Robert L. Morris
Chair, Associate Professor of Biology
Office: Science Center 230
Phone: (508) 286-3953
Fax: (508) 285-8278
Email: rmorris@wheatoncollege.edu
Personal web page
Degrees
Ph.D., Harvard University
A.B., Lafayette College
Research Interests
Broadly, my lab is interested in the ways cells use movement during differentiation from egg to animal. In particular, my lab is currently focused on the process of ciliogenesis - the process of cilia formation. Cilia are long appendages of cells that beat like paddles to move fluid over a cell or stand straight like antennae to receive signals from the outside world. Healthy cilia help embryos grow and lungs clear, eyes see and ears hear. By revealing how cilia grow and change to perform different functions in different tissues, our research helps explain the birth defects and diseases that arise from problems with these universal and versatile organelles.
My students and I conduct our research collaboratively with other scientists at Wheaton, Boston College, and the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole.
Teaching Interests
I teach courses in introductory cell and molecular biology (Bio112/Cells and Genes), Cell Biology (Bio219), Developmental Biology (Bio254), Neurobiology (Bio324), and occasionally Advanced Marine Biology (Bio331), First Year Seminar, and Senior Seminar.
My courses are also Connected in the Wheaton Curriculum. Bio112/Cells and Genes is connected with Econ112/Microeconomics in the "Biopharma" Connection. Bio219/Cell Biology is connected with Arth353 Castles and Cathedrals in the "Living Architecture" Connection. Bio219/Cell Biology and Bio254/Developmental Biology are connected with *several* courses in the "Visualizing Information" Connection.
Other Interests
Family. Surfing. Birding. Carpentry. Sand castle building. Yoyo throwing.
Student Projects
* indicates undergraduate co-author
R.L. Morris, B.J. Rossetti*, A.P. Rawson*, A. Hussain*, T. Shintaku*, D. Perelman*. (2008) Developmental Regulation Of The Ciliary Proteome in Sea Urchin. Molecular Biology of the Cell 19 (suppl), abstract #1760. (CD-ROM). (abstract for poster presented at the American Society for Cell Biology annual meeting, San Francisco, Dec 16, 2008).
Amanda Rawson* Œ09 (2008). „Analysis of the Ciliary Life Cycle on Sea Urchin Embryos.‰ (Poster presented at Academic Festival, Wheaton College, Norton, MA. April 11, 2008.)
Blair J. Rossetti* Œ09, Katrina Brakonkiecki* Œ10, Ali Hussain* Œ11, Colby Jenkins* Œ11, Matthew Migliozzi* Œ11, David Perelman* Œ11, Amanda Rawson* Œ09, Tatsu Shintaku* Œ11, Julia Simundza* Œ09. (2008). „Analysis of the Ciliary Genes in the Sea Urchin Genome.‰ (Poster presented at Academic Festival, Wheaton College, Norton, MA. April 11, 2008.)
J. Bhatia*, B.J. Chick*, S.C. Cummings*, J.M. Fess*, B.A. Jeffrey*, E.A. Kovacs*, L.E. Shorey*,
A.L. Silverio*, S.A. Tower*, R.-H. Yen*, and R.L. Morris (2006) The effects of mercury on primary culture chick sympathetic neurons. (Poster presented with Bio324/Neurobiology students at the Northeast Undergraduate Research Organization for Neuroscience annual meeting. Hunter College, New York, NY. April 5, 2006.)
Selected Publications, Creative Work or Performances
* indicates undergraduate co-author
Sea Urchin Genome Sequencing Consortium: 228 co-authors including Sodergren E, Weinstock GM, Davidson EH, Cameron RA, ..., Burgess DR, ..., R.L. Morris, ..., Allgood EL*, Cool J*, Judkins KM*, McCafferty SS, Musante AM*, Obar RA, Rawson AP*, Rossetti BJ*, Gibbons IR, Hoffman MP, Leone A*, ... (2006). The genome of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Science. 314(5801):941-52.
R.L. Morris, Hoffman MP, Obar RA, McCafferty SS, Gibbons IR, Leone AD*, Cool J*, Allgood EL*, Musante AM*, Judkins KM*, Rossetti BJ*, Rawson AP*, Burgess DR. (2006). Analysis of cytoskeletal and motility proteins in the sea urchin genome assembly. Developmental Biology 300(1):219-37.
R.L. Morris, C.N. English*, J.E. Lou*, F.J. Dufort*, J.J. Nordberg*, M. Terasaki, and B. Hinkle. (2004) Redistribution of the kinesin-II subunit KAP from cilia to nuclei during the mitotic and ciliogenic cycles in sea urchin embryos. Developmental Biology 274:56-69.