Faculty-Led Research in the Molecular and Cellular Biology Disciplines

Research in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) at Kennesaw State University is categorized into five different subdisciplines: Developmental Biology, Cell Structure and Function, Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics, Microbial Sciences and Neuroscience.

Read more about each specific subdiscipline listed below, as well as find links to faculty websites, who specialize in those areas.

  • Developmental Biology studies the genetic and molecular control of how organisms form. By studying simple model systems such as fruit flies, nematodes, and mice, we can infer how similar genes work in humans, which allows us to better understand the causes of human genetic disorders.

    Featured Faculty Research

    Name
    Position

    • Professor of Developmental Biology

      abryants@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-4919
      SL 4004

      Visit Website

    • Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology

      bcarpe18@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-4998
      SL 4003

      Visit Website

    • Professor of Biology

      mhudso28@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-7558
      SL 4002

      Visit Website

    • Associate Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology

      djia@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-6158
      SC 522

      Visit Website

    • Associate Vice President for Research Operations and Professor of Biology

      snowak@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-7777
      KH 3422

      Visit Website

    • Assistant Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology

      jwardwel@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-6158
      SC 525

      Website

  • Neuroscience is a broad discipline that seeks to understand how the nervous system forms and functions throughout the life of an organism. Again, studies in simple systems allow us to understand how the brain works in humans, and to shed light on the underlying defects behind autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and neurodegenerative diseases.

    Featured Faculty Research

    Name
    Position

  • Microbial Sciences is the study of bacteria, viruses, and single-celled eukaryotes such as yeast. This includes the genetics of bacterial pathogenesis, microbial communities in the gut and other systems.

    Featured Faculty Research

    Name
    Position

    • Associate Professor of Biology

      pachar@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-3524
      SC 526

      Visit Website

    • Assistant Chair of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Associate Professor of Biology

      mbeach2@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-4212
      SC 510

      Visit Website

    • Associate Professor of Biology

      mgriff40@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-6654
      SL 5006

      Visit Website

    • Assistant Professor of Microbiology

      ahaddow@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-2653
      SL 4008

      Visit Website

    • Associate Professor of Biology

      zlu2@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-6230
      SC 536

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    • Professor of Chemistry

      jmcmurr1@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-3238
      SL 3014

    • Assistant Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology

      slee295@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-2794
      SL 3004

      Visit Website

  • Cell Structure and Function delves into the inner workings of single cells, to understand the molecular basis of how cells form and function. The discipline of cell biology was founded, in part, by our desire to understand and find cures for cancer.

    Featured Faculty Research

    Name
    Position

    • Associate Professor of Biology

      ealbrec1@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-6774
      SC 521

      Visit Website

    • Professor of Developmental Biology

      abryants@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-4919
      SL 4004

      Visit Website

    • Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology

      bcarpe18@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-4998
      SL 4003

      Visit Website

    • Associate Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology

      djia@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-6158
      SC 522

      Visit Website

    • Assistant Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology

      slee295@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-2794
      SL 3004

      Visit Website

    • Professor of Chemistry

      jmcmurr1@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-3238
      SL 3014

    • Associate Vice President for Research Operations and Professor of Biology

      snowak@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-7777
      KH 3422

      Visit Website

    • Assistant Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology

      jwardwel@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-6158
      SC 525

      Website

  • Genetics, Genomics, and Bioinformatics are multidisciplinary threads that link many of the MCB subdisciplines. We use genetic approaches to study muscle development and nervous system function; genomic approaches to understand how cells change through time; and bioinformatic tools to show how gene expression changes under defined conditions.

    Featured Faculty Research

    Name
    Position

    • Assistant Chair of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Associate Professor of Biology

      mbeach2@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-4212
      SC 510

      Visit Website

    • Professor of Developmental Biology

      abryants@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-4919
      SL 4004

      Visit Website

    • Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology

      bcarpe18@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-4998
      SL 4003

      Visit Website

    • Associate Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology

      djia@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-6158
      SC 522

      Visit Website

    • Part-Time Assistant Professor of Biology

      echen1@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-6158
      SL 3003

      Visit Website

    • Associate Professor of Biology

      ttseng@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-5020
      SL 4012

      Visit Website

    • Assistant Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology

      jwardwel@kennesaw.edu
      (470) 578-6158
      SC 525

      Visit Website

Publications

 

Research Interest Groups (RIGs)

The College of Science and Mathematics (CSM) offers collaborative research opportunities in the following interest areas. Click on the research interest groups for more information, as well as the faculty associated.