cancer Research; Biology of Reproduction
Kirsten J Monsen
Science Hall room 135 | monsenk@montclair.edu | 973-655-7788
Conservation Genetics; Molecular Ecology; Wildlife Disease
Robert O’Hagan
Science Hall room 130 | ohaganr@montclair.edu
Molecular genetics of the nematode C. elegans, most interested in sensory neurobiology.
Elena Petroff
Science Hall | petroffe@montclair.edu | 973-655-2027
Molecular Neuroscience; Ion Channel Physiology
Mitchell Sitnick
Science Hall 134 | sitnickm@montclair.edu | 973-655-3516
Dr. Mitch Sitnick is an Assistant Professor of Biology and Molecular Biology and a new hire to the Center for Quantitative Obesity Research. Dr. Sitnick received a B.S. in Biology from The College of New Jersey, and his Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology from the University of California, Davis. Dr. Sitnick is a skeletal musc… Read More about Dr. Sitnick
John A Smallwood
Science Hall 117 | smallwoodj@montclair.edu | 973-655-5345
Ornithology, ecology, animal behavior, conservation biology.
Quinn C Vega
Science Hall 107A | vegaq@montclair.edu | 973-655-7178
Cellular Signal Transduction
Dirk W Vanderklein
Science Hall room 116 | vanderkleid@montclair.edu | 973-655-5265
The impact of Japanese knotweed (an invasive plant) on our water supply, how carbon and water cycle through a thinned and unthinned hardwood forest, what is the status of the street trees in Montclair, NJ, and how to help first-year first generation students succeed in science and college.
Meiyin S Wu
CELS 100D | wum@montclair.edu | 973-655-7117
Human impacts on aquatic ecosystems, such as impacts of urban development on rivers and watersheds. Wu’s team studies water chemistry, soil chemistry, hydrology, geomorphology, pathogen indicators, aquatic flora and fauna, and riparian habitat. This research extends to watershed management, nonpoint source pollution… Read More about Dr. Wu
The Department of Biology is housed in Science Hall, a facility that includes well-equipped research laboratories, teaching laboratories and prep rooms, a greenhouse, and faculty/staff offices. Research is funded by agencies including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), SeaGrant, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). When using the labs it is important to know the safety protocols, information which can be found on the Safety Manuals & Resources page.
Student Research Opportunities
As a student in our department, you have many opportunities to pursue independent scientific research with faculty members. The first step is to find faculty members that are doing research exciting to you. Each faculty member has a web page that describes their research and publications. Contact and visit those faculty members you find interesting – you might get a chance to conduct exciting new experiments!
Undergraduates can get academic credit for independent research by enrolling in Biology Independent Research (BIOL-418) or utilize our strong externship program through which students get real-world career experience in addition to research credit, Externship in Biological Research (BIOL-409). You can also participate in research through the Science Honors Initiative Program (SHIP) and Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) programs.
Graduate students can take Introduction to Biological Research (BIOL-599) or Master’s Thesis (BIOL-698). Both involve independent research under the direction of a faculty member; the thesis involves a longer, more in-depth research experience. Graduate students in our programs are strongly encouraged to conduct thesis research.
Scholarships may be available to support students conducting research; see our scholarship page to see available scholarships. Student researchers have the opportunity to present their findings at local, regional, national and even international research conferences. They have also authored and co-authored papers published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.