Gordon Patel provides a Brief History of the Department of Zoology at the University of Georgia Dr. Gordhan Patel, Emeritus Professor of Cellular Biology, reflects on the history of the department, which he joined in 1967, when it was still the Department of Zoology. In addition to a distinguished career in research, Dr. Patel served as Head of the department, Dean of the Graduate School, interim Vice President for Research and Vice President for the Research Foundation. Did you know Zoology was one of the oldest biology departments at UGA and the foundation for what we know as cellular biology today? Some of its distinguished faculty have included: George Boyd was department head, dean of the Graduate School, and director of general research, which became the Office of Vice President for Research in the late 1960s. Eugene Odum joined the department as an assistant professor and is considered the Father of Systems Ecology. He gained international reputation through his publications and the seminal textbook, “Principles of Ecology," which was adopted widely. He was awarded the Crafoord Prize and nominated for the "Nobel Prize for Ecology,” in 1987 in Sweden. Barkley McGhee was head of the department, an Alumni Foundation Distinguished Professor, and President of the National Society of Parasitology. William Cosgrove was a distinguished parasitologist, who served as the head of zoology and ushered the growth of the department. In the mid-1960s, he secured NSF funds for the Division of Biological Sciences, allowing for accelerated life sciences development at UGA. Horace Lund, and other entomologists split off from zoology and formed the Department of Entomology from the College of Agriculture. Norman Giles, member of the National Academy of Scientists. He led the development of Genetics at UGA. The Franklin College of Arts & Sciences was organized into five divisions in the late 1950s. Zoology, along with botany, microbiology, entomology and biochemistry became the Division of Biological Sciences with Don Scott, a limnologist, as division head. In the 1950s, the Department of Zoology, along with multiple science departments, moved to South Campus into new buildings. In the mid-1960s, the Division of Biological Sciences was successful in securing a five-year development grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) of $8.7 million. This was supplemented with $3 million by Governor Carl Sanders. With a total of $11.7 million, this led to a major growth of all departments in the Division of Biological Sciences. Under the lead of William Cosgrove, the Zoology Department moved many of the marine ecologists from the Marine Institute on Sapelo Island, (created by Eugene Odum) to the Athens campus. The marine ecologists on Sapelo Island consisted of Dirk Frankenberg, Frank Golley, Bob Johannes and Larry Pomeroy. Others recruited under the Cosgrove included Stewart Coward, Gordhan Patel, J.H.D. Bryan, Peter Thompson, Walt Humphreys, Jerry Paulin, Moises Agosin and Ellen Mattingly. In 1972, the Head of Zoology moved under Peter Thompson. Under Thompson, the following members were recruited: Judy Meyers, Jim Porter and Ray Damian. In 1969, the Department of Zoology was awarded an endowment by the Callaway Foundation, which led to the recruitment of Norman Giles. Giles, a distinguished geneticist at Yale University and a member of the National Academy of Sciences, recruited interdepartmental faculty across the Biological Sciences Division. This group secured a training grant from the National Institutes of Health and created a graduate degree program in genetics. Members of this group included: Wyatt Anderson, Mary Case and John Avis in Zoology; Dan Vapnek and Bruce Carlton in Microbiology; Sidney Kushner and Ron Cole in Biochemistry; and Sue Wessler in Botany. In 1979, this group of geneticists formed a separate Department of Genetics under Wyatt Anderson. In 1981, Peter Thompson stepped down and Gordhan Patel was selected to head the Department. From 1981 to 1989, the following faculty joined the Department: Gene Helfman, Rick Tarleton, Marcus Fechheimer, Charles Keith, Bill Fitt, Ron Pulliam and Karen Porter. Under Patel's headship, with funding from NSF and UGA Vice President for Research, the first flow cytometry facility was created on campus. In July 1989, Patel was appointed to the Deanship of the Graduate School. After one year of Zoology under Larry Pomeroy, Judy Willis was recruited from the University of Illinois to be the Zoology Head. Zoology was then divided into the Departments of: Ecology, Marine Sciences and Cellular Biology. The Department of Cellular Biology at UGA is led by Dr. James Lauderdale, with Dr. Cordula Schulz serving as the Associate Head. Together, they guide the department in its mission to provide high-quality education and foster innovative research in cellular and molecular biology. The faculty are engaged in a wide range of cutting-edge research areas, including cellular signaling, gene expression, immunology, developmental biology, and cancer biology. Faculty members also explore topics such as neurobiology, microbiology, and the molecular mechanisms of disease, contributing to both basic science and applied research that advances our understanding of human health and disease. Graduate students play a crucial role in the department’s research initiatives. They are actively involved in a variety of projects, from studying the genetic regulation of cells to investigating the role of cellular processes in disease development. Graduate students receive mentorship from faculty and gain valuable experience in laboratory research, presenting at conferences and publishing in scientific journals. The department offers both a Master’s and Ph.D. program in Cellular Biology, providing a rigorous academic curriculum alongside hands-on research opportunities. The programs are designed to develop critical thinking, technical expertise, and professional skills, preparing students for careers in academia, industry and healthcare. In addition to research, the department provides students with opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary collaborations across the University of Georgia, further enhancing the educational experience. Students have access to state-of-the-art research facilities, including advanced microscopy, flow cytometry and genomics laboratories. These resources, combined with the department's strong emphasis on mentorship, make it an ideal environment for students looking to pursue careers in the rapidly evolving field of cellular biology. Image source: UGA Special Collections Libraries
