Faculty Research
Dr. Peter Chen, Professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry
His research group is working on two different research projects. One involves the development of a new form of two-dimensional spectroscopy, where the resulting spectra appear as two-dimensional surface patterns rather than the xy plots. For some really challenging systems, conventional spectra fail to produce observable patterns needed to analyze them. His coherent 2D spectra can fix this problem by producing remarkable patterns that are easier to analyze. His second project involves the construction and testing of a new LIDAR system that uses lasers to probe the atmosphere. He and his group plan to use this new system to study pollution in the Atlanta area.
Dr. Tikenya Foster-Singletary, Lecturer, English
Dr. Foster-Singletary’s research interests include African-American literature, American literature, popular culture and country music.
Dr. Rosalind Gregory-Bass, Assistant Professor, Biology
Her research focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating ovarian cancer growth and development. Her basic science and clinical research interests to date focus on women’s health and development of pipeline programs that foster biomedical graduate and professional educational opportunities for women of color.
Dr. Donna Akiba Harper, Professor, English
She has done extensive research on Langston Hughes and is an internationally recognized Langston Hughes scholar and author.
Dr. Lisa Hibbard, Associate Professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry
The main objectives of the research studies being performed in her lab have been: (1) to observe alterations in the configuration of the ocular lens structural proteins, alpha- and beta-crystallin, due to the presence of electrolytes, and (2) to determine the extent to which these aqueous crystallin solutions are affected by exposure to near-UV radiation.
Dr. Kimberly Jackson, Associate Professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry; Director, Food Studies Program
Her research “Licorice Constituent and Androgen Receptor Modulation in Prostate Cancer Therapy,” looks into therapies that can be instrumental in slowing the progression of prostate cancer.
Dr. Stephen Knadler, Professor, English
His research examines the transnational framework of 19th-century and early 20-century African American literature to recover its complicated re-imaging of democracy and citizenship.
Dr. Mark Lee, Associate Professor and Chair, Biology
The primary focus of his laboratory program is the development of reagents suitable for use in vaccine development in primate models. Specific interests include the regulation of cytokines; use of RNA interference (RNAi) studies, specifically small interfering RNAs (siRNA) as a means of gene silencing.
Dr. Mark Maloney, Professor, Biology
Dr. Maloney's research focuses on identifying human proteins that interact with Gb3 and characterizing the cellular functions of Gb3 including its role in apoptosis pathways, cell adhesion and alpha-interferon signal transduction in Blymphocytes and Burkitt lymphoma cells.
Dr. Jeanne Meadows, Associate Professor and Director, International Affairs Center
Her primary research interests are in the area of Peace Studies and International Law. Present research interests have been limited to summer travel to Mexico and the countries of Central America where she is studying indigenous issues and problems of democratization in that region.
Dr. Michael McGinnis, Associate Professor, Biology
His 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.
Dr. Aditi Pai, Associate Professor, Biology
Her interests are in the general area of evolutionary biology and ecology and specifically in the area of behavioral ecology and host-parasite evolution. Her research uses the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) to study female multiple mating behavior and the conflict of interests between the sexes. The results of this research will yield insights into the evolution of reproductive biology and perhaps even speciation.
Dr. Mona Phillips, Professor, Sociology & Anthropology; Director, Teaching Research and Resource Center
Her teaching and research areas are race/ethnicity, and women’s studies — with a particular emphasis on women of African descent.
Dr. Cynthia Spence, Associate Professor, Sociology and Anthropology; Director, UNCF/Mellon Programs
Her teaching and research interests include the examination of social and psychological antecedents to crime and criminality and the response of the legal system to women, minorities and the mentally ill.
Dr. Tarshia Stanley, Associate Professor and Chair, English
Her research focuses on Black women in African American, African, and Caribbean cinema as well as Black female iconography in American popular culture.
Dr. Yonas Tekle, Assistant Professor, Biology
His lab implements the basic principles of evolution to study the diversity, origin and relationships of medical and nonmedical microbes.
Dr. Patricia Ventura, Assistant Professor, English
Her teaching and research centers on cultural and critical theory, film and media studies, cultural studies, and American literature.
Dr. Bruce Wade, Associate Professor, Sociology & Anthropology
He is deeply involved in community research, education and consulting, he has conducted seminars and training sessions across the State of Georgia.
Dr. Erica Lorraine Williams, Assistant Professor, Sociology & Anthropology
Her research focuses on the relationships between "sex tourism" and the marketing of an eroticized Afro-Brazilian culture as a tourist commodity in Salvador.
Dr. Leyte Winfield, Associate Professor & Chair, Chemistry & Biochemistry; Interim Associate Provost for Research
Her research is primarily on the synthesis and the structure-structure activity relationship of compounds that are potentially active against cancer and inflammation.