Dr. Amybeth Cohen, BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE
Degrees
Ph.D., Botany, University of California, Riverside, CA
June 1992, Thesis: ABA-induced gene expression during drought stress in tomato
B.A. with honors, Biology, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY
May 1985, Senior project: Allelopathic interactions in
Chlorokybus atmophyticus
Research Areas
- Aug. 1997 – present, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA
- Characterization of nuclear-encoded genes in chloroplast gene expression; Population genetics of the Santa Ana River Woolly Star (Eriastrum densifolium ssp. sanctorum)
- Oct. 1992 - July 1997, Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA
- Light-activated translation of the chloroplast-encoded psbA mRNA
- July 1985 - Aug. 1987, Research Technician, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
- Expression of von Willebrand factor in transfected human cell lines
- Sep. - Dec. 1996, Lecturer, Plant Physiology, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA
- Sep. - Dec. 1995, Lecturer, Introductory Biology Laboratory, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA
- Sep. - Dec. 1990, 1989, Teaching Assistant, General Botany, University of California, Riverside, CA
Courses Regularly Taught
- Principles of Botany (BIOL241)
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Lecture and Lab (BIOL273)
- Genetics and Molecular Biology (BIOL312)
- Cell and Molecular Biology Lab (BIOL320L)
- Principles of Gene Manipulation (BIOL412)
- Plant Cell Physiology (BIOL445)
- MARC Pro-seminar (BIOL480M)
- Extra-nuclear Gene Expression (BIOL505T)
Publications
- Thompson, L. S., Pate, N., Sanchez, Y., Atallah, Y. C., Sandquist, D. R., Jones, E., and Cohen, A. Establishing the genetic diversity of the endangered shrub, Eriastrum densifolium ssp. sanctorum (EDS) using isozyme markers. In preparation.
- Atallah, Y. C., Jones, E., Walker, S. E., Burk, J. H., Moskowitz, D. F., Clayton, H., Sandquist, D. R., Cohen, A. and Shropshire, F. M. Inter-annual rainfall influence on germination and establishment of Eriastrum densifolium ssp. sanctorum (Milliiken) H. Mason (Polemoniaceae), the Santa Ana River Woolly Star. Ecological Applications. Submitted.
- Franklin, H. A., Stapp, P. and Cohen, A. 2010. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identification of blood meals confirms host sharing by flea vectors of plague. Journal of Vector Ecology. In press.
- Alizadeh, D. and Cohen, A. 2010. Red light and calmodulin regulate the expression of the psbA binding protein genes rb38 and rb60 inChlamydomonas reinhardtii. Plant Cell Physiology. 51: 312–322.
- Barnes, D., Cohen, A., Bruick, R., Kantardjief, K., Fowler, S., Efuet, E. and Mayfield, S. P. 2004. Identification and characterization of a novel RNA binding protein that associates with the 5’-untranslated region of the chloroplast psbA mRNA. Biochemistry. 43: 8541-8550.
Grants & Special Projects
Extramural Grants and Awards
- NIH American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Supplement, Program Director, Cal State Fullerton MARC U*STAR Program Supplement, submitted May 28, 2009 (awarded: $64,092).
- NIH MARC Undergraduate Student Training in Academic Research (U-STAR) Program, Program Director, Cal State Fullerton MARC U*STAR Program. June 2007 – May 2012 (awarded: $1,444,432).
- San Bernardino County Flood Control District, Co-Investigator with Drs. Darren Sandquist and Eugene Jones, Santa Ana River Woolly-Star Preservation Area Biological Study. Sept. 2005 –2009 (awarded: $399,998).
Intramural Grants and Awards
- CSUF Incentive Research Award, Isolation and Characterization of a Red Light Photoreceptor in the Unicellular Green Alga Chlamydomonas. Submitted Sept. 2010 (awarded: $10,000).
- CSUF 2008-2009 Recognition as an Outstanding Teachers/Scholar for Promotion of Student Research and Creative Activities.
- CSUF Junior/Senior/General Research Award, Determining the genetic diversity of Eriastrum densifolium ssp. sanctorum with RAPD and ISSR markers. Submitted May, 2008 (awarded: $2664).
- CSUF 2007-2008 Recognition as an Outstanding Teachers/Scholar for Promotion of Student Research and Creative Activities.
- University Mission and Goals Initiative, Co-Investigator with William Hoese. Development and Implementation of a Research Preparatory Program in the Department of Biological Science. Submitted March 2008. (awarded: $20,000).
- NSM Award for Outstanding Contribution to Student Success, 2007 ($8431.20).
- CSUF 2006-2007 Outstanding Faculty Recognition for Scholarly and Creative Activities, April 11, 2007.
- CSU Program for Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Grant, Isolation and Characterization of a Red Light Photoreceptor in the Unicellular Green Alga Chlamydomonas. Submitted Oct. 2006. (awarded: $5000).
Student Grants and Awards
- Faculty-Undergraduate Student Research /Creative Activity Grant. A putative phytochrome like photoreceptor regulates the expression of red light-induced psbA RNA binding protein genes in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Submitted October 2010, Co-investigator with Macarena Aloi (awarded: $1000).
- ASI Student Research Grant. Submitted Oct. 2010, Ayse Bassari (awarded: $450).
- ASPB Minority Affairs Travel Grant, Annual Meeting of the American Society of Plant Biologists, Honolulu, HI, July. 18-22, 2009. Yareli Sanchez (funded: airfare, room and board).
- Jerome Wilson Memorial Science Scholarship. Department of Biological Science, Cal State Fullerton. 2009. Ayse Bassari ($500).
- Faculty-Undergraduate Student Research /Creative Activity Grant. The Isolation and Characterization of a Phytochrome-like Gene in the Unicellular Green Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Submitted October 2008, Co-investigator with Keiko Tuttle (awarded: $1000).
- Outstanding Undergraduate Poster Award in Ecology. 2008 SACNAS National Conference, Salt Lake City, UT, Oct. 9-12, 2008, Yareli Sanchez.
- Fleckles Fund Award- Graduate Student travel Funding. Plant Biology and Botany 2007, Chicago, IL, July 7-11, 2007. Marcella Olave (granted: $500).
- Faculty-Undergraduate Student Research /Creative Activity Grant. Genetic Variability Within the Santa Ana Woolly Star, Eriastrum densifolium ssp. sanctorum: Reanalysis Seventeen Years Later. Submitted March 2008, Co-investigator with Yareli Sanchez (awarded: $1000).
- Faculty-Undergraduate Student Research /Creative Activity Grant. Genetic Evaluation of the Santa Ana Wooly Star Using Isozyme and RAPD Analysis. Submitted Oct. 2007, Co-investigator with Natalie Deleon (awarded: $1000).
