Dr. R. Joel Duff

Dr. R. Joel Duff

Title: Professor
Dept/Program: Biology
Office: ASEC C305
Phone: 330-972-6077
Fax: 330-972-8445
Email: rjduff@uakron.edu
Website: http://www.uakron.edu/biology/faculty-staff/faculty-pages/duff-laboratory.dot
Curriculum Vitae: Download in PDF format

Biography

My students and I are involved in a number of projects using molecular genetic tools to investigate organismal and genetic biodiversity. From taxonomic and phylogenetic approaches to studying species and populations to whole community genetic diversity to working on signaling pathways in whales our projects involve an integrative approach to research.  I am also interested in science communication especially to the public.  Projects with an education/communication approach are encouraged. 

Education

1995. Ph.D. – Molecular systematics and evolution. University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Department of Botany.
Dissertation: Restriction site variation and structural analysis of the chloroplast DNA of Isoetes in North America. Advisor: Dr. Edward E. Schilling.

1991. M.S. - Botany. University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Department of Botany.
Thesis: An electrophoretic study of two closely related species of Isoetes L. from the southern Appalachians. Advisor: Dr. A. Murray Evans.

1989. B.S. - Biology. Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Recent Publications

  1. Beatman, Thomas and R. Joel Duff. 2019 Pleistocene Preserve: A Population Growth Problem of Mammoth Proportions.  Evolution: Education and Outreach.
  2. Beatman, Thomas & Joel Duff, Robert. 2019 (Jan.). Games in Learning: Shedding Light on a Problematic Taxonomy. EAI Endorsed Transactions on Game-Based Learning. 156151. 10.4108/eai.13-9-2018.156151.
  1. Roketenetz, Lara, S. Donnelly, R. Joel Duff and S.C. Weeks. 2017 (Nov).  Phylogeographic Characterization of Genetic Variation in the Biological Control Agent Milfoil Weevil (Euhrychiopsis lecontei) throughout North America.  Am. Midl. Nat. 178:260-274.
  2. Londraville, Richard Lyle, Jeremy W. Prokop, Robert Joel Duff, Qin Liu, and Matthew Tuttle. "On the Molecular Evolution of Leptin, Leptin Receptor, and Endospanin."Frontiers in Endocrinology8 (2017). 
  1. Ball, H. C., R. L. Londraville, J. W. Prokop, John C. George, R. S. Suydam, C. Vinyard, J. G. M. Thewissen, and R. J. Duff. "Beyond thermoregulation: metabolic function of cetacean blubber in migrating bowhead and beluga whales."Journal of Comparative Physiology B 187, no. 1 (2017): 235-252.
  1. Reed, Sadie K., R. Joel Duff, and Stephen C. Weeks. "A systematic study of the genus Eulimnadia." Journal of Crustacean Biology 35, no. 3 (2015): 379-391.
  1. Ball, Hope C., Madeline Stavarz, Jonathan Oldaker, Sharon Usip, Richard L. Londraville, John C. George, Johnannes GM Thewissen, and Robert Joel Duff. "Seasonal and Ontogenetic Variation in Subcutaneous Adipose of the Bowhead Whale (Balaena mysticetus)." The Anatomical Record (2015).
  1. S. C. Weeks, C. Benvenuto, S.K. Reed, R. J. Duff, Z. –H. Duan, P. David. 2014 (Oct).  A field test of a model for the stability of androdioecy in the freshwater shrimp, Eulimnadia texana.  Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 27. 2080-2095.  doi: 10.1111/jeb.12459
  1. Prokop, Jeremy W., Cameron Schmidt, Donald Gasper, Robert J. Duff, Amy Milsted, Takeshi Ohkubo, Hope C. Ball et al. "Discovery of the elusive leptin in birds: identification of several ‘missing links’ in the evolution of leptin and its receptor." PloS one 9, no. 3 (2014): e92751.

Research

Reed, Sadie K., R. Joel Duff, and Stephen C. Weeks. 2015. "A systematic study of the genus Eulimnadia." Journal of Crustacean Biology 35, no. 3 (2015): 379-391.

Ball, Hope C., Madeline Stavarz, Jonathan Oldaker, Sharon Usip, Richard L. Londraville, John C. George, Johnannes GM Thewissen, and Robert Joel Duff. "Seasonal and Ontogenetic Variation in Subcutaneous Adipose Of the Bowhead Whale (Balaena mysticetus)." The Anatomical Record (2015).

S. C. Weeks, C. Benvenuto, S.K. Reed, R. J. Duff, Z. –H. Duan, P. David. 2014 (Oct). A field test of a model for the stability of androdioecy in the freshwater shrimp, Eulimnadia texana. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 27. 2080-2095. doi: 10.1111/jeb.12459

Prokop, Jeremy W., Cameron Schmidt, Donald Gasper, Robert J. Duff, Amy Milsted, Takeshi Ohkubo, Hope C. Ball et al. "Discovery of the elusive leptin in birds: identification of several ‘missing links’ in the evolution of leptin and its receptor." PloS one 9, no. 3 (2014): e92751.

Londraville, R. L. Y. Macotela, R. J. Duff, M. Easterling, Q. Liu, and E. J. Crespi. 2014 (February). Comparative endrocrinology of leptin: Assessing function in a phylogenetic context. General and Comparative Endrocrinology. Feb 2014. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2014.02.002

Brantner, J.S., Ott, D.W., Duff, R.J., Sanoamuang, L., Simhachalam, G.P., Babu, K.K.S., & Weeks, S.C. 2013 (March). Androdioecy and hermaphroditism in five species of clam shrimp (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Spinicaudata) from India and Thailand. Invertebrate Biology, 132(1): 27-37.

Branter, J.S., D. W. Ott, R. J. Duff, J. I. Orridge, J. R. Waldman, and S. C. Weeks. 2013 (January). Evidence of selfing hermaphroditism in the clam shrimp Cyzicus gynecia (Branchiopoda: Spinicaudata). Journal Crustacean Biology 33(2): 184-190.

Ball HC, Holmes RK, Londraville RL, Thewissen JGM, Duff RJ. 2013 (January) Leptin in Whales: Validation and Measurement of mRNA Expression by Absolute Quantitative Real-Time PCR. PLoS ONE 8(1): e54277. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054277