beyond your textbook

Faculty Research

Where can you find a great example of how Drew University encourages creativity and advancement in the sciences? Look no further than the cutting-edge research being conducted by our faculty members. Drew provides an environment in which they can follow their passions, offering them the resources, time and facilities they need in order to pursue projects in their areas of specialty. In turn, Drew science majors enjoy the benefits of learning from and working with leading professionals who continually generate new knowledge and scientific advancements. The following is just a sampling of the faculty research currently underway at Drew.

Progress for Alzheimer's Treatment

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Roger Knowles, Associate Professor of Biology and Director of the Neuroscience program, is involved in researching ways to treat or slow the progress of Alzheimer’s disease.

“My team, which consists of Drew undergraduate students doing independent research each semester, is examining the cell and molecular mechanisms that are causing neuron damage during Alzheimer's disease. One pathway we are particularly interested in is the role of extracellular senile plaques, which is one of the main pathological hallmarks of AD. We are looking into how the proteins that make up these plaques can cause abnormal activation of brain cells, which may be one of the proximal causes of the disease. Ultimately, we hope to find ways to treat or slow down the damage of this progressive disease. At Drew, we just had a $1 million renovation to our neuroscience laboratory. Because this new space is designed with our specific research interests in mind, it will be a great benefit to us moving forward.”

The Need for Speed

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David McGee, Professor of Physics and former Director of DSSI, is studying the properties of novel nonlinear optical materials, including photorefractive polymers.

“Increasing computer speeds and the need for more bandwidth necessitates a constant search for materials that can put data on fiber optic lines at faster rates. Traditionally, these materials have been crystalline. Organic materials like plastics and polymers comprise one of the more unexplored areas. The question is, do these novel materials have what it takes to replace conventional crystalline optics? They certainly are easier to make than nature’s crystals, and you can design them the way you want them. We currently are designing experiments that measure the speed of light in polymeric optical materials, and how we can change it through applied voltages. The other thing we do is measure the efficiency with which light is transmitted through these materials. Looking at both speed and efficiency, we can determine how well a particular material transmits light, and whether it can be effective.”

Learn more about Professor McGee's research.

Costs and Benefits of Group Living

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Tammy Windfelder, Associate Professor of Biology, specializes in primate social behavior and does summer fieldwork in Peru and Uganda to examine group living among different species.

“In Peru, I study two species of tamarin, the saddle-back tamarin and the emperor tamarin, which live together in shared territories. In Uganda, I observe grey-cheeked mangabeys and red-tailed monkeys, which also form mixed-species groups. How did these associations come about? Are there costs to living in a larger group, such as increased competition for food? Are there benefits? In Uganda, the red-tailed monkeys may benefit from hanging out with the grey-cheeked mangabeys that chase away the large, monkey-eating, crowned eagle. What, if anything, do the red tails provide in return? By observing and gathering information about group living among these primates, we can look at the costs and benefits for each species and begin to understand how group sociality has evolved.”