R. Crystal Chaw
Biology B138
503-517-7907
503-777-7773 (fax)
Email
Teaching Responsibilities:
Biology 101/102: Introductory Biology
Education
2006–2011 Ph.D.
Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley CA.
Thesis: “Cellular Interactions During Gastrulation in the Amphipod Crustacean, Parhyale hawaiensis,” Dr. Nipam H. Patel, advisor.
1998–2003 B.A.
Biology, Reed College, Portland OR.
Thesis: "Gastrulation and Inversion, Morphogenetic Movements during Spider Development,” Dr. Steven D. Black, advisor.
Fellowships, Scholarships, and Awards
2015–2018 Co-Principal Investigator. “Genomic Profiling of Spider Silk Glands Across Development and Evolution.” Army Research Office. $450,000.
2014 Co-Principal Investigator. “Evolution of Sticky Spider Silk: A Comparative Study of Adhesive Silk Gland Morphogenesis and Silk Proteins.” National Science Foundation, Division of Integrative Organismal Systems. Invited full proposal.
2011 Outstanding Talk, Second place, “Cell behavior during gastrulation in Parhyale hawaiensis.” Genetics, Development, and Molecular Evolution Symposium. University of California, Berkeley. Berkeley, CA.
2008 Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award. Biology 1B General Biology Lecture and Laboratory. University of California, Berkeley. Berkeley, CA.
2006–2011 Graduate Research Fellowship, National Science Foundation.
2005–2006 Mellon Fellowship, Reed College.
2003 Outstanding Poster, First place, "Gastrulation and Inversion in Spider Embryos," Northwest Developmental Biology Meeting, Friday Harbor, WA
Outstanding Talk, Second place, "Gastrulation and Inversion in Spider Development," American Arachnological Society Annual Meeting, Denver, CO
Class of ’21 Award, Most Innovative Thesis, Reed College, Portland, OR.
Phi Beta Kappa, Reed College, Portland, OR.
Teaching and Research Experience
2017–2021 Lead trainer for five advanced microscope systems. Advanced Light Microscopy Core. Oregon Health and Science University. Portland, OR
2017–2021 Lead trainer for Bitplane Imaris. Advanced Light Microscopy Core. Oregon Health and Science University. Portland, OR
2015–2016 Guest lecture, “Nervous System.” BIOL003 Organisms and Their Environment. Dr. Cheryl Y. Hayashi, instructor. University of California, Riverside. Riverside, CA
2014 Guest lecture, “Transmission Genetics and Sources of Genetic Variation.” BIOL105 Evolution. Dr. Cheryl Y. Hayashi, instructor. University of California, Riverside. Riverside, CA
2012–2013 Guest lecture, “Gene families and molecular homology.” BIOL115 Introduction to Genomics and Bioinformatics. Dr. Cheryl Y. Hayashi, instructor. University of California, Riverside. Riverside, CA.
2012 Co-Instructor (Fall), NASC 093 Freshman Advising Seminar in the Natural and Agricultural Sciences. University of California, Riverside. Riverside, CA
2010 Guest lecture, “Spider Development.” ESPM 132 Spider Biology. Dr. Rosemary Gillespie, instructor. University of California, Berkeley. Berkeley, CA
2009–2010 Workshop leader, “Teaching in the Biological Sciences,” Teaching Conference for New Student Instructors. University of California, Berkeley. Berkeley, CA
Co-Instructor (Spring), Evolution Short Course, Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor, MA.
2007–2008 Graduate student instructor (Fall and Spring), Biology 1B General Biology Lecture and Laboratory. University of California, Berkeley. Berkeley, CA.
2007 Teaching Assistant (Summer), Arthropod Module, Wood’s Hole Embryology Course. Wood’s Hole, MA.
Professional Experience
2017–2021 Senior Research Associate. Department of Neurology. Advanced Light Microscopy Core. Oregon Health and Science University. Portland, OR. Dr. Stefanie Kaech-Petrie, supervisor.
2012–2017 Postdoctoral Researcher. Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology. University of California, Riverside. Riverside, CA. Dr. Cheryl Y. Hayashi, advisor.
2010–2012 Editor (Contract). American Journal Experts. https://www.aje.com/
2006–2011 Graduate Student Researcher. Department of Integrative Biology. University of California, Berkeley. Berkeley, CA. Dr. Nipam H. Patel, Advisor.
2005–2006 Mellon Fellow. Department of Biology. Reed College. Portland, OR. Dr. Steven D. Black, supervisor.
2003–2005 Assistant Dean of Admission for Multicultural Recruitment. Reed College. Portland, OR.
Selected Publications
Chaw RC, Clarke III TH, Arensburger P, Ayoub NA, Hayashi CY. Gene expression profiling reveals candidate genes for defining spider silk gland types. Insect Biochem. Mol. Biol. 2021, 103594.
Chaw RC, Hayashi CY. Dissection of silk glands in the Western black widow Latrodectus hesperus. J. Arachnol. 2018; 46(1): 159–162.
Chaw RC, Zhao Y, Wei J, Ayoub NA, Allen R, Atrushi K, and Hayashi CY. Intragenic homogenization and multiple copies of prey-wrapping silk genes in Argiope garden spiders. BMC Evol. Biol. 2014;14:31.
Chaw RC and Patel NH. Independent migration of cell populations in the early gastrulation of the amphipod crustacean Parhyale hawaiensis. Dev. Biol. 2012; 317:94–109.
Chaw RC, Vance E, and Black S. Gastrulation occurs in three phases during the development of the spider Zygiella x-notata. Dev. Dyn. 2007; 236:3484–3495.