The Faculty Preceptors for the Texas State U-RISE have a wide range of research interests, all of which are relevant to biomedical research. They represent eight departments/programs across three colleges, and have extensive experience in mentoring undergraduate researchers.
College of Science and Engineering: Departments of Biology, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Computer Science, and Mathematics, and the Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center.
College of Applied Arts: Department of Integrated Agriculture Sciences and the School of Family and Consumer Sciences (Nutrition and Foods Program)
College of Education: Department of Health and Human Performance (Exercise & Sports Science and Public Health Programs)
Links to individual faculty research websites will open in a new tab in your browser. New U-RISE faculty preceptors are always welcomed – please contact Karen Lewis for more information on how to join our program!
| Name | Department | Research Interest | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth A Benavides, Ph.D. | Agricultural Sciences | Antiparasitic treatments for small ruminants | ag.txstate.edu/faculty-staff/benavides.html |
| William J. Brittain, Ph.D. | Chemistry & Biochemistry | Physical organic chemistry of organic chromophores | brittain.wp.txstate.edu |
| Camila Carlos-Shanley, Ph.D. | Biology | Microbiome and bacterial functional genomics | carloslab.wp.txstate.edu |
| Lauren Fuess, Ph.D. | Biology | Immunology & symbiosis biology; marine biology | fuesslab.wp.txstate.edu |
| Caitlin Gabor, Ph.D. | Biology | Conservation physiology | gabor.wp.txstate.edu |
| Dana GarcÂ’a, Ph.D. | Biology | Cell signaling and cell motility in the eye | www.bio.txstate.edu/about/Faculty---Staff/faculty/Dana-Garcia.html |
| Mar Huertas, Ph.D. | Biology | Vertebrate olfaction and physiology | huertaslab.com |
| Hong-Gu Kang, Ph.D. | Biology | Stress epigenomics | kang.wp.txstate.edu |
| Robert J. C. McLean, Ph.D. | Biology | Bacterial biofilms and polymicrobial interactions | mcleanlab.wp.txstate.edu |
| Alexander Kornienko, Ph.D. | Chemistry & Biochemistry | Synthetic organic and medicinal chemistry | https://www.txstate.edu/chemistry/About-the-Department/Faculty-Profiles/kornienko.html |
| Liqin Du, M.D., Ph.D. | Chemistry & Biochemistry | Cancer biology, cell biology | www.txstate.edu/chemistry/About-the-Department/Faculty-Profiles/du.html |
| Todd W. Hudnall, Ph.D. | Chemistry & Biochemistry | Inorganic synthetic chemistry | hudnallresearch.wp.txstate.edu |
| Jennifer A. Irvin, Ph.D. | Chemistry & Biochemistry | Electroactive polymers | irvinresearch.wp.txstate.edu |
| Chang Ji, Ph.D. | Chemistry & Biochemistry | Electrochemistry | www.txstate.edu/chemistry/About-the-Department/Faculty-Profiles/ji.html |
| Sean M. Kerwin, Ph.D. | Chemistry & Biochemistry | Organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, biochemistry | kerwinlab.com |
| Karen A. Lewis, Ph.D. | Chemistry & Biochemistry | Regulatory RNA/protein interactions in protein translation | lewiskalab.wp.txstate.edu |
| Ryan L. Peterson, Ph.D. | Chemistry & Biochemistry | Bioinorganic chemistry | www.txstate.edu/chemistry/About-the-Department/Faculty-Profiles/peterson.html |
| Steven T. Whitten, Ph.D. | Chemistry & Biochemistry | Biophysical chemistry of intrinsically disordered proteins | www.txstate.edu/chemistry/About-the-Department/Faculty-Profiles/whitten.html |
| Xiaoyu Xue, Ph.D. | Chemistry & Biochemistry | Molecular biology and biochemistry of DNA replication and damage repair | www.txstate.edu/chemistry/About-the-Department/Faculty-Profiles/Xue.html |
| Tania Betancourt, Ph.D. | Chemistry & Biochemistry | Biomaterials; anticancer nanomedicines | betancourtresearchlaboratory.wp.txstate.edu |
| Stacy D. Hunter, Ph.D. | Exercise & Sports Science | Vascular dysfunction in hypertension | www.hhp.txstate.edu/research-labs/cardiovascular-physiology-lab.html |
| Joni A. Mettler, Ph.D. | Exercise & Sports Science | Skeletal muscle & neuromuscular physiology | www.hhp.txstate.edu/research-labs/neuromuscular-physiology-lab.html |
| Michelle A. Lane, Ph.D. | Nutrition and Foods | Effect of diet on colon cancer risk, mood, and cognition | www.fcs.txstate.edu/ms_nutrition/faculty/lane.html |
| Yuan Lu, Ph.D. | Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center | Genetics and computational biology | xrg.chemistry.txstate.edu |