James R. Morris

Professor of Biology

Departments/Programs

Biology
Education
Environmental Studies
Health: Science, Society, and Policy

Degrees

Harvard University, M.D.
Harvard University, Ph.D.
Harvard University, A.B.

Expertise

Evolution, genetics, and biology education

Profile

Please visit my new faculty profile page.

I have broad interests in genetics, epigenetics, evolution, medicine, and history of science. I teach a wide range of classes for majors and non-majors, including introductory biology, evolution, vertebrate anatomy, project laboratory in genetics and genomics, epigenetics, and a first-year seminar focusing on Darwin's On the Origin of Species. My research focuses on epigenetics, and I use the fruit fly as a model organism. I am particularly interested in biology education and the public understanding of science. I am a lead author on a college-level introductory biology textbook titled Biology: How Life Works. This book emphasizes concepts over terms and facts, and helps students develop ways of thinking that scientists use to understand the natural world and solve problems.

Courses Taught

BIOL	16a	Evolution and Biodiversity
BIOL	43b	Human Anatomy
BIOL	91g	Introduction to Research Practice

Awards and Honors

Macmillan STEM Product of the Year for Biology: How Life Works (2017)

National Academies Education Mentor in Science (2014)

Letter of Commendation for Distinguished Teaching, Harvard Extension School (2013)

Louis Dembitz Brandeis Prize for Excellence in Teaching (2013)

National Academies Education Fellow in the Life Sciences (2012 - 2013)

"Professor I Learned the Most From" Award, Senior Class, Brandeis University (2011)

Letter of Commendation for Distinguished Teaching, Harvard Extension School (2006)

Letter of Commendation for Distinguished Teaching, Harvard Extension School (2005)

Certificate of Distinction in Teaching, Harvard University (2004)

Certificate of Distinction in Teaching, Harvard University (2004)

Certificate of Distinction in Teaching, Harvard University (2003)

Scholarship

Morris, Hartl, Knoll, Lue, Michael, Berry, Biewener, Farrell, Holbrook. Biology: How Life Works. 3rd ed. Macmillan Learning, 2019.

Lax, Morris, and Kolber. "A partial flip classroom exercise in a large introductory general biology course increases performance at multiple levels." Journal of Biological Education 51. 4 (2017): 412-426.

Morris, Hartl, Knoll, Lue, Michael, Berry, Biewener, Farrell, Holbrook. Biology: How Life Works. 2nd ed. Macmillan Learning, 2016.

Morris, Berry, Costa. "Using Darwin's Origin to Teach Biology and Writing." Evolution 69. (2015): 2556-2560.

Nagakura, Schneider, Morris, Lafferty, Palmer. "Assessing Deaf Awareness Training: Knowledge and Attitudes of Recent Genetic Counseling Graduates." J. Genet. Counsel. (2014): 1-13.

Morris, Hartl, Knoll, Lue, Berry, Biewener, Farrell, Holbrook, Pierce, Viel. Biology: How Life Works. W. H. Freeman and Company, 2013.

Hohl, Thompson, Shoshnev, Wu, Morris, Hsieh, Wu, Geyer. "Restoration of Topoisomerase 2 Function by Complementation of Defective Monomers in Drosophila." Genetics 192. (2012): 843-856.

Ou, Chang, Lee, So, Wu, and Morris. "Effects of Chromosomal Rearrangements on Transvection at the yellow Gene of Drosophila melanogaster." Genetics 183. (2009): 483-496.

Morris, Jehn, Vaughan, Pantages, Torello, Bucheli, Lohman, Lue. A Student's Guide to Writing in the Life Sciences. 2 ed. Cambridge: The President and Fellows of Harvard College, 2007.

Perlman and Morris. "What the IPCC said: A citizens' guide to the IPCC summary for policy makers." (2007): <http://www.islandpress.com/assets/library/37_whatipccsaidguide.pdf>.

Morris, Petrov, Lee, Wu. "Enhancer choice in cis and in trans in Drosophila melanogaster: Role of the promoter." Genetics 167. (2004): 1739-1747.

Wu and Morris. "Genes, genetics, and epigenetics: A correspondence." Science 293. (2001): 1103-1105.

Morris, Chen, Filandrinos, Dunn, Fisk, Geyer, and Wu. "An analysis of transvection at the yellow locus of Drosophila melanogaster." Genetics 151. (1999): 633-651.

Morris, Geyer, and Wu. "Core promoter elements can regulate transcription on a separate chromosome in trans." Genes & Dev 13. (1999): 253-258.

Wu and Morris. "Transvection and other homology effects." Curr. Opin. Genet. Dev. 9. (1999): 237-246.

Morris, Chen, Geyer, and Wu. "Two modes of transvection: Enhancer action in trans and bypass of a chromatin insulator in cis." Proc. Natl. Acad. Scie USA 95. (1998): 10740-10745.