Courses Taught
Biology 103
General Biology (download syllabus)
Biology 200
Intro to Cell and Molecular Genetics (download syllabus)
Biology 310 Evolution (download syllabus)
Teaching
Teaching to me is an opportunity to transmit to other
people the knowledge and experiences of all the important issues and
events that have been relevant in my life. To me there are three
important goals in teaching: it has to be clear, interactive and up to
date both topically and technically.
Education
BS. Biology. 1984. Universidad Autónoma
Metropolitana, Mexico
MS. Biology. 1988. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de
México, Mexico
MS. Thesis. Variation between different populations of
Sceloporus grammicus (Reptilia:Iguanidae) in an altitudinal
gradient of the Sierra del Ajusco, Mexico. (written in Spanish)
Ph.D. Zoology. 1992. Brigham Young
University.
Ph.D. Diss. Mitochondrial DNA sequence divergence and
phylogenetic relationships among eight chromosome races of Sceloporus
grammicus complex (Phrynosomatidae) in central Mexico.
Research
I am interested in many aspects of evolutionary biology,
including phylogenetics, speciation, and social evolution. I have
combined field observations and molecular techniques to address
questions in a phylogenetic framework. For my doctoral degree I worked
on
the molecular systematics of a complex of lizards of the species
Sceloporus grammicus. After I received a Ph. D. in Zoology (1992), I obtained a
postdoc that would introduce me to additional molecular techniques.
Recently developed molecular techniques can advance our understanding of
a wide variety of issues in systematics, population genetics, ecology
and conservation bi
ology. For one year I worked on the mapping of
the entire bovine genome. During that time I used molecular techniques
like cloning, library construction and probing, sequencing, PCR and
applying these techniques to research. I focused on developing microsatellites.
Microsatellites, because of its polymorphic nature are
excellent Mendelian markers used for parentage studies, gene mapping and
linkage, and studies of relatedness. Later, I became interested in
applying microsatellites as tools to answer evolutionary questions. I
used microsatellites to study the control of reproduction in social
insects. While completing my work on the reproduction of the social
wasps, I also worked on their phylogenetics and molecular evolution. I
have done research on lizard speciation, cow genomes and wasp social
evolution. The common element in these projects has been the use of
molecular tools and a focus on molecular evolution.
Here at PC I have continued this line of research with
these two groups of organisms, lizards and wasps.
First, together with my students, we developed
microsatellites for the mesquite lizard (Sceloporus grammicus).
At this moment, my students are using these powerful molecular markers
to study the effects of hybridization events across these chromosomal
races to male mating success in this species. Pat Degnan ('02) presented
his study at the Evolution meeting in June 2001. If you want to see his
Powerpoint presentation go to: Pat's s Seminar.
Second, we are studying the conflicts of interests of the
introduced species Polistes dominulus in New England. For two
consecutive years we have completed field work of this species in two
different localities in Rhode
Island. Stephanie Newton ('03), presented her study at
the Eastern Colleges Science Conference (ECSC) last April 2002 at
Niagara University, and won the Best Presentation Award in Ecology
and Evolutionary Science. If you want to see her Powerpoint presentation
go to:
Steph's Seminar.
Recently, I have also been involved on a new research
project. With the use of similar molecular techniques as the ones used
on lizards and wasps. Extensive advances on the understanding of the
tumor development (carcinogenesis) and its implications, specifically at
the level of molecular changes have been attained. Mutational errors
occur in proteins involved in the repair of the DNA and on the
correlation of those errors with the presence of genetic instability
throughout the genome. Mutations causing loss of function in DNA
mismatch repair protein genes results in the accumulation of DNA damage
and eventual carcinogenesis. I am looking at the genetic variability of
those proteins in order to establish if there is a correlation with
these polymorphisms and different histological patterns of tumor
malignancy. Cheryl Bline ('06), presented her study at the
Eastern Colleges Science Conference (ECSC) last April 2005 at
Central Connecticut State University. If you want to see her Powerpoint presentation
go to: Cheryl's seminar.
|
Stephanie Newton '03 |
Stephanie Newton '03, George
Dekki '03, Anthony Izzo ' 04 |
Publications
Arévalo, E.; C. A. Porter; A. González, F. Mendoza, J. L.
Camarillo and J. W. Sites, Jr. 1991.
Evolution
of the Sceloporus grammicus complex (Phrynosomatidae) in
central Mexico: III Extended population cytogenetic studies.
Herpetological Monographs, 5:79-115.
Arévalo, E.; G. Casas; S.K. Davis; G. Lara and J.W. Sites, Jr. 1993.
