Dr. Timothy M. Rice
Assistant Professor Biology
Department of Biological Sciences
Miami University, Oxford, OH, 1998
Ph.D. - Zoology
trice@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

RESEARCH GOALS

My research focuses on the effects of environmental contaminants in a variety of organisms.    My usual study organisms are aquatic animals and I prefer the challenge of species that are not commonly studied, such as amphibians and dragonfly larvae.   I attempt to make my projects relevant to the environmental issues surrounding the Mobile Delta and the Northern Gulf of Mexico.    These projects include field and laboratory components, and I usually test for effects such as mortality, growth and developmental changes, behavioral alterations, and performance malfunctions.   My ongoing research includes:

1. Comparison of the sensitivity to environmental contaminants between tadpoles of native Alabama frogs and non-native Xenopus laevis .   Xenopus is the commonly used model for amphibian toxicology, but it has a different life history than that of native species.    We have used cadmium as the test chemical.

2. Documentation of the levels of heavy metals (zinc, copper, lead, etc) in tissues of dolphins, king mackerel, and pinfish.

3. Culturing of dragonfly larvae as potential toxicity test organisms. There is only sparse data on the effects of toxicants to dragonflies, so we are developing methods of maintaining these organisms in the lab so that we can conduct toxicity tests.

4. Participation in the Joint Biology-Chemistry MERCK/AAAS undergraduate research program.
I collaborate with Dr. Kelly Major and also with Dr. Gene Cioffi from Chemistry. My direct responsibility is to conduct toxicity tests with daphnids using the pesticide Hexazinone and its metabolites.   I also provide support on algal toxicity tests.

5. Upcoming research into the documentation of levels of environmental contaminants in waters and dragonfly larvae tissue from the Mobile Delta. I am collaborating with Dr. John McCreadie and Dr. Gene Cioffi. This research will begin in the summer 2004 as a funded project from the Alabama Center for Estuarine Research (ACES).

COURSES TAUGHT

General Biology I (121) and II (122). Lectures and labs.

This two-semester sequence is required for all Biology majors and any other major that requires experience in biology, including pre-professional (medical, dental, etc), physical and occupational therapy, science teaching, computer science. BLY 121 covers the characteristics of life, basic chemistry, cell structure and function, inheritance, genetics, and evolution. BLY 122 covers viruses, bacteria, fungi, several topics on plants, and several topics on animal groups, physiology, behavior, and ecology.

Ecotoxicology (BLY 515)

This is a 3 credit course for graduate students and is also a core course requirement for the university's new Masters Program in Environmental Toxicology. Topics include sources of environmental contaminants, kinetics into and out of organisms, toxic effects, and specific toxicant groups.

Animal Behavior (BLY 450/550)

This is a 4 credit course for undergraduate and graduate students. The emphasis is on behaviors in non-domesticated, non-research animals. Behaviors are presented in the context of ecological relationships and with an evolutionary background. Topics include activity, habitat selection and optimal foraging, predator and prey responses, social behavior, mating systems, behavioral genetics, behavioral toxicology, and statistical methods.

MOST RECENT PUBLICATIONS

T. M. Rice. 2004. Section 8930-Amphibians. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. 21 st ed., American Waterworks Association.   Section 8:161-169

R. Hauser, T. M. Rice , G. G. Krishna Murthy, M. P. Wand, D. Lewis, T. Bledsoe, and J. D. Paulauskis.  2003. The upper airway response to pollen is enhanced by exposure to combustion particulates: a pilot human experimental challenge study.   Environmental Health Perspectives. 111:472-477.

T. M. Rice , J. T. Oris, and D. H. Taylor.   2002.   Effects on growth and changes in organ distribution of bullfrog larvae exposed to lead throughout metamorphosis.   Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology.   68:8-17.

T. M. Rice , J. T. Oris, and D. H. Taylor. 2001.   Toxicokinetics, available source, and route of entry of lead in fed and food-deprived bullfrog larvae ( Rana catesbeiana ). Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology.   41:450-457.

T. M. Rice , R. W. Clarke, E. Al-Mutairi, N-F. Jiang, R. Hauser, J. J. Godleski, and J. D. Paulauskis.   2001. Differential ability of transition metals to induce pulmonary inflammation. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology.   177:46-53.

CURRENT FUNDING

-2004-2005. (PI). Alabama Center for Estuarine Studies (ACES), "An Assessment of Environmental Contaminant Levels in Water and Dragonfly Larvae Tissues from the Mobile/Tensaw Delta". $35,850, funds available summer 2004.

-2003-2004. (PI). USA Research Council (USARC), Comparison of Acute Toxicity and Toxicokinetics of Cadmium Among Tadpoles of Xenopus laevis and Native Alabama Frogs and Toads.   $4500