TEACHES:

General Biology III, Genetics, Population Genetics and Conservation Biology

RESEARCH INTEREST:

Population genetics emphasizing the genetics of reproductive isolation in Phacelia and epidemiology of Moraxella catarrhalis.

CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS:

1. Speciation Genes - studies to identify genes and genomic rearrangments that lead to reproductive isolation. Combines classical genetics using crosses with genome mapping using molecular markers.

2. Antibiotic Reistance and Population Trends in a Bacterial Pathogen - We are studying the genetic changes that have occurred over the past decade and the trends toward antibiotic resistance in Moraxella catarrhalis, an opportunist pathogen of the upper resipiratory tract.

3. Genetic Basis of Floral Development - a study of the genetics underlying differences in the number of floral organs (sepals; petals) in the annual plant, Phacelia dubia.

4. Organelle Population Genetics - The current focus is on temporal and spatial structuring of populations as a means to infer the relative importance of gene flow via pollen compared to seed dispersal, as well as the role of genetic drift in shaping population structure.

PUBLICATIONS:

Walker, E. S., Neal, C. L., Laffan, E., Kalbfleisch, J. K. and F. Levy. 2000.  Long- term trends in susceptibility of Moraxella catarrhalis: A population analysis. J. Antimicrobial Chemo. 45:175-182.

Levy, F.  2000.  An inquiry-based introduction to molecular biology. Amer. Biol. Teacher 62:1-4.

Levy, F. and K. A. Malone.  2001.  Phacelia dubia in South Carolina: The interface of morphology, genetics and taxonomy. Castanea (in press).

Levy, F., Hill, S. and T. McDowell.  2001.  Wind-stress: An experimental investigation into the structure-function relationship of leaf architecture.  Amer. Biol. Teacher 63:1-4.

Levy F. and E. S. Walker.  Genetic trends in a population evolving antibiotic resistance.  Evolution (accepted, in revision).

Levy, F. and C. L. Neal. 1999. Spatial and temporal genetic structure in chloroplast and allozyme markers in Phacelia dubia implicate genetic drift. Heredity 82:422-431.

Levy, F. 1997. Non-homeotic meristic flower mutants in Phacelia dubia. J. Heredity 88:31-37.

Levy, F., Antonovics, J., Boynton, J. E. and N. W. Gillham. 1996. A population genetic analysis of chloroplast DNA in Phacelia. Heredity 76:143-155.

Levy, F. 1996. Non-homeotic meristic flower mutants in Phacelia dubia. J. Heredity 88:31-37.

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Last Update by Lois Hyder on March 6, 2003.