Parapatric hybridization between chromosome races of the Sceloporus
grammicus complex (Phrynosomatidae).I. Structure of the Ajusco
transect. Copeia, 2:352-372.
Arévalo, E.; S.K. Davis; and J. W. Sites. 1994. Mitochondrial DNA
sequence divergence and phylogenetic relationships among eight
chromosome races of the Sceloporus grammicus complex (Phrynosomatidae)
in central Mexico. Systematic Biology, 43(3): 387-418
Arévalo, E.; D.A. Holder; J.N. Derr; E. Bhebhe; R.A. Linn; J.F.
Taylor; S.K. Davis; and F. Ruvuna. 1994. Caprine microsatellite
dinucleotide repeat polymorphism at the SR-CRSP-1, SR-CRSP-2, SR-CRSP-3,
SR-CRSP-4, and SR-CRSP-5 loci. Animal Genetics, 25(3):202.
Bhebhe E.; J. Kogi; D.A. Holder; E. Arévalo; J.N. Derr; R.A.
Linn; S.K. Davis; J.F. Taylor; and F. Ruvuna. 1994. Caprine
microsatellite dinucleotide repeat polymorphism at the SR-CRSP-6,
SR-CRSP-7, SR-CRSP-8, SR-CRSP-9, and SR-CRSP-10 loci. Animal
Genetics, 25(3):203.
Holder,
D.A.; E. Arévalo; M.T. Holder; J.F. Taylor; and S.K. Davis.
1994. Bovine microsatellite dinucleotide repeat polymorphisms at the
TEXAN-1, TEXAN-2, TEXAN-3, TEXAN-4, and TEXAN-5 loci.
Animal Genetics, 25(3):201.
Forstner,
M.R.J.; Davis, S.K.; and Arévalo, E. 1995. Support for the
hypothesis of a Varanid lizard ancestry for the Suborder Serpentes from
phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences. Molecular
Phylogenetics and Evolution 4(1):93-102.
Strassmann,
J.E.; Klinger, C.J.; Arévalo, E.; Zacchi, F.; Husain, A.;
Williams, J.; Seppä, P.; and Queller, D.C.1998. Absence of within-colony
kin discrimination in behavioural interactions of swarm-founding wasps.
Proc. of the Royal Soc. of London, Biological Sciences
264:1565-1570.
Arévalo, E.; J.E. Strassmann; D.C. Queller. 1998. Conflicts of
interest in social insects: worker policing in two species of
Polistes. Evolution 52:797-805.
Ezenwa,
V.O.; Peters, J.M.; Hastings, M.; Zhu, Y.; E. Arévalo; Seppä, P.;
Pederson, J.S.; Zacchi, F.; Queller, D.C.; and Strassmann, J.E. 1998.
Ancient conservation of microsatellite loci in polistine wasps.
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 9(4):168-177.
Paxton, R.J.;
E. Arévalo; J. Field. 2003. Microsatellite loci for the eusocial
Lasioglossum malachurum and other sweat bees (Hymenoptera,
Halictidae). Molecular Ecology Notes 3(1):82-84.
Strassmann,
J.E.; Nguyen, J.S.; Arévalo, E.; Cervo, R.; Zacchi, F; Turillazzi,
S.; and Queller, D.C. 2003. Workers produce males only after queen death in
Polistes gallicus, a Mediterranean social wasp. Journal of
Evolutionary Biology 16(2):254-259.
Arévalo, E. 2003. Conflicts of interest in the paper wasp Polistes
dominulus: a European invasion. Rhode Island Natural History Survey
10(1): 4-5.
Arévalo, E.;
Y. Zhu;
James M. Carpenter; and J.E.
Strassmann.
A. 2004.
The phylogeny of the
social wasp subfamily Polistinae: evidence from microsatellite flanking
sequences, mitochondrial COI sequence, and morphological characters. BMC Evolutionary
Biology 4:8.
Dani,
F.; K.R. Foster; F. Zacchi; P. Seppä; A. Massolo; A. Carelli; E.
Arévalo, D.C. Queller; J.E. Strassmann; and S. Turillazzi. 2004. Can cuticular
lipids provide sufficient information for colony nepotism in wasps?
Proceedings: Biological Sciences 271(1540): 745 - 753
Degnan, P.; and E. Arévalo. 2004. Isolation
of Microsatellite Loci in Sceloporus grammicus (Squamata,
Phrynosomatidae). American Journal of Undergraduate Research 2(4):
1-11
Belliveau, J.F.; E. Arévalo;
H. Griffin; and H.J. Wanebo. 2005. Isolated pelvic perfusion: plasma
pharmacokinetics depend primarily on drug dosage and not the type of
drug. Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology.
55: 318–322
.
George Dekki '03
