Prudy Hall, Ph.D.
Professor Emerita of Biology and Chemistry
215 Colton Hall
330.569.5262
hallpj@hiram.edu
Education
Oberlin College (Biology), B.A.
Michigan State University (Dept. of Botany and Plant Pathology), M.S.
Michigan State University (Dept. of Botany and Plant Pathology), Ph.D.
Courses Taught
Biology for the non-major
Introductory botany
Molecular and cellular biology
Plant Physiology
Basic biochemistry
Intermediate biochemistry
Research techniques: biochemistry
Natural history in the late 20th century (Australia, New Zealand)
Natural history in the early 21st century (Galapagos Islands)
Field biology (Australia)
Research Interests
My interests in biology are diverse, but are founded in my training in plant physiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology. During my professional career I have studied the cell biology of amoebae, the physiology of Yersinia pestis (the bacterium that causes bubonic plague), the physiology and metabolism of the plant hormone indoleacetic acid and its derivatives, the role of cytokinins in the leaf morphology of Australian mistletoes, nitrogen fixation by bacterial symbionts in root nodules of soybean plants, and salt tolerance in celery and its wild relatives. During a recent sabbatical leave (2003-04) at the Research School of Biological Sciences at the Australian National University (Canberra, Australia), I became involved in a proteomics project, developing protein profiles of developing primary roots of Medicago truncatula.
Although I officially retired in August 2005, I continue to teach courses in plant biology and biochemistry. At Hiram College, students can major in biochemistry or may elect to take one or more courses in that discipline. Two courses, basic biochemistry and intermediate biochemistry, are open to students who have completed prerequisite courses in biology and chemistry. One course, research techniques: biochemistry, is open to any student, with the permission of the instructor.
Traveling with Hiram College students to places of interest to biologists has been an important part of my teaching. I co-led three 12-week study abroad trips to Australia and one 3-week trip to New Zealand. In addition, I have visited the Galapagos Islands which led to a Hiram College trip there in 2003.
Personal Interests
My other interests include outdoor sports and activities (sailing, hiking, playing with my grandson), swimming, music, and gardening.
Selected Student Research Projects
- Ann Salvino. 1993. Growth and nitrogen assimilation during tracheary element differentiation in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) pith explants are affected by nitrogen and auxin sources.
- Sherry Petersen, Mike Wilson, Kelly Dillon. 1998. Root acid phosphatase activities of Raphanus raphanistrum and Barbarea vulgaris growing in old-field successional plots.
- Mike Wilson, Sherry Petersen. 1998. Leaf nitrate reductase activity in Daucus carota is elevated in nitrogen-treated field plots.
- Karl Yu. 1999. Analysis of Acid Phosphatases from Plant Roots.
- Tom Lobur. 2003. Autumnal phenology in a Beech-Maple forest at Hiram College Field Station.
- Students in Biochemistry 366. 2005. Annotation of the Chromohalobacter salexigens genome: Isoelectric points of the proteins.
- Peta Holmes (The Australian National University Honours Student). 2004. Proteomic analysis of Medicago truncatula roots.
Selected Publications
- Holmes, P, R Farquharson, PJ Hall, and BG Rolfe. 2006. Proteomic analysis of root meristems and the effects of acetohydroxyacid synthase-inhibiting herbicides in the root of Medicago truncatula. J Proteome Res. 6:2309-2316.
- Goodner, B.W., C.A. Wheeler, P.J. Hall, & S.C. Slater, 2003. Massively parallel undergraduates for bacterial genome finishing. ASM News 69:584-585.
- Yu, KAO, CA Fried, and PJ Hall. 2000. Tannic acid effects on Raphanus raphanistrum root acid phosphatase. Ohio J Sci 100:132-135.
- Warren Wilson, J, PM Warren Wilson, ES Walker, and PJ Hall. 1992. IAA amino acid conjugates induce differentiation of tracheary strands in lettuce pith explants. Ann. Bot. 69:135.
- Hall, PJ, J Badenoch-Jones, CW Parker, DS Lethan, and BA Barlow. 1987. Identification and quantification of cytokinins in the xylem sap of mistletoes and their hosts in relation to leaf mimicry. Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 14:429.
- Goodner, B.W., C.A. Wheeler, P.J. Hall, & S.C. Slater, 2003. Massively parallel undergraduates for bacterial genome finishing. ASM News 69:584-585.
- Hall, PJ and RR Brubaker. 1978. Pesticin-dependent generation of osmotically stable spheroplast-like structures. J. Bacteriol. 36:786.
- Hall, PJ, GCH Yang, RV Little, and RR Brubaker. 1974. Effect of Ca2+ on morphology and division of Yersinia pestis. Infect. Immunity 9:1105.
- Allen, RD, JW Coolidge, and PJ Hall. 1960. Streaming in cytoplasm dissociated from the giant amoeba, Chaos chaos. Nature 187:896.