New research publications from faculty and alumni

Dr. Andrew Trimble, the newest addition to the Department of Biology/Toxicology faculty, just had his latest study published in the journal Chemosphere.  Dr. Trimble studies the impact of urban pesticides, and in this latest paper he and his colleagues examined the effects that differing salt levels have on the toxicity of the common insecticide bifenthrin.

"This research explores the concept of seasonal variation in environmental water quality and how it affects the overall health of freshwater aquatic invertebrates, particularly when they are exposed to mixtures of pesticides and de-icing agents like road salt", explains Dr. Trimble.

Biology Department alumna Becky Richards '04 is pursuing a combined MD/PhD degree at Oregon Health Sciences University and was recently a co-author on a paper published in the journal Science, the pre-eminent science journal in the United States.  Becky and her colleagues studied a type of virus that can pass from a mother to her child during pregnancy, causing many diseases such as deafness and mental retardation.  Their new research showed how these viruses evade the human immune system to cause re-infection and disease.  Becky will be completing the PhD portion of her degree soon, and will then return to her medical studies.