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Research - Russell Pfau

Current Research & Student Research Opportunities

Student Research Opportunities

Undergraduate and graduate students working in my lab gain hands-on experience in using modern, molecular genetic and field techniques. Genetic techniques that students have the opportunity to use include DNA extraction and amplification via polymerase chain reaction and use of our Beckman-Coulter Automated DNA Analysis System for DNA sequencing, microsatellite analysis, and AFLP analysis. Students benefit not only from hands-on research experience, but also by gaining a working understanding of population-genetic theory and evolutionary biology.

Student research is not limited to the lab. The opportunity also exists for students to be involved in collecting organisms from their native habitat. Field techniques provide the foundation for the broad and rapidly expanding field of molecular ecological research. Field research allows students to gain an intimate understanding of the habitat preferences, geographical distribution, and behavior of the organisms that they will be studying in the laboratory.

Students also have the opportunity to present their research at local, regional, national, and/or international conferences.

Additionally, much of my research is done in collaboration with faculty at other universities, providing students the opportunity to meet and work with faculty and students from universities other than Tarleton State University.

Current Student Research

• Terry Johnson is nearing completion of his Master's degree and is using AFLP analysis to examine patterns of genetic diversity and divergence of Peromyscus attwateri populations across the geographic distribution of this species. The Texas mouse occurs in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and southern Missouri. Much of it's current distribution is discontinuous due to inhospitible habitats between the patches of rugged, juniper/oak-covered terrain in Oklahoma and eastward. This project is being conducted in collaboration with Dr. Greg Wilson at the University of Central Oklahoma.
• Bethany Stevens and Alicia Sanders are undergraduate students actively involved in a reseach project to isolate microsatellite loci from Sigmodon hispidususing the FIASCO technique. They have been sequencing DNA and designing and testing primers for use in PCR amplification of the microsatellite loci that they identify.
• Rachel Seay and Rece Laney have recently joined the lab and are sequencing mitochondrial DNA of the hispid cotton rat in order to locate and characterize a hybrid zone between two genetic lineages of this species. 
• Other ongoing research projects
  • Design and testing of PCR primers to amplify a gene involved in sperm-egg recognition in the cotton rat.
  • Mitochondrial DNA sequencing and AFLP analysis of cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) to map the geographical location of the hybrid zone between eastern and western lineages of this species.  Field trips are planned for Arkansas and Missouri to collect specimens.
  • Use of AFLP to examine species boundaries and phylogetic relationships between the bats Myotis californicus and Myotis ciliolabrum. This project is a collaboration with Dr. Loren Ammerman at Angelo State University.
  • Analysis of a hybrid zone between the shrews Blarina hylophaga and Blarina brevicauda using AFLP and mtDNA analyses. This study is a collaboration with Cody Thompson and Dr. Elmer Fink at Fort Hays State University.
  • Assesment of genetic diversity of isolated populations of Peromyscus truei and Peromyscus boylii in the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles using AFLP and mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis. This study is being conducted in collaboration with Dr. Raymond Matlack at West Texas A&M University and Dr. Greg Wilson at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Grants Received

• National Science Foundation (Major Research Instrumentation Grant) - 2001: Acquisition of an Automated DNA Analysis System for Biology Teaching and Research. Philip Sudman, Allan Nelson, Bert Little, Harold Rathburn, and Russell Pfau - $99,677

