Prudy Hall

Professor of Biology and Chemistry

A.B. Oberlin College
M.S., Ph.D. Michigan State University


Colton 215
(330) 569-5262
hallpj@hiram.edu


My interests in biology are diverse, but are founded on 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.

In my lab at Hiram College, students have done research on the role of indoleacetic acid and of nitrogen nutrition in plant cell differentiation, and on the role of phosphorus nutrition in weedy plants during old-field succession. More recently, in collaboration with Professor Brad Goodner of this department, students and I have been examining questions relating to the functional genomics of Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Chromohalobacter salexigens.

Although I will be officially retired in August 2005, I will continue to teach courses in plant biology and biochemistry in the immediate future. 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. Professor Marty Huehner and I co-led three 12-week study 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, led by Professors Matt Hils and Maggie Hodge. A second trip to the Galapagos is planned for December 2006, to be led by Professors Hils and Sandy Madar.

On a personal note, my other interests include outdoor sports and activities (sailing, hiking, playing with my grandson), swimming, music, and gardening.

--Prudy Hall, 2005


Past Projects

1. Phenology at the Hiram College Field Station. The 260-acre Field Station, located approximately 2 miles from the college campus, offers the opportunity to examine seasonal events in several different habitats. “Phenology” is a term that describes studies of this sort, and recent international research suggests a connection between recorded phonological events and worldwide climate changes, most especially global warming.

A study of seasonal events was initiated in the beech-maple forest at the Field Station in the summer of 2002. Tom Lobur (’03) identified specific areas and specific indicator plant species to be observed. Students in the Fall term Introductory Botany (Biology 142) made weekly observations of vegetation status from early September through early November. Their data was incorporated into a database that was designed by Hiram students in a Computer Science course titled Database Design.

This past spring the project was expanded to include observations of bluebird nesting. Participants included Justin Evans, John Fauser, Erin Sams, and Nathan Yaussy. Other species we would like to include in our study are small reptiles and amphibians, selected insects, and small mammals.

Preliminary results were presented by Tom at the Ohio Academy of Science meetings in April, 2003.


2. Hormonal induction of tracheary elements in undifferentiated plant tissues. During the development of xylem tissues in plant roots and stems, what molecular and cellular processes are taking place? Initial characterization of proteins that are specific to the process were carried out by Virginie Raguin (French Language Instructor, 2000-01) with considerable help from Dr. Rosemary McAndrew and Dr. Kathy Osteryoung in the Department of Plant Biology at Michigan State University. This project has not been actively investigated since then.

3. Acquisition of phosphorus and nitrogen by plants. What enzymes are active as plants acquire these important mineral nutrients? Studies on root acid phosphatase and leaf nitrate reductase have been conducted on plant materials harvested from a series of old fields at the Field Station. Some of this work was conducted by Karl Yu (2000) and was published in the Journal of the Ohio Academy of Science (Yu, Fried, and Hall. 2000. J. Ohio Acad. Sci. 100:132-135).

4. Intercropping and agricultural yields. Will the yield from a field of corn grown in a mixed stand with soybeans be as great as that from a corn field that has been treated with nitrogen fertilizer? During the summer of 2001, field studies were conducted on the activity of leaf nitrate reductase in corn plants growing in fertilized and unfertilized plots, and in plots interplanted with soybeans. The yields of plants grown under different conditions were measured, but no significant differences were observed. Tehmeen Qamar (2003), Anne Haney (2002), Joe Moosbrugger (2004) and Julie Wnuk (2005).