Skip to main content

Accessibility menu

Skip to main content Skip to footer

Biology

News & events

Check out our College Magazine

Science & Health News

Summer 2025
Winter 2024-25
Summer 2024
Winter 2023-24

Science & Health News is an online magazine published twice annually for alumni and friends of UWL's College of Science & Health.

Submit or update your information.

Archived publications (in PDF format)

PDF archive

The UWL College of Science and Health's Science & Health News is published online in January and July for more than 11,200 alumni and friends of the college.

Biology kudos

Sierra Colavito

Sierra Colavito, Biology, was interviewed by Rick Solem of WIZM News Talk on Wednesday, Sept. 24. Colavito joined WIZM’s La Crosse Talk to discuss her work at UWL, focusing on a somewhat rare and aggressive form of the disease called triple-negative.

Submitted on: Sept. 24

Douglas Brusich

Douglas Brusich, Biology, authored the article "Replication of seizure-suppressing effects of alpha-linolenic acid on the Drosophila melanogaster para(Shudderer) mutant" in microPublication Biology, published on Monday, Sept. 22 by microPublication Biology. Undergraduate Biology students Samantha Dinnel and Brady Weimer shared first authorship, alongside current and former UWL undergraduates Allyson Davis, Katie Gerovac, Leah Hawbaker, Matthew Maser and Meghan Shannon.

Submitted on: Sept. 22

Adam Schneider

Adam Schneider, Biology, authored the article "Photosynthetic activity in the heterotrophic plant genus Cuscuta is modulated by phylogeny and ontogeny" in "Annals of Botany," published on Aug. 26 by Oxford University Press. By measuring chlorophyll fluorescence and pigment concentrations, Schneider and his team showed that for most dodders, a diverse group of parasitic plants reliant on host plants for their survival, photosynthesis is not vestigial. Instead, they retain localized photosynthetic capability in tissues with higher energetic needs, such as shoot tips and developing seeds.

Submitted on: Sept. 2

Arthur Grupe Ii

Arthur Grupe Ii, Biology, co-authored the article "Think globally, barcode locally: nine years of macrofungi sampling reveals extensive biodiversity at the Ordway-Swisher Biological Station, a subtropical site in Florida" in "Fungal Biology," published on Aug. 27.

Submitted on: Aug. 28

Ross Vander Vorste

Ross Vander Vorste, Biology, received a teaching grant from the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin. The River Studies Field Course will provide 10–20 undergraduate students, aka River Scholars, a transformative opportunity to learn about Wisconsin’s Grand Water Challenges in August 2026. Accompanied by instructors and student trip leaders, scholars will embark in canoes on a three-day river trip where they will learn basic skills in river navigation and safety while building strong teamwork and problem-solving skills. During the trip, scholars will participate in a diverse set of instructor-led field lessons and meet industry, non-profit and agency professionals that will introduce them to careers from a variety of freshwater disciplines. The river trip will culminate with an in-depth experience on UW-La Crosse’s Research Vessel Prairie Springs, where students will learn to use state-of-the-art river research and monitoring equipment.

Submitted on: Aug. 11