Charles J. Biggers, Ph.D.

 

Professor Ph.D., 1969, University of South Carolina Phone: (901) 678-4468 Fax: 901-678-4746 cbiggers@memphis.edu

 

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Research Areas: Ecological genetics; biochemical systematics; hemoglobin, transferrin, toad venoms, insect hemolymph.

 

My major research interest is population genetics. The major tool used for analysis in my laboratory is electrophoresis of proteins, primarily enzymes and blood proteins. I have studied the esterases of the cotton boll weevil, the transferrins of the old-field mouse and human, the urine proteins of the kangaroo rat, the hemolymph of several species of crayfish, the blood proteins of carp and catfish, the venom of several species of toad, and the chromosomes of the shrew and the boll weevil. For the past several years I have concentrated on the esterases, morphological markers, and size variance in the cotton boll weevil.   At present, I am investigating the population genetics of the bagworm and the termite. I collaborate closely with Dr. Melvin L. Beck and Dr. Harold Bancroft (University of Memphis).

 

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Selected Publications:

 

Chung, K.-T. and C. J. Biggers. 2002. Walter Reed (1851-1902), yellow fever and mosquito control. SIM News 52:112-117.

 

Chung, K.-T. and C. J Biggers. 2001. Albert Leon Charles Calmette (1863-1933) and the antituberculosis BCG vaccination. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine 44:379-389.

 

McNally, L.R., M. L. Beck, and C.J. Biggers. 2000. Karyotypic analysis of the cotton boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman. Genetica 109:219-225.

 

Biggers, C.J., B.R. Jones, H.R. Bancroft, and L.A. Dickey. 1996. Genetics of esterases in laboratory and feral cotton boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis, Boheman. Chapter 20 in The Ecology of Agricultural Pests, Edited by W.O.C. Symondson and J.E. Liddell. Chapman and Hall, London, pages 469-477.

 

Beck, M.L., C.J. Biggers, and J.A. Huggins. 1991. Variations in chromosome number in the short-tailed shrew Blarina carolinensis. Mammalia 55:623-625.

 

Biggers, C.J. and Bancroft, H.R. 1977 Esterases of laboratory-reared and field collected cotton boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis Boh.: Polymorphism of adult esterases and formal genetics of esterase II. Biochem, Genet. 15:227-33.

 

Stanley, J.G., C.J. Biggers, and D.E. Schultz. 1976. Isozymes in adrogenetic and gynogenetic white amur, gynogenetic carp, and carp-amur hybrids. J.  Hered. 67:129-134.