Department of Plant Biology

Daniel L. Nickrent

• Position: Professor
• Field: Plant Molecular Systematics and Evolution
• Degree: Ph.D., 1984, Miami University, Ohio (Botany)
• Office: Life Science III room 1005
• Lab: Life Science III room 1046
• Mailcode: 6509
• Phone (office): 618-453-3223
• Phone (lab): 618-453-3823
• Fax: 618-453-3441
• E-mail: 

Professional Information

• Biographical Sketch
• Publications - Including Access to Selected PDF Files
• Profile on Community of Science web page

People

Graduate Students

• Romina Vidal Russell (Ph.D. 2007). The first aerial parasites in the sandalwood order (Santalales): molecular phylogenetic and biogeographic investigations. Photo of Romina in the lab!
• Guillermo C. Amico (Ph.D. student at Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche; 2002 to present). Topic: Population genetics and phylogeny of Tristerix (Loranthaceae). Photo of "Guille" with Tristerix.
• Joshua P. Der (M.S. student, 2003-2005). Photo of Josh while participating in the OTS course in Costa Rica. Josh won the 2005 Outstanding Masters Thesis Award given by the SIUC Alumni Association. His thesis was entitled "Molecular Phylogenetics and Classification of Santalaceae." Go HERE to read more. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Biology at Utah State University.
• Jonathan Cabrera (M.S. 2002). Title of thesis: "Molecular phylogeny and historical biogeography of Loranthaceae (Santalales) inferred from matK sequence data." Photo of "Jony"
• Danny J. Gustafson (Ph.D. 2000). Title of dissertation: "Genetic and competition studies of Andropogon gerardii, Sorghastrum nutans, and Dalea purpurea from remnant and restored tallgrass prairies." Photo of Danny. Currently on the faculty in Biology at The Citadel.

Collaborators - Present and Recent Past

• Dr. Valéry Malécot. (1998 to present). Ph.D. from Laboratoire de Paleobotanique, Université Pierre et Marie Curie. Currently at Institut National d'Horticulture, Angers. Molecular phylogeny of Olacaceae (Santalales). Photo of Valéry at a computer in Paris.
• Dr. Miguel A. García (2001to present). Currently at the Real Jardín Botánico, Madrid Spain Molecular phylogenetic and evolutionary studies of parasitic plants. Photo of Miguel with two of his favorite organisms (Mari-Paz and Cuscuta!).
• Dr. R. Joel Duff (Postdoc 1995 to 1999). Currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Akron. Photo of Joel. Joel's web page.
• Dr. Albert Blarer (1999 to 2004). Ph.D. Institute for Systematic Botany, Zurich, Switzerland. Molecular phylogeny of Rafflesiales. Photo of Albert.
• Dr. María-Paz Martín Esteban. (2001). Department of Mycology, Real Jardín Botánico, Madrid Spain. Photo of Mari-Paz among the Texas wildflowers. Mari-Paz's web page.

Research Technicians

• Erica Nicholson (1999- 2000)
• Jennifer A. Patrick (1995-1997)
• Ellen M. Starr (1992-1995)

Research

Research Project Descriptions

Watch movie about Nickrent's lab and parasitic plants! On July 8, 2005, television station KFVS 12 in Cape Girardeau Missouri featured Nickrent's lab and parasitic plants. Interview by Jason Lindsey. Web article titled "Bizarre Heartland Plants" can be seen HERE.

Listen to interview conducted by Steve Fast from WJBC in Bloomington IL (Jan. 15, 2007) about Rafflesia and the publication in Science discussing its phylogenetic relationships.   MP3 file here.

Methodology

• Primer Lists: Nuclear, Plastid, Mitochondrial
• Molecular Biology Protocols - Some Links to Useful Sites
• Shipping Plant Material for DNA Analysis
• Isozyme Manual (pdf file)

Teaching

• Plant Biology 304 (Elements of Plant Systematics)
• Plant Biology 449 (Plant Systematics and Evolution)
• Plant Biology 479 (Plant Variation)

Web Sites

	The Parasitic Plant Connection
	Land Plants Online
	PhytoImages

Other Useful Web Sites

• Links to Botanical Journals in Systematics Evolutionary Biology
• Plant Biology and Botany Programs in the US and Canada
• Botanical Image Databases
• Marberry Arboretum
• Systematics and Evolutionary Biology Websites (a list of links I compiled)
• Evolution Discussion Group

Selected SIUC Information

• Department of Plant Biology web page
• College of Science web page
• SIUC web page
• SIU web page
• Campus Web Directory (Alphabetical)

   

Comments and questions related to research information: nickrent at plant.siu.edu
Department of Plant Biology e-mail: plant-biology@plant.siu.edu
Comments and questions related to web server: webmaster@science.siu.edu