David Rodriguez
Assistant Professor
Department of Biology, Ingram Hall 5001A, San Marcos, TX 78666
Phone: 512|245|1012, Email: dr33(at)txstate(dot)edu
(a) Professional Preparation
Texas State University San Marcos, TX Biology B.S. 2000
Texas State University San Marcos, TX Biology M.S. 2002 (NSF GRFP)
Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX Zoology Ph.D. 2007 (NSF GRFP)
Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX Teaching/Research Postdoctoral Fellow (Human A&P) 2007–2008
Cornell University Ithaca, NY NSF Minority Postdoctoral Fellow 2010–2012
Cornell University Ithaca, NY Teaching/Research Postdoctoral Fellow (Evolution) 2013
(b) Appointments
2018–Present Academic Program Director, Study Abroad–Ecuador, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
2015–Present Assistant Professor (tenure-track), Dept. of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
2014 Lecturer (Computer Applications in Agriculture), Dept. of Agriculture, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
2013–2014 Assistant Research Professor (Genetics), Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
2009 Project Director, U.S. Dept. of Education Hispanic Serving Institution Cooperative Grant, El Centro College, Dallas, TX
2007 Lecturer (Molecular Biology), Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX
(c) Products
(i) Five Most Relevant Publications
Marshall, TL, CR Baca, DT Correa, MRJ Forstner, D Hahn, and D Rodriguez. 2019. Genetic characterization of chytrids isolated from larval amphibians collected in central and east Texas. Fungal Ecology. 39, 55-62.
Jenkinson, TS, D Rodriguez, R Clemons, LA Michelotti, Zamudio, LF Toledo, J Longcore, and T James. 2018. Globally invasive genotypes of the amphibian chytrid outcompete an enzootic lineage in coinfections. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 285(1893).
Jenkinson, TS, C Betancourt Roman, C Lambertini, A Valencia-Aguilar, D Rodriguez, C Nunes-de-Almeida, J Ruggeri, A Belasen, DS Leite, KR Zamudio, J Longcore, LF Toledo, and T James. 2016. Amphibian-killing chytrid in Brazil comprises both stable endemic and recently expanded populations. Molecular Ecology. 25: 2978-2996.
Rodriguez, D, CG Becker, NC Pupin, CFB Haddad, and KR Zamudio. 2014. Long-term endemism of two highly divergent lineages of the amphibian-killing fungus in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. Molecular Ecology. 23(4): 774-787.
Rosenblum, EB, T James, KR Zamudio, TJ Poorten, D Ilut, D Rodriguez, J. Eastman, K Richards-Hrdlicka, S Joneson, T Jenkinson, J Longcore, G Parra Olea, LF Toledo, ML Arellano, E Medina, S Resprepo, SV Flechas, L Berger, C Briggs, and J Stajich. 2013. Complex history of the amphibian-killing chytrid fungus revealed with genome resequencing data. PNAS. 110(23): 9385-9390.
(ii) Five Other Significant Publications
Becker, CG, D Rodriguez, AV Longo, LF Toledo, C Lambertini, DS Leite, CFB Haddad, and KR Zamudio. 2016. Deforestation, host community structure, and amphibian disease risk. Basic and Applied Ecology. 17 (1), 72-80.
Rodriguez, D, TM Guerra, MRJ Forstner, D Hahn. 2016. Diversity of Frankia in soil assessed by Illumina sequencing of nifH gene fragments. Systematic and Applied Microbiology. 39 (6), 391-397.
Rodríguez-Brenes, S, D Rodriguez, R Ibanez, MJ Ryan. 2016. Spread of amphibian chytrid fungus across lowland populations of Tungara frogs in Panama. PLoS ONE 11 (5), e0155745.
Becker, CG, D Rodriguez, C Lambertini , LF Toledo, and CFB Haddad. 2015. Historical dynamics of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Amazonia. Ecography. 38: 001-007.
Becker, CG, D Rodriguez, LF Toledo, AV Longo, C Lambertini, DT Correa, DS Leite, CFBB Haddad, and KR Zamudio. 2014. Partitioning the net effect of host diversity on an emerging amphibian pathogen. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 281(1795): 20141796.
(d) Synergistic Activities
1. Broadening participation of underrepresented groups in STEM. Mentored 12 undergraduate students (17% White, 17% African-American, and 67% Hispanic; 42% Male, 58% Female; 8% with disabilities) and 6 graduate students (50% White and 67% Hispanic; 83% Male, 17% Female; 17% with disabilities) (2015–Present). Served as the Project Director for a U.S. Dept. of Ed. Hispanic Serving Institution Cooperative Grant to El Centro College. Oversaw the expenditure of $4.8 million to promote the participation of urban minorities in science though field-based experiences (2009).
2. Instrumentation support and training for visiting scholars: R Vasquez (Adviser LD Densmore, TTU) (2018); T Jenkinson (Adviser T James, U of Michigan) in dPCR (2017); DT Correa (Adviser M Leibold, U of Texas) in qPCR (2017); A Longo, Ph.D. (Adviser K Lips, U of Maryland) in dPCR (2016); S Rodriguez (Adviser M Ryan, UT Austin) in qPCR (2014); T Jenkinson (Adviser T James, University of Michigan) in qPCR (2013); R Gonzalez-Trujillo (Adviser A. Gonzalez-Romero, Red Biol. Cons. Vert., Mexico) in conservation genetics (2008); D McBride (Adviser J Mueller, Tarleton State U) in conservation genetics (2008).
3. Instrumentation installation and on-site training: qPCR methods for detecting B. dendrobatidis UNICAMP, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil (2011,2013, 2015); Contributed to establishment of the Molecular Genetics Laboratory at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia (2015).
4. Student Engagement: Serve as the adviser for Texas State University Microbiology Club (2017–present) and Sigma Lambda Beta Multicultural Fraternity (2016–present).
5. Manuscript and Grant Reviewer (2-3/yr): Diseases of Aquatic Organisms; Molecular Ecology; Fungal Biology; Heredity; Biological Reviews; ZooTaxa; PLoS ONE; Molecular Ecology Resources; Conservation Genetics; Marine and Freshwater Research; Journal of Herpetology; Journal of Caribbean Science; Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology; Journal of Experimental Zoology, NSF CAREER (2013 and 2019).
