• B.S. - Biology, Loyola College, Baltimore 1964

• Ph.D. - Cell and Molecular Biology, Catholic University of America and Oak Ridge National Laboratory 1969

Research Specialities

Research aimed at understanding certain aspects of the structure and functioning of the eukaryotic genome.

We are trying to determine if the genetic mutation, ichthyosis, causes quantitative and qualitative changes in the DNA content of various cell types in mice carrying this gene.

We are also looking at the post-transcriptional processing of ribosomal RNA in the fly Rhynchosciara, and in the protozoan Tetrahymena. This ties in with work on the matrix or proteins of chromosomes from spematogenic cells of the frog Xenopus laevis and the large molecular weight ribosomal subunits of the fly Trichosia.

A few highlights from publications in major journals:

• M.S. Risley and R.A. Eckhardt, 1979: Evidence for the Continuation of Meiosis and Spermatogenesis in in Vitro Cultures of Spermatogenic Cells from Xenopus laevis. Journal of Experimental Zoology

• G.M. Machado-Santelli, M.F. Bonaldo, R.V. Santelli, R.A. Eckhardt and F.J.S. Lara, 1979: Distribution of Repetitive DNA Sequences in the Polytene Chromosomes of Rhynchosciara americana. Experimenta.

• M.S> Risley, J.Gambino and R.A. Eckhardt, 1979: Purification of Xenopus laevis Embryo adn Liver Nuclei Using Metrizamide. Developmental Biology 68 299-303.

• M.S. Risley and R.A. Eckhardt, 1979: Dissociation and Separation of Xenopus laevis Spermatogenic Cells. Journal of Experimental Zoology 207 93-106