Current openings:
Reproductive Biology Faculty

Program of Excellence in Reproductive Biology
The reproductive biology program at Texas A&M University is both intercollegiate and interdisciplinary, involving the Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, Science, and Medicine, as well as the Institute of Biosciences and Technology in Houston. The Interdisciplinary Faculty of Reproductive Biology (IFRB; http://repro.tamu.edu) was approved in 2001. The 34 faculty in the IFRB teach courses in reproduction, endocrinology, theriogenology, and reproductive medicine to undergraduate, graduate and professional students in the TAMU system. Programs in reproductive biology focus on fundamental issues of male and female fertility, establishment of pregnancy, uterine biology, fetal-placental development, well being of the newborn, endocrinology of pregnancy, environmental and nutritional effects on reproduction, reproductive toxicology and theriogenology. Research areas include in vitro fertilization, stem cell biology, animal cloning, assisted reproductive technologies addressing infertility and disease in animals and humans, as well as means to preserve valuable genetics in domestic animals, wildlife and endangered species.
The IFRB focuses the talents of basic and clinical scientists to: (1) advance our understanding of reproductive health issues which affect both the physical and emotional health of our society; and (2) through its training program, to prepare individuals for successful careers in fields related to reproductive biology, including biomedical and clinical research, toxicology, genetics, assisted reproductive technology, reproductive health counseling, and reproductive medicine.
Reproductive Biology, a Signature Program at TAMU, is closely allied with NIEHS Center for Environmental and Rural Health, the Link Equine Endowment Fund for Equine Reproductive Biology, and the TAMU Life Sciences Task Force Training Program. The IFRB faculties are integral to programs in Toxicology, Genetics, Nutrition, Neuroscience, Biotechnology, and Women’s Studies Program with the Colleges of Education and Liberal Arts, and links with Prairie View A&M University and TAMU-Kingsville for graduate training and minority recruitment. The IFRB faculties also link with faculties at other institutions in Texas, including Baylor College of Medicine, and Health Science Centers of the University of Texas and Texas Tech University.

The Signature Program in Reproductive Biology has been awarded a total of eight to ten tenure-track faculty positions to be filled over the next 4 to 5 years to elevate the IFRB to greater national prominence. Positions include: Link Chair in Reproductive Biology to enhance research on linkages between reproduction and nutrition; Link Chair in Equine Reproduction to bridge basic sciences and clinical equine reproduction with a focus on assisted reproduction techniques, oöcyte physiology, and fertilization; Molecular Endocrinology with focus on molecular and cellular signaling events affecting reproduction; Functional Reproductive Genomics with emphasis on the genetic basis of normal and abnormal reproductive processes through collaborations with researchers in Genomics and Bioinformatics; Reproductive Toxicology through focus on the adverse effects of environmental substances on reproductive tract biology; Reproductive Immunology to provide expertise in maternal-fetal interactions; Gamete/Embryo Physiology with emphasis on factors affecting fertilization, early embryonic development and maternal-fetal signaling; and Stem Cell Biology to investigate genetic and epigenetic aspects of stem cell development, and the enterprising use of embryonic stem cells, transgenics and other emerging technologies. Recruitment for these positions will begin with advertising in December 2003 and interviews in 2004 to 2007.
RESOURCES
Laboratory and Office Space. Office space will be provided that has appropriate internet connectivity, office equipment, and secretarial support. Laboratories space will be provided and equipped as needed to meet the needs of the individual faculty member.
Clinical Resources. The Veterinary Research Park, administered through the College of Veterinary Medicine, provides AALAC-accredited large animal surgery facilities and veterinary technical support that is available to meet all demands of researchers requiring the use of techniques in large and small animal experimental surgery.
Large Animal Resources. The Department of Animal Science has a state-of-the-art Animal Science Teaching, Research and Extension Complex (ASTREC) with a Nutrition/Physiology Research Center and and Interdisciplinary Research Barn. The Research Barn houses 100 ewes and 12 rams, as well as their feed and bedding. The Nutrition/Physiology Research Center has a fully equipped and ULACC-approved surgery suite and provides space for experiments with large animals in a climate-controlled environment. A 50-acre Physiology Field Laboratory has individual paddocks, large experiment barn, two hay barns, and covered working facility that can house approximately 1,000 ewes, lambs and rams. Veterinary care is provided by the clinical faculty of the College of Veterinary Medicine. The Department of Animal Science also has a rodent facility located in the Kleberg Center. The Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery has a herd of approximately 50 horses, and well-equipped examination and clinical laboratory facilities. Equipment inventory includes a BD FACScan flow cytometer, Hamilton IVOS Version 10.9 computerized sperm analysis system, Olympus BX60 photomicroscope with phase-contrast, DIC, and fluorescence capabilities and a digital camera, an Olympus IX70 inverted microscope with Hoffman optics and fluoresences capabilities, a Kontes mini-bomb for membrane separation by nitrogen cavitation and a CBS Series 2100 controlled-rate freezing system.
Laboratory Animal Research Resources (LARR): The LARR program is a centrally administered support service for animal research and teaching programs at Texas A&M University. The LARR program is accredited by the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, International (AAALAC, International) through its affiliation with other AAALAC accredited Texas A&M University programs. The LARR facilities provide housing and care for most standard laboratory animals. Specialized housing can be provided for Biohazard projects (Biosafety Level I-III) and hazardous chemical projects. Varying degrees of animal isolation are available. LARR offers a variety of services to institutional personnel including procurement of animals and animal husbandry supplies, veterinary care, use of LARR surgical facilities, polyclonal antibody production service and technical support services.

