Orange Alert

Steve Dorus

Steve Dorus

Steve Dorus

Professor

CONTACT

Biology
248 Life Sciences Complex
Email: sdorus@syr.edu
Office: 315.443.7091

PROGRAM AFFILIATIONS

Biochemistry
Biotechnology

Degrees

  • Ph.D., Committee on Genetics, The University of Chicago (2004)
  • B.A., Biology, Amherst College (1996)

Social/Academic Links

Courses Taught

  • Molecular Genetics (Fall BIO462/662)
  • Human Disease Genomics (Spring BIO 407/607)
  • Grant Writing for the Life Sciences (check course catalogue)
Research Specializations

Molecular evolution of reproductive systems

Previous Academic Positions
  • Lecturer in Evolutionary Biology, University of Bath (2009 - 2012)
  • NIH Ruth Kirschstein NRSA Research Fellow (2006 - 2009)
  • Research Councils of the United Kingdom Research Fellow (2005 - 2010)
Administration and Citizenship
  • Associate Editor for BMC Genomics (2009 - present)
  • Graduate Committee (2012 - present)
  • Scholarship and Research Committee, CAS (2014 - present)
  • Co-Director of Graduate Studies (2012 - 2014)
Positions Available

The Center for Reproductive Evolution is currently recruiting graduate students and post-doctoral researchers. I am always happy to discuss research projects with interested students and to explore fellowship opportunities with post-docs. Please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Publications

  • McCullough, E.L., Verdeflor, L., Weinsztok, A., Wiles, J.R., and Dorus, S., "Exploratory Activities for Understanding Evolutionary Relationships Depicted by Phylogenetic Trees: United but Diverse", The American Biology Teacher, (2020) 82 (5): 333-337. https://doi.org/10.1525/abt.2020.82.5.333
  • McDonough, C.E., Whittington, E., Pitnick, S., and Dorus, S. (2015) Proteomics of reproductive systems: Towards a molecular understanding of postmating, prezygotic reproductive barriers. Journal of Proteomics,DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2015.10.015.
  • Ockendon, N., Bush, S., O’Connell, L., Hoffman, H., Szekely, T., Dorus, S.* and Urritia, A.* (2015) Optimisation of next generation sequencing transcriptome annotation for species lacking sequenced genomes. Molecular Ecology Resources, DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.12465.
  • Whittington, E., Zhao, Q., Borziak, K., Walters, J.R. and Dorus, S. (2015) Characterisation of the Manduca sexta Sperm Proteome: Genetic Novelty Underlying Sperm Composition in Lepidoptera. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology62: 183-93.
  • Skerget, S., Polpitiya, A., Rosenow, M., Petritis, K., Dorus, S. and Karr, T.L. (2013) The Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta) Sperm Proteome. Molecular and Cellular Proteomics 12: 3052-3067.
  • Freeman, Z., Dorus, S. and Waterfield, N. (2013) The KdpD/KdpE two-component system: Integrating K+ Homeostasis and Virulence" PLoS Pathogens, 9(3): e1003201. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1003201.
  • Dorus, S., Parker, E.R., Busby, J., and Karr, T.L. (2010) Sperm Proteomics Reveals Intensified Selection on Mouse Sperm Membrane and Acrosome Genes. Molecular Biology and Evolution 27(6): 1235–1246.
  • Dorus, S., Busby, S.A., Shabanowitz, J., Hunt, D.F. and Karr, T.L. (2006) Genomic and functional evolution of the sperm proteome. Nature Genetics 38(12): 1440-1445.
  • Dorus, S., Evans, P.D., Choi, S., Wyckoff, J., and Lahn, B.T. (2004) Rate of molecular evolution of the seminal protein gene SEMG2 correlates with levels of female promiscuity. Nature Genetics 36: 1326-1329.

Full Publication List at Google Scholar

News
A&S Researchers Explore How Sound Waves Can Address an Ethical Dilemma in Poultry Farming

(Aug. 22, 2023)

Professors James Crill and Steve Dorus have partnered with startup company Soos Technology L.T.D. to explore the mechanisms that allow sound wave energy to alter gene expression in fertilized chicken embryos.

A&S Biologists Observe a Molecular “Hand-off” That Plays a Key Role in Reproduction

(March 8, 2022)

The team’s novel research on the life history of fruit fly sperm demonstrates molecular continuity between the male female reproductive tracts.

Fostering Students’ ‘Tree-Thinking Skills’

(July 7, 2020)

A&S biologists win the Thomas Henry Huxley Award for their creation of an evolutionary learning module.

Biology Student Wins NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

(Jan. 28, 2016)

Caitlin McDonough uses three-year award to study reproduction