Biology Faculty Profiles

Michael E. (Gene) McGinnis, Ph. D.

E-mail: gmcginnis@spelman.edu

Title: Associate Professor

Spelman: 1992

Degree(s) | Year Awarded:

Ph.D., Developmental Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana: August, 1985

B. S., Summa Cum Laude, Biology, Sam Houston State Univ., Huntsville, Texas: May, 1980

A.G.S., Biology, Central Texas College, Killeen, Texas: May, 1978

Course(s) Taught:

Bio 112 General Biology II and Lab

Bio 485 Senior Seminar

Bio 372 Neurobiology

Selected Publication(s):

McGinnis, Michael E. 1997. Interdisciplinary Science: A Course for Non-Science Majors at Spelman College, in "Student Active Science: Models of Innovation in College Science Teaching." Ann P. McNeal and Charlene D’Avanzo, editors. Saunders College Publishing, pp. 221-240.

Cork , R.J., M.E. McGinnis, J. Tsai, and K.R. Robinson. 1994. The growth of PC12 neurites is biased towards the anode of an applied electrical field. "Journal of Neurobiology" 25: 1509-1516.

Hanson, S.M. and M.E. McGinnis. 1994. Regeneration of rat sciatic nerves in silicone tubes: evidence against enhancement with low intensity DC stimulation. "J. Neuroscience" 58:411-421.

 Research Interests:

My general interest is in growth and regeneration in the nervous system. Growing or regenerating nerve cells and their processes must be able to determine and control the direction of their growth or migration. Specifically, I am interested in the role of intracellular calcium in the extension of neuronal growth cones. Specifically, I am studying how applied and endogenous DC electric fields can affect calcium gradients within growth cones, and the subsequent effect these changes have on development and regeneration. I use ratio imaging and confocal techniques to study the distribution of calcium within growth cones.