Support/Core Facilities. Faculty have access to the following active core facilities at the main campus of Texas A&M University: Gene Technologies Core (automated DNA sequencing, oligonucleotide synthesis); Hybridoma Core (monoclonal antibodies); Image Analysis (electron microscopy, photomicroscopy, confocal imaging, laser capture microdissection); Laboratory Animal Research Resource (LARR) facility (rodents and rabbits, antibody production); Transgenic Mouse Core, Physical Plant (electronics and machine shop); and Protein Chemistry Laboratory (peptide sequencing and synthesis, protein analysis, mass spectrometry). Some centers are supported, in part, by a NIEHS Center for Environmental and Rural Health of which several IFRB members participate in the Reproductive and Developmental Biology Core. There are also other core facilities: Laboratory for Biological Mass Spectrometry, Elemental Analysis Laboratory, and Laboratory for Molecular Simulation.

Image Analysis Laboratory, CVM. This laboratory houses an electron microscope (Zeiss 10C TEM) and a variety of fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy cellular imaging systems including: a Bio-Rad Radiance2000MP multiphoton microscope equipped with a Spectra Physics Ti:Sapphire and Millenia XsP pump lasers, Krypton/Agron ion and Red Diode lasers interfaced with a fully equipped Nikon T300 inverted microscope; an Arcturus PixCell II Laser Capture Microdissection System, a Meridian Ultima Confocal microscope equipped with a multi-line, UV/Visible EnterpriseTM argon ion laser, 3 high quantum efficiency photomultiplier tubes for detection, and an array of detection filter sets to provide fluorochrome versatility; a Meridian InSIGHT Point laser scanning confocal microscope equipped with 100 mW argon ion and 75 mW Krypton ion lasers; a Scanalytics CELLscanTM fluorescence deconvolution workstation supported by a Zeiss Axoiplan inverted fluorescence microscope with 100 W mercury source, a cooled CCD camera, widefield image capture, and image deblurring software consisting of a constrained iterative fluorescence deconvolution algorithm. This system is interfaced with an Applied Spectral Imaging interferometer-based spectral analyzer and SpectraViwe software; a Digital Imaging and Image Analysis Workstation is an NIH Image software supported workstation consisting of a Zeiss Axioplan 2 Research Microscope interfaced with a Zeiss Axiocam HR high resolution color CCD camera supported by a 3.2 GHz PC, a Kodak XLS 8650 PS Color/B&W Digital Printer, and a Epson, Expression 636 scanner; a Zeiss PMIII Light Microscope equipped for brightfield, phase contrast, fluorescence and Nomarski differential interference contrast microscopy interfaced with a Nikon DXM-1200 high resolution digital camera and with video recording capabilities; and a Synergy Fluorescence/Absorbance/Luminescence Microplate Reader, supporting flexible kinetic assays with top and bottom probes, a fluorescence excitation and emission range of 300-635 nm and 350-700+ nm respectively, continuous wavelength absorbance measurements and probe diameters of 5, 3, 1.5 and 1.0 mm with full plate reading (6 to 384 well) in less than 30 sec, temperature control from ambient +6 to 50oC. Complete support facilities including tissue culture, Balzers freeze etch unit, and Hacker-Bright cryostat, are available 24 hours per day and 7 days per week.