David Markwardt serves as the lead advisor for students interested in the health professions. In addition, he is the advisor for the Biomedical Engineering track within the Zoology Department and a member of the Honors Board. Markwardt likes to travel with his wife, Rachel, and kids, Anna and Henry. In addition, he is a big fan of Wisconsin sports teams and an avid reader.
Research Description
Cell and molecular biology
Molecular biotechnology
Genomics
In my lab, we are working to identify genes that may play a role in the formation and maintenance of the cell wall in the fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with an eye toward the development of more effective anti-fungal drugs. In particular, we are focused on better understanding the signal transduction pathways the cell uses to up- or down-regulate gene expression in response to changing environmental conditions. We use a wide variety of fundamental molecular and cellular tools and techniques, including: PCR, reverse-transcription (RT)-PCR, real-time (quantitative)-PCR, gene sequencing, bioinformatics, microbiological cell culture, DNA/RNA/protein analysis, gene cloning, electron & fluorescence microscopy, and microarray analysis.