Faculty
Bonnie L. Brown
Associate Professor
Ph.D., Old Dominion University (1989)
blbrown@vcu.edu
www.has.vcu.edu/bio/faculty/blbrown
CSBC Fellow
CES Affiliate
Office room: 329
Office phone: (804) 828-3265
Lab room: 327
Lab phone: (804) 828-0906
Research interests:
Conservation genetics
Funding for research has been
provided by:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Jeffress Memorial Trust
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
Egypt Science & Technology Joint Fund Program
Recent graduate
student projects include:
Colleen Higgins
Ph.D.
life sciences candidate
Research:
Quantifying nutrient removal through enhanced
oyster production
Aaron Aunins
Ph.D.
life sciences candidate
Research:
Genetic evaluation of restoration success in
American shad returning
to James River
Pamela Davenhill
M.S. degree in biology candidate
Research: Reproductive variance in pond cultivated yellow
perch
Devon Kersten (co-directed w/ Pagels)
M.S. degree in biology candidate
Research: Population genetics of Virginia shrews, Blarina
spp.
Georgia Karns (co-directed w/ Kester)
M.S. degree in biology candidate
Research: Evolution and speciation in Cotesia congregata
Jonathan Jeffries (co-directed w/ VSU's
D'Orgeix)
M.S. degree in biology candidate (VSU)
Research: Population genetic variation in endangered
blackbanded sunfish
Mary Toothman (co-directed w/ Kester)
M.S. degree in biology awarded June 2007
Research: Recovery of dust-borne human DNA by insects
Kshama Shrinivas (co-directed w/ Kester)
M.S. degree in biology awarded May 2007
Research: Microbiological and PCR detection of endospores on
insect sentinels
Diana Kercher
M.S. degree in biology awarded January
2007
Research: Population genetic variation
in blackbanded sunfish
Chandler Givens
M.S. degree in biology awarded May 2006
Research: Yellow perch strain evaluation: Genetic
variance among broodstock
populations
Colleen
Higgins (co-directed w/ Garman)
M.S. degree in biology
awarded August 2006
Research: Population
genetic analysis of the spread of blue catfish
among
Virginia tributaries
Kieron Torres (co-directed w/ Kester)
M.S. degree in biology awarded June 2006
Research: Microbiological and PCR detection
of endospores on insect sentinels
Jim Sparks (co-directed w/ Pagels)
M.S. degree in biology awarded December
2005
Research: Genetic viability
and population health assessment of the northern
flying
squirrel, Glaucomys
sabrinus
Will Brooks
M.S.
degree in biology awarded August 2004
Research: Simultaneous QC-PCR for oyster
parasites
Courses
currently teaching:
Environmental Science (BIOL 103)
Biotechniques Laboratory (BIOL 300)
Genetics Laboratory (BIOL 310)
Conservation Biology (BIOL 510)
Conservation Applications (BIOL 691)
Ecological Genetics (BIOL 691)
Conservation Genetics (BIOL 691)
Dr. Bonnie Brown received her Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography
from Old Dominion University in 1989. Bonnie studies the
genetics of impacted populations with emphasis on resource
management and aquaculture. Projects under her direction
involve utilizating DNA-based molecular indicators of genetic
variation to discern macroevolutionary and mircoevolutionary
processes in fishes (e.g., American shad), mollusks (e.g.,
eastern oyster), disease agents (e.g., Bacillus) and
threatened/endangered species. The primary goal of most of her
studies is to document the dynamic genetic processes that
characterize impacted populations and to employ this knowledge
in conservation, restoration, and aquaculture. Current projects
include population genetics of endangered sunfish in Virginia,
genetic characterization of pre-domestic aquaculture strains
bred for rapid growth, and development of molecular assays to
detect and quantify disease agents.
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