Keynote Speaker Biographies

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Douglas Rhoads, Ph.D.

Evolution of a 50-year Research Career

Douglas Rhoads is a University Professor of Biological Sciences, affiliated faculty member in the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, and director of the interdisciplinary graduate program in Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Arkansas (UA). His Masters training was in genetics of human pathogenic yeasts, followed by PhD and Postdoctoral training in first hamster and then human molecular genetics. He joined the faculty at UA in 1990, to establish molecular genetics for the campus.  His work has included genomics in human and plant pathogenic yeasts/fungi, tomatoes viral resistance, black bears, Caribbean toadies, rattlesnakes, and scorpions.  His main focus since 1993 has been genomics in poultry including male fertility, pulmonary arterial hypertension (ascites), and bacterial diseases. He has 71 peer-reviewed publications, 12 industry reports, and 177 presentations/seminars. His funding has come from NIH, NSF, USDA, and corporations ($2.2M as PI and $11.8M as coPI). Rhoads has served as vice chair and chair of the department of Biological Sciences. He led efforts to establish the Cell and Molecular Biology program for the campus and has been the director of that program since 2006. The program now includes 120+ faculty in 17 departments and 4 colleges.  The program is one of the two largest PhD programs on campus.