Soil Ecology and Ecological Genomics Laboratory
It is with deep sadness that the UND Biology Department announces the death of Brian Darby, Professor of biology on July 26, 2024.
About Brian
Brian joined the University of North Dakota in fall 2011 as an Assistant professor in the Department of Biology. His promotion to Full professor was approved in spring 2024.
Born in Iowa City, Iowa on Sept. 13, 1979, Brian attained his bachelor’s degree in biology from Northwestern College of Orange City, Iowa, and his master’s degree from the Department of Earth, Ecology and Environmental Science at the University of Toledo. He received his Ph.D. from the Department of Plant and Soil Science at the University of Vermont.
Brian’s research at UND focused on soil ecology — how the soil microbiota affects the health and function of the soil system — as well as identification of the fascinating nematodes, tardigrades, rotifers, mites, collembolans and protozoans that exist in soil environments. He also studied how the ecological genomics of organisms dictate their abundance and distribution in the world and he used molecular tools to analyze wildlife genetics’ relation to movement and behavior to assist management and conservation. Brian also was an expert in statistics/biometry, modeling quantitative data to test hypotheses, estimate parameters and predict future scenarios.
Brian was a valued mentor, friend and colleague in the biology family.
Soil Ecology and Ecological Genomics Laboratory Contact
Dr. Kathryn Yurkonis will be carrying forward Darby laboratory projects related to soil health and soil ecology and Dr. Susan Felege will be carrying forward projects wildlife genetics.
Please contact Dr. Yurkonis for any questions related to the soil health or Conservation Reserve Program projects, Dr. Felege for questions related to wildlife disease and genetics projects, or the Biology department at 701.777.2621 or UND.biology@UND.edu for general questions.