FACULTY OF NATURAL SCIENCES

Department of Biology

Address : PO Box 23360, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00931-3360

Telephone : (787) 764-0000, exts. 4847, 4849, 2912, 2569

Fax : (787) 772-1471, 764-2610

DEGREE OFFERED

PhD in Biology

FACULTY

James D. Ackerman , PhD, Florida State University, 1981, Professor.
Ecology and evolutionary biology, plant reproductive ecology, plant systematics, and biology of orchids .

Mitchell Aide , PhD, University of Utah, l989, Professor.
Tropical plant ecology: biogeography, conservation, molecular evolution, plant/herbivore interactions, plant phenology, population genetics, and restoration ecology .

Paul Bayman , PhD, University of California at Berkeley, 1987, Professor.
Mycology, plant-fungal interactions, mycotoxins, biodegration .

David L. Bruck , PhD, North Carolina State University, 1965, Professor.
Evolution and ecology of Caribbean Drosophilia, primarily the dunni subgroup.

Graciela Candelas , PhD, University of Miami, 1966, Professor.
Differential expression of tissue-specific and developmentally expressed polymerase III genes during the synthesis of fibroin by spider silk glands.

Elvira Cuevas-Viera , PhD, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas , 1983, Professor.
Ecosystem ecology, nutrient cycling .

María Gloria Domínguez-Bello , PhD, University of Aberdeen, 1990, Assistant Professor.
Microbiology of the gut and rumen, Helicobacter.

Sharon File-Emperador , PhD, Tulane University, 1971, Professor.
Parasitology, ultrastructure, pathology, primatology; biology of schistosomes and of molluscan intermediate hosts .

José E. García-Arrarás , PhD, Harvard University, 1981, Professor.
Organogenesis, developmental biology, sympathetic nervous system, nervous system development and degeneration .

Tugrul Giray , PhD, University of Illinois, 1997, Associate Professor.
Social behavior of the honey bee, Apis mellifera; physiology; neuroendocrinology; genetics of behavior.

Carlos I. González , PhD, Rutgers State University, 1996, Assistant Professor.
Molecular biology; control of gene expression .

Tomas Hrbek , PhD, Washington University, 1999, Assistant Professor.
Population biology; evolution; phylogeography of fish and Amazonian vertebrates .

Rafael L. Joglar , PhD, University of Kansas, 1986, Professor.
Systematics, ecology, and conservation of West Indian amphibians and reptiles; biology of the neotropical frogs of the genus eleutherodactylus; conservation biology .

Jose A. Lasalde-Dominicci , PhD, University of Puerto Rico, 1988, Associate Professor.
Acetylcholine receptor structure and function, lipid-protein interactions in biological membranes, neural acetylcholine receptor and nicotine addiction .

Carmen S. Maldonado-Vlaar , PhD, Northeastern University, 1994, Associate Professor.
Neurobiology of drug addiction; behavioral neuropharmacology; functional neuroanatomy.

William Owen McMillan , PhD, University of Hawaii, 1994, Associate Professor.
Speciation and systematics; genetic architecture of adaptation, genome mapping, population genetic structure, molecular phylogenies, conservation biology, mate choice .

Sandra Peña , PhD, University of Cincinnati, 1994, Associate Professor.
Molecular biology of the memory .

Jason Rauscher , PhD, Washington University, 2000, Assistant Professor.
Plant evolutionary genetics; molecular systematics of plants; polyploidy and hybridization in plant evolution.

Fernando L. Renaud , PhD, University of Chicago, 1964, Professor.
Cell biology; the molecular basis of signal transduction .

Carla Restrepo , PhD, University of Florida, 1995, Assistant Professor.
Landscape ecology, macroecology, frugivory and seed dispersal; conservation biology .

Eduardo Rosa-Molinar , PhD, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 1977, Professor.
Comparative and evolutionary neuroembryology, developmental neuroendocrinology, biological microscopy and imaging .

Alberto M. Sabat , PhD, State University of New York, 1990, Professor.
Population dynamics in age/stage structure populations; reproductive strategies in plants and animals .

Eugenio Santiago-Valentín , PhD, University of Washington, 1999, Associate Professor.
Evolution and conservation of island floras .

Richard Thomas , PhD, Louisiana State University, 1976, Professor.
Systematics and ecology of neotropical vertebrates, with special emphasis on amphibians, reptiles and bats .

Gary A. Toranzos , PhD, University of Arizona, 1985, Professor.
Environmental microbiology: behavior of genetically engineered microorganisms, gene transfer in the environment, environmental pollution and biodegradation of xenobiotics .

ADJUNCT FACULTY

Ariel E. Lugo , PhD, University of North Carolina, 1969.
Management of tropical forests and wetlands .

Fredrick Scatena , PhD, Johns Hopkins University, 1987.
Geomorphology and hydrology .

Joseph Wunderle , PhD, University of Minnesota, 1980.
Ornithology .

ASSOCIATED FACULTY

Nicholas Brokaw, Ph.D., University of Chicago, 1980. Forest ecology

Olga Mayol-Brocero , Post Doctoral, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, Germany, 2001.PhD, University of Puerto Rico, 1998.
Atmospheric chemistry, aerosols, climate.

Elvia Meléndez-Ackerman, , Ph.D., University of California, 1995.
Plant ecology, evolution of plant-animal interactions.

Jorge R. Ortiz-Zayas, , Ph.D., University of Colorado. 1998.
Tropical limnology, water resources management.

Alonso Ramírez, Ph.D., University of Georgia, 2001.
Ecology of riverine ecosystems, systematics of aquatic insects.

John Thomlinson, Ph.D., University of North Texas, 1993.
Ecology.

Raymond L. Tremblay , PhD, University of Puerto Rico, 1996.
Conservation biology, metapopulation biology, evolution of orchids

Jess K. Zimmerman , PhD, University of Utah, 1989.
Forest dynamics, restoration, effects of land use history, plant phenology and reproductive biology.

Xioaming, Zou, Ph.D., Colorado State University, 1992.
Soil ecology, biogeochemistry.

DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN BIOLOGY

The PhD program of the Río Piedras Campus is offered in conjunction with the Medical Sciences Campus and the Institute of Tropical Ecosystem Studies.

Requirements for Admission

1. A master’s degree in science or the equivalent. Students who have shown special promise in research may be considered for admission after having completed the Bachelor of Science degree;
2. Courses required for admission to the masters program;
3. An interview with the Admissions Committee, if required;
4. Scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test; Subject Test in Biology, or Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology is recommended but not required.

Candidacy

Advancement to candidacy for the doctoral degree will be considered when the student has passed both the written and oral parts of the comprehensive examination and has successfully defended the dissertation proposal.

Requirements for Graduation

In addition to completing all requirements for graduation from the Río Piedras Campus, the student must complete the following:

Program of Study

The student’s academic program will be prepared in consultation with the student’s academic advisor.

*The student may transfer a maximum of 14 credits from graduate courses taken prior to acceptance.

Description of Courses (PDF)