Faculty in Biology are involved in several federally funded independent research projects in laboratories housed in the Department of Biological Sciences at Rutgers-Newark and through collaborations with other institutions.


Photo: A microglial cell.  Professor Gene Miller Jonakait studies microglia function. 

Areas of Research

Neuroscience

Role of synaptic dynamics, such as short-term depression and facilitation, to the generation and control of oscillatory neuronal activity. Study of  mechanisms of neuronal plasticity and homeostasis that determine the excitability and electrical activity of neurons and simple neural networks. Electrophysiology, computer modeling, molecular biology, and imaging techniques are used.

Developmental Neurobiology/Neuroimmunology

The role of prenatal inflammation in the control of brain development with particular reference to the etiology of autism.

Chemistry, Biochemistry and Chemical Biology

Development of high-throughput screening technologies of protein libraries, de novo protein design, metabolic pathway engineering, novel protein display technologies, non-natural amino acids incorporation; biomimetic chemistry; computer modeling of proteins, DNA, and ligands.

Ecology and Evolution

Dynamics of populations, communities, and other complex systems. Patterns of extinction and invasion in space, time, and evolutionary history. Theory and practice of creating and restoring ecosystems.  Mathematical tools for conservation.