Student Presentations

• 2006 Tarleton State University Student Research Symposium
  • Calvin Henard, Caleb Phillips, and Russell Pfau - Hybridization between two divergent lineages of cotton rats in the United States: nuclear and mitochondrial DNA perspectives
  • Terry Johnson and Russell Pfau - Population genetics of the Texas mouse, Peromyscus attwateri
• 2005 Texas A&M University System Pathways Research Symposium
  • Calvin Henard and Russell Pfau - Hybridization between two divergent lineages of cotton rats in the United States
• 2005 Southwestern Association of Naturalists Annual Conference
  • Caleb Phillips and Russell Pfau - A genetic discontinuity exists within Sigmodon hispidus in the United States: another cryptic species?
• 2005 Texas Society of Mammalogists meeting in Junction, TX
  • Caleb Phillips and Russell Pfau - Genome-wide patterns of genetic diversity in the cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus)
• 2005 Tarleton Student Research Symposium
  • Terry Johnson and Russell Pfau - Population genetics of the Texas mouse, Peromyscus attwateri, in Texas and Oklahoma
  • Caleb Phillips and Russell Pfau - A genetic discontinuity exists within Sigmodon hispidus in the United States: another cryptic species?
  • Sara Harsley, Kim Harwell, Jennifer Linkenauger, Ryan Rogers, Sunni Taylor, Holly Warren, Ileana Zea, J'Nae Zuaschka, and Russell Pfau (Tarleton Student Chapter of the National Science Teachers Association) - An interactive meiosis exercise using swim noodles as chromosomes.
  • Calvin Henard and Russell Pfau - Cryptic species of the cotton rat in Texas: a mitochondrial DNA perspective.
• 2005 Tri-Beta Conference
  • Christina Dobson and Russell Pfau - Extraction and Sequencing of DNA from Museum Skulls
• 2005 American Society of Mammalogists Annual Conference
  • Caleb Phillips and Russell Pfau - A genetic discontinuity exists within Sigmodon hispidus in the United States: another cryptic species?
• 2004 Texas Society of Mammalogists meeting in Junction, TX
  • Caleb Phillips - Genome-wide genetic diversity of Sigmodon hispidus
  • Kristin Denton - Differences in patterns of nucleotide substitution at an immune response gene in two species of Peromyscus
  • Terry Johnson - Use of Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism analysis to compare genetic diversity of island-mainland population pairs ofPeromyscus maniculatus (poster in PDF format)
  • Lin Winton - Genetic diversity of island and mainland populations of Peromyscus maniculatus
• 2004 Texas A&M University System Pathways Research Symposium
  • Caleb Phillips and Russell Pfau - Genome-wide genetic diversity of Sigmodon hispidus
• 2004 Tri-Beta Conference
  • Lin Winton, Russell Pfau, and Adam Richman - Genetic diversity of island and mainland populations of Peromyscus maniculatus
• 2002 Tarleton State University Student Research Symposium
  • Kristin Denton - Immune-response genes and patterns of genetic diversity in the rodent genus Peromyscus
  • Jason Mogonye - Genetic diversity of island and mainland populations of deer mice

Past Student Research

• Kristin Denton recently completed her Master's degree. Her research focused on examining the genetic diversity of an immune response gene (MHC-DQA) in two closely-related rodent species: Peromyscus attwateri and P. boylii.
• Caleb Phillips recently completed his Master's degree. Caleb examined genetic diversity in cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) using AFLP analysis and has detected hybridization between two divergent lineages in eastern Texas.  Caleb is currently pursuing a PhD at Purdue University.
• 2006 - Undergraduate students included Calvin Henard, Sadie Goodwin, and Endra Sookor. Calvin sequenced mitochondrial DNA from east TexasSigmodon to determine which individuals belonged to divergent eastern or western lineages. This project is focusing on clarifying the nature of a hybrid zone between these two lineages. Sadie sequenced mitochondrial DNA to examine the population genetic structure of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) from islands off the coast of California and Baja California. Endra designed and testing primers to amplify a gene involved in sperm-egg recognition in the cotton rat.
• 2005 - Calvin Henard sequenced mitochondrial DNA from east Texas Sigmodon to determine which individuals belonged to divergent eastern or western lineages. Valeska Valderas used AFLP to estimate levels of genetic diversity in the Palo Duro mouse (Peromyscus truei comanche) from Palo Duro Canyon, TX. Jennifer Linkenauger sequenced DNA from the pinyon mouse (Peromyscus truei) to address questions of phylogeography among populations from Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. Yvette Vaughan worked on a PCR optimization project for a Heredity lab exercise.
• 2004 - Terry Johnson used AFLP analysis to examine patterns of genetic diversity and divergence of Peromyscus attwateri populations across the geographic distribution of this species.
• Julia Ranger conducted microsatellite analysis on Peromyscus maniculatus from Baja California and sequenced mitochondrial DNA from the Texas mouse (P. maniculatus).
• Christina Dobson attempted to extract DNA from skulls of museum voucher specimens for the purpose of sequencing mitochondrial DNA.
• Spring/Fall 2003 - Lin Winton used single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis and DNA sequencing to identify MHC-DQA alleles from Peromyscus maniculatus and also used microsatellite analysis to compare levels of genetic diversity among island and mainland populations of Peromyscus maniculatus from Baja California.
• Spring 2003 - Caleb Phillips, Lauren Adams, and Kyle Jordan fine-tuned AFLP analysis for use in evaluating levels of genetic diversity in Peromyscus andSigmodon species.
• Fall 2002 - Ken Brooks used microsatellite analysis to determine level of genetic diversity in a population of Peromyscus maniculatus from Oklahoma.
• Spring/Summer 2002 - Lindsay Smith, Jason Magonye and Ken Brooks used microsatellite analysis to determine genetic diversity and effective population sizes of several Peromycus populations from southern California and Baja California.
• Spring/Fall 2001 - Josh Combs tested PCR reactions and experimented with several techniques to observe parasites in insects for use in my Parasitology lab.