 | Experience Biology at TLU Irvin G. Patterson Aquatic Biology Laboratory at Lake McQueeneyThe Irvin G. Patterson Biology Station at Lake McQueeney is a biological laboratory operated by the Department of Biology at Texas Lutheran University. The station is named for our friend Pat, associate professor emeritus of biology at TLU.
The station includes water access on a reservoir on the middle Guadalupe River in South Central Texas. It is located approximately 10 miles northwest of Seguin. Station facilities include a boat launch, boats, laboratory, and a 24-seat classroom. A wide range of field equipment is available, incuding water quality meters, dredge samplers, water samplers, plankton nets, dip nets, aquariums, drying ovens, a Spec 20, and dissecting and compound microscopes. The station is also home to an insect collection and small herbarium.
The purpose of the station is to support undergraduate research and teaching in biology and environmental science. The station provides access to a variety of lake and river habitats (approximately five miles of the Guadalupe River). |
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Biology SeminarsBiology Seminars provide students and faculty an opportunity to learn about the latest research in biology, as well as an opportunity to present their own research and ideas. All biology seniors present a 15-minute seminar in their last year at TLU.
Seminars are usually held at 1:00 pm on Fridays in Moody Science 101.
Signs will be posted on the doors of the Moody and Krost Science buildings announcing seminars. Also check the TLU calendar. |
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Environmental Studies in Tropical AmericaStudents interested in tropical biology and environmental studies can participate in our trips to the beautiful countries of Central and South America. Over the past decade, we have been to Ecuador, Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Mexico. Our next trip will probably be in 2012. Most trips last about two weeks in May.
These short study abroad opportunities are ideal for students who have not been out of the US before, or those who may not have time or money for longer semester programs. Many of our students have described their travels to Central and South America as a highlight of their college experience. We usually travel with two TLU faculty members and about 10-12 students. |
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• EcuadorIn May, 2010, we traveled to Ecuador, one of the countries with the highest biodiversity on Earth. In one day, one can travel from glaciated mountaintops to lowland rainforest. After a day of exploring the beautiful colonial city of Quito, we drove up to Cotopaxi to observe high-elevation habitats of the Andes. Cotopaxi is the highest active volcano in the world, and we could certainly feel the lack of oxygen as we hiked at 15,000 feet above sea level. We then moved down into the mountain cloud forests on the east side of the Andes where we stayed at an awesome hacienda near Banos for a few days. Next, we descended into the Amazon basin to explore lowland tropical rainforest along the Napo River. On our way back to Quito we stayed at the thermal springs in Papallacta. During our trip, we played soccer with local kids, visited a gold-plated cathedral, ate local foods, planted some trees, visited an animal refuge, and continually soaked in the fascinating culture of Ecuador. |
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| • Yucatan peninsula of Mexico In May of 2008 we traveled to the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. We visited several Mayan cities (Chichen Itza, Coba, Tulum, Uxmal). We stayed with college students in Valladolid, explored the city of Merida, hiked through the dry forest to see howler and spider monkeys, and swam in the canals of Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve and the cenotes. |
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| • Costa Rica We visited Costa Rica in May of 2007. We hiked in rainforests and cloud forests, white-water rafted down a rainforest river, observed an active volcano, swam in the Pacific Ocean, and were raided by monkeys on a boat trip through the mangrove swamps. |
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Internship & Research Opportunities | The biology faculty believe that completing an internship or research experience helps students to learn more about biology, develop professional skills and an understanding of biology-related careers, while enhancing their applications for jobs and graduate and professional schools. The faculty maintain a network of contacts in various medical schools, graduate schools, and hospitals that enable us to find appropriate internships for our students. |
Internship ExamplesGuadalupe Regional Medical Center
UT School of Public Health
Various medical and dental clinics
Veterinary clinics
San Antonio Zoo
Texas Parks and Wildlife
Brook Army Medical Center
UT Health Science Center - San Antonio
Texas A&M University - Graduate School - Department of Bioengineering
Joint Admission Medical Program
Public high schools (biology education) |
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Research ExperiencesTLU Students can participate in research projects with faculty members either during the semester or during the summer.
Here are some examples of recent projects:
- Stress-response pathways in bacteria (microbiology/molecular biology)
- Aquatic macroinvertebrates of a spring-fed spring (environmental biology/zoology)
- Isolation of ethanol-producing bacteria for producing biofuels (cell/molecular/microbiology)
- Vascular plants and lichen survey of a local ranch (environmental biology/botany)
- Effects of spinal decompression therapy (biomedical)
- Distribution and abundance of rare mayfly in a nearby lake (environmental biology/zoology)
- Analysis of data from a local school district on relationships between physical fitness and academic achievement (public health)
- Water quality monitoring in a local stream (environmental biology)
- Seasonal changes in mayfly abundance at Lake McQueeney (environmental biology)
- Evolutionary changes in soil bacteria (microbiology)
- Creation of a porcine model for diabetes (physiology)
- Epidemiology and characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (microbiology)
In addition to these biology projects, some biology majors do research in the TLU chemistry department during the summer. Often these students are double-majoring in biology and chemistry. |
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Off-Campus Summer ResearchUsually funded through government-sponsored programs for undergraduates
- Programmed cell death in dinoflagellates (marine biology/cell biology)
- Effects of nanoparticles on bacteria of Galveston Bay (marine biology/molecular biology)
- Effects of hyperosmolarity on Vibrio bacteria (marine biology/cell biology)
- Effects of maternal nutrient restriction on mammalian development (physiology)
- Biochemical properties and hemostatic function of plasma-derived vs. recombinant fibrinogen (molecular biology/physiology)
- Maternal and fetal insulin-like growth factors (physiology/molecular biology)
- Role of sensory nerves in the vasoconstrictor response to local cooling in humans (physiology)
- Investigation of a genetic bottleneck in the California treefrog (genetics/environmental biology)
- Mercury in marine fish in the Gulf of Mexico (environmental biology/chemistry)
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Motivated students will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of internships or research fields to help establish their professional career. We work individually with the students to ensure their success. |
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| | | | | | Natural Environment of the TLU Region |
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