Probing the mysteries of cell division (2005)
Robert Morris, associate professor of biology, spent the summer of 2005 as a research fellow at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), a world-renowned biomedical and environmental research center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod.
As the recipient of a Laura and Arthur Colwin Fellowship and an Evelyn and Melvin Spiegel Fellowship at the MBL, Morris furthered his research on sea urchin embryo cells and how they alternate between forming spindles at the moment of cell division and forming cilia that help the embryo swim and feed. Knowing more about how cells control division will help Morris and other researchers better understand cancer, fertility, immunology and a host of other biological issues.
At the MBL, Morris had access to world-class experimental resources, including cutting-edge equipment and an abundance of marine invertebrate specimens. With some of the world's most distinguished biologists and ecologists in residence every summer, the MBL also provides an unparalleled collegial environment for researchers.
"During my fellowship, I can collect enough data to keep my Wheaton students busy for an entire year," Morris said. "During the school year, I can work with them on research that often results in co-authored articles for publication."
The fellowship marked Morris's fifth summer of research at MBL. His studies at the laboratory have led to published articles on cell division and many student projects.
(Originally published in News@Wheaton, July 2005.)