Kathryn Edwards joined the department in 1978, having taught 2 years at Rollins College in Florida and completing a 2 year post-doctoral program at Yale. She was the first woman tenured in the natural sciences division and the first woman chair of the department. Her research focused initially on auxin transport in roots turned to investigations of root gravitropism funded by NSF and NASA. These studies led to the first investigations of stretch activated ion channels in plant cells and later in the gravitroping fungus, Phycomyces. Phycomyces studies led the lab to intriquing cytoskeletal interactions. A switch was made to the protist, Dictyostelium, in order to follow interest in cytoskeletal interactions, specifically myosin heavy chain regulations during the unusual Dictyostelium life cycle. Prof. Edwards is working on a book on light microscopy techniques and discoveries. She teaches microscopy, plant biology, and women's health.

Areas of Expertise

Cell physiology

Education

Ph.D. University of North Carolina, Botany 1974
A.B. Oberlin College, Biology 1969

Selected Publications

Edwardsr, KL, J Chew, S Harris, E DiMuzio. (1997). Effects of microinjected cytotskeletal inhibitors on the gravitropic response of the Phycomyces sporangiophore. Amer. Soc. Gravitational Space Bio. Bulletin 11(1):47.

Edwards, K.L., L. Wroblewski, A. Doucette, R. Voorthuis, and M. Havrilla. (1994). Cytoskeletal and assiciated components and Calcium binding proteins of Phycomyces gravity sensitive sporangiophores. Amer. Soc. Gravitational Space Bio. Bulletin 8(1): 82.

Courses Taught

Biol 104 Women's Health
Biol 109-110 Intro to Experimental Biology
Biol 113 Cell to Organism
Biol 233 Plant Biology