Mariana Sa, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biology
Belhaven University
My research bridges fungal taxonomy and proteomics to explore microbial diversity and host–pathogen interactions. In taxonomy, I investigate Basidiomycota fungi across Brazilian ecosystems, describing new species and clarifying evolutionary relationships to advance understanding of fungal biodiversity. In proteomics, I apply mass spectrometry to study antimicrobial resistance and host–pathogen dynamics, identifying molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity and informing innovative approaches for infection detection, treatment, and ecological applications.
Discipline: Biology
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Philip Kains, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Mathematics
Belhaven University
Dr. Kains is interested primarily in connectivity of graphs. The intersection of longest cycles in k-connected graphs has been studied extensively, with results having significant implications in cybersecurity. Dr. Kains’ research explores results of long cycles in k-connected graphs that are not necessarily longest in the graph overall. He is interested in path analogues for these problems as well. Additionally, Dr. Kains is interested in scheduling problems, discrete math games, and statistical modeling. He is currently working on a predictive model for baseball results and is exploring the use of machine learning in brute force solutions for graph theory.
Discipline: Mathematics
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Rachel Roller, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Belhaven University
Dr. Rachel M. Roller is an analytical chemist with expertise in paper microfluidics, pharmaceutical quality screening, chemical education, and the history and philosophy of science. Dr. Roller employs paper microfluidics in inquiry-based chemistry labs for in-person or remote learning, as well as for illicit drug detection and to screen for substandard and falsified pharmaceuticals in low- and middle-income countries. Her work on scalable paper-device fabrication methods includes a patent application for roll-to-roll manufacturing of air-gap paper analytical devices.
Discipline: Chemistry
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Ross Whitwam, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology
Mississippi University for Women
Dr. Whitwam investigates the spontaneous formation of yeast prions, focusing on the [URE3] prion of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Prions are infectious proteins that can induce other copies of the same protein to misfold and aggregate into amyloids. The yeast prion [URE3] can also misfold spontaneously into its prion conformation at a low rate. Dr. Whitwam’s lab investigates how cellular factors, such as chaperone protein expression, can alter the rate of spontaneous prion formation as a means of investigating molecular mechanisms that might impact the prevalence of mammalian prion diseases such as Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, fatal familial insomnia, and others.
Discipline: Biology
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