Research

My research interests are in the molecular mechanisms that control development of animals, the role that these molecular mechanisms have played in evolution, and the genetic diversity and structure of local animal populations. I am currently studying a group of transcription factors called the homeobox proteins. These proteins are known to be very important in the regulation of the early development of Drosophila (a fruit fly). The genes for these proteins are very conserved and can also be found in such evolutionarily distant organisms as the mouse and the hydra. I have cloned one of these genes from the mouse (Msx 2). Msx 2 is expressed predominately in the developing jaw of mammals and birds. I currently have one graduate student, Darren Bertagnolli, studying the promoter for the Msx2 gene.

Seven past graduate students have finished their thesis research and graduated with Masters.

• John Eads studied the population subdivision of the vernal pool fairy shrimp using molecular techniques. His research showed that the fairy shrimp in different pools are genetically very diverse and that there is little difference between pools.
• Mike Boyd used the same molecular techniques to study a population of lizards on Sutter Buttes. He found less genetic differences within the three populations that he studied that had been found in the fairy shrimp. In addition, there were statistically significant differences between the populations. However, the apparently isolated Sutter Buttes population was no different than two separated populations in the foothills.
• Ron Loggins carried out similar research on populations of small minnows, the California Roach, found in the local tributaries of the Sacramento River. He found little genetic diversity within the populations in each creek, but very large differences between the different creek populations. The relationships between the different populations showed no evidence of any geographical cline, suggesting that the creeks had been settled randomly.
• Moaiad Kanaan studied the evolutionary relationship of the various local members of the minnow family by comparing the sequences of a region of their mitochondrial genome.
• James Tucker investigated the genetic diversity and genetic structure of populations of a local butterfly using RAPDS.
• Ken Lum used RAPDS to investigate the genetic composition of the bass in Lake Oroville.
• Valy Boulom studied the role the Msx 2 gene may play in the migration of neural crest cells into the developing heart.
• Alan Raetz maped the location of a DEET resistant mutant in Drosophila to a region of the X chromosome and then determined that the Shaker gene from that region was not the gene mutated to cuase DEET resistance.
• Paul Ginno studied the regulation of the MSX2 gene in lymphocytes by analyzing the transcription of MSX2 promoter fusions to the luciferase gene in lymphocyte cell cultures before going on to work on a PhD at UC Davis
• Natalie Beissel is studying the role of MSX2 in lymphocytes by studying the immune function of MSX2 knockout mice.

Publications

Research Publications

Kristina A. Schierenbeck, V. Vaughan Symonds, Kelly G. Gallagher, and Jeffrey Bell (2005). Genetic variation and phylogeographic analyses of two species of Carpobrotus and their hybrids in California” Molecular Ecology 14: 539–547

Sean M. Brugger, Amy E. Merrill, Jesus Torres-Vazquez, Nancy Wu, Mandy Ting, Jane Y-M. Cho, Sonia L. Dobias, Soyun E. Yi, Karen Lyons, Jeffery R. Bell, Kavita Arora, Rahul Warrior, and Robert Maxson. (2004) “A phylogenetically conserved cis-regulatory module in the Msx2 promoter is sufficient for BMP-dependent transcription in murine and Drosophila embryos.” Development 20:5153-5165

J. C. Pushnik, D. Garcia-Ibilcieta, S. Bauer, P.D. Anderson, J. Bell and J.L.J. Houpis, (1999) "Biochemical Responses and Altered Genetic Expression Patterns in Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa Doug ex P. Laws) Grown Under Elevated CO2" Journal of Water, Air and Soil Pollution 116: 413-422

L. Wu, H. L. Wu, Sangiorgi F, Wu N, Jeffrey R. Bell, Lyons GE, Rob Maxson (1997) Miz1, a novel zinc finger transcription factor that interacts with Msx2 and enhances its affinity for DNA. Mechanisms of Development. 65(1-2):3-17

Sonia L. Dobias, Liang Ma, H. L. Wu, Jeffrey R.Bell, Rob Maxson (1997) The Evolution Of Msx Gene Function -Expression And Regulation Of A Sea Urchin Msx Class Homeobox Gene. Mechanisms of Development. 61(1-2):37-48

Rob Maxson, Tan HY. Sonia L. Dobias, H. L. Wu, Jeffrey R.Bell, Liang Ma (1997) Expression And Regulation Of A Sea Urchin Msx Class Homeobox Gene - Insights Into The Evolution And Function Of A Gene Family That Participates In The Patterning Of The Early Embryo. Biological Bulletin. 192(1):178

Sonia L. Dobias, Allan Zhao, Hong Y.Tan, Jeffrey R.Bell, Rob Maxson (1996) Sphbox7, A New Abd-B Class Homeobox Gene From The Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus Purpuratus - Insights Into The Evolution Of Hox Gene Expression And Function. Dynamics 207(4):450-460

Liang Ma, Billie J. Swalla, Jing Zhou, Sonia L. Dobias, Jeffrey R. Bell, Juan Chen, Rob Maxson and William R. Jeffery (1996) Expression of an Msx homeobox gene in Ascidians: Insights into the Archetypal Chordate Expression Pattern. Developmental Dynamics 305: 308&endash;318

Jeffrey R. Bell, Alexander Noveen, Yi Hsin Liu, Liang Ma, Sonia Dobias, Ramendra Kundu, Wen Luo, Yurong Xia, Aldens J. Lusis, Malcolm L. Snead, and Rob Maxson (1993) Genomic structure, chromosomal location, and evolution of the mouse Hox 8 gene. Genomics 16: 123-131

Bharat R. Char, Jeffrey R. Bell, Joeph Dovala, James A. Coffman, Michael G. Harrington, Juan Carlos Becarra, Eric H. Davidson, Frank J. Calzone, and Rob Maxson (1993) SpOct, a Gene Encoding the Major Octamer-Binding Protein in Sea Urchin Embryos: Expression Profile, Evolutionary Relationships, and DNA binding of Expressed Protein. Dev. Biol. 158: 350-363

Allan Zijian Zhao, Gordon Vansant, Jeffrey Bell, Tom Humphreys and Rob Maxson (1991) Activation of the L1 late H2B histone gene in blastula-stage sea urchin embryos by an Antennapedia-class homeoprotein. Mech. Dev. 34:21-28

Jeffrey R. Bell, Bharat R. Char, and Rob Maxson (1991) An octamer element is required for the expression of the alpha H2B histone gene during the early development of the sea urchin. Dev. Biol. 150:363-371

Allan Zijian Zhao, Anita M. Colin, Jeffrey Bell, Matthew Baker, Bharat R. Char and Rob Maxson (1990) Activation of a late H2B histone gene in blastula-stage sea urchin embryos by an unusual enhancer element located 3' of the gene. Mol. Cell. Biol. 10: 6730-6741

Jeffrey R. Bell, Alicia M. Bogardus, Thomas Schmidt and Maria Pellegrini (1985) A new copia-like transposable element found in a Drosophila rDNA gene unit. Nucleic Acids Res. 13: 3861-3871

Masamichi Ito, Jeffrey Bell, Gary Lyons, and Rob Maxson (1988) Synthesis and Turnover of Late H2B Histone mRNA in Developing Embryos of the Sea Urchin Strongylocentrous Purpuratus. Dev. Biol. 129: 147-158

Jeffrey Bell, Lorna Neilson and Maria Pellegrini (1988) Effect of Heat Shock on Ribosome Synthesis in Drosophila melanogaster. Mol. Cell. Biol. 8: 91-95

Educational Publications

Jeffrey R. Bell (2002) Review of “What's the Use of Lectures?” by Donald Bligh. Exchanges, http://www.exchangesjournal.org/reviews/review_1080.html, 2002

Jeffrey R. Bell (1999) World Wide Web Based Simulations for Teaching Biology. Ed-Media 1999 Proceedings: 1117-1122

Jeffrey R. Bell, James Pushnik and Randy Miller (1999) Global Warming: A Problem-Based Approach to Teaching Science. Ed-Media 1999 Proceedings: 1432-1433

Jeffrey R. Bell (1999) The Biology Labs On-Line Project: Producing Educational Simulations That Promote Active Learning. Interactive MultiMedia Electronic Journal of Computer-Enhanced Learning, 1(2) http://imej.wfu.edu/articles/1999/2/01/index.asp

Book Chapters

Jeffrey Bell (2004) “Virtual Laboratories as a Tool for Teaching the Scientific Method.” Invited Chapter, Americqan association for the Advancement of Science. “Invention and Impact: Building Excellence in Undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education.” Pages 173-176

Jeffrey Bell (2003) “Encouraging Active Learning with Electronic Simulations, Role–Plays, and Tutorials.” Invited chapter, California State University Press. “From Email to Earthquakes: On Teaching and Learning with Technology in the California State University.” Pages 1-4

Jeffrey Bell (2003) “The Biology Labs On-Line Project: Producing Educational Simulations That Promote Active Learning. Interactive MultiMedia Electronic Journal of Computer-Enhanced Learning” Reprint of a previously published paper, California State University Press. “From Email to Earthquakes: On Teaching and Learning with Technology in the California State University.” Pages 5-18

Non-Peer Reviewed Publications

Michael A. Palladino, Robert Desharnais, and Jeffrey Bell (2001) “Student Lab Manual for Biology Labs On-Line." Benjamin Cummings

Robert Desharnais, Jeffrey Bell and Michael A. Palladino, (1999) "Lab Manual for Biology Labs On-Line." Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.

Steven J. Wolf and Jeffrey R. Bell, (1998) "The Biology Lab On–line Project" Syllabus 11: 52

Jeff Bell (1998) "Experimentation and the Virtual Laboratory" Strategies for Success, a Benjamin/Cummings Publication for Science Instructors, 28:1

Jeff Bell (1998) "Extending Biology Labs through Web Technology" Strategies for Success, a Benjamin/Cummings Publication for Science Instructors, 29:3