Kurt Kwast

• American Heart Association Fellow, University of Colorado, 1995-1997

Tenure Track Appointments

• Associate Professor, University of Illinois, 2005-08-2017-08
• Assistant Professor, University of Illinois, 1997-01-2005-08

PostDoctoral Appointments

• American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Colorado,

Summary Statement of Research Interests

Professor Kwast’s previous research focused primarily on how organisms acclimatize to environmental and physiological stressors. He has published more than 20 peer-reviewed journal articles focused on oxygen sensing, oxygen utilization, bioenergetics, and on the control of the expression of oxygen-responsive genes. He utilized molecular, physiological, genomic and proteomic approaches to reveal oxygen-sensing pathways and networks of oxygen-responsive genes.

Contracts and Grants Awarded

• Transcriptomic-Based Assessment of Coral Reef Health: Holobiont Analysis of Keystone Caribbean, (UIUC MIP Infrastructure Grant), Kurt E. Kwast $7,500, 2008-2010
• Calcium Carbonate Biomineralization: A Geologic Record of Biological Response to Rapid Environmental, (UIUC Campus Research Board), Bruce Fouke $25,000, 2007-2009
• Oxygen sensing by the respiratory chain, (National Institutes of Health, R01), Kurt E. Kwast $1,094,045, 2000-2007
• Development of Oligonucleotide Microarrays for the Analysis of Oxygen-Sensing Mechanisms, (UIUC Campus Research Board), Kurt E. Kwast $25,001, 2001-2003
• Role of cytochrome c oxidase in oxygen sensing, (American Heart Association, Midwest Affliate), Kurt E. Kwast $150,000, 1998-2002
• Genomic Analyses of Oxygen-Regulated Gene Expression, (Research Genetics), Kurt E. Kwast $125,000, 1999-2001
• Oxygen-Regulated Fermentation Facility, (UIUC Campus Research Board), Kurt E. Kwast $25,001, 1998-2000
• Structure-Function of Yeast Flavohemoglobin: An Oxygen Sensor?, (American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowship), Kurt E. Kwast $25,932, 1995-1997
• Function of cytochrome c oxidase subunit isoforms, (American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowship), Kurt E. Kwast $25,932, 1994-1996

Conference Presentations

• “Collection, Analysis, and Interpretation of DNA Micorarray Data” , Coral Genomics for the Non-Genomic ScientistLecture/Seminar, NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program & the Natio, Invited, USFWS National Conservation Training Center, Shepherdstown, West Virginia,
• “A Method for Recovering Network Structure from Genomic Expression Profiles using Kullback-Leibler Distance and Consensus Share” , Yeast Genetics and Molecular BiologyTalk/Oral Presentation,
• “Oxygen-responsive gene network structure: bridging the gap from transcriptional profiling to physiological insight” , University of Nevad, Las VegasLecture/Seminar, Invited,
• “Transcriptional Networks in Yeast” , Understanding Complex Systems, UIUC Department of PhysicsTalk/Oral Presentation, Invited,
• “Genomic Analyses of Acclimatization to Anaerobiosis in Yeast” Lecture/Seminar, Invited, Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, WI,
• “Genomic Response of Yeast to Hypoxia” , Symposium on Physiological and Genetic Responses to Stressful Environments, The Power of ComparativeLecture/Seminar, Invited,
• “Statistical Analyses of Microarray Data” , Microarray Data Analysis and Data MiningTalk/Oral Presentation, W. M. Keck Center for Comparative and Functional G, Invited, UIUC,
• “Genome-wide profiling of oxygen-sensing pathways” Lecture/Seminar, University of Illinois-Chicago, Invited, Department of Pharmacology,
• “Oxygen sensing, hypoxia and gene regulation” , Intensivmedizin – Der Weg ins nächste Jahrhundert.” Der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Internistische ITalk/Oral Presentation, Invited, Linz, Austria,
• “Oxygen-dependent isoforms of yeast cytochrome c oxidase subunit V and cytochrome c” , High Alpine SeminarTalk/Oral Presentation, University of Innsbruck, Invited, Innsbruck-Schröcken, Austria, September,
• “Oxygen sensing and the transcriptional regulation of oxygen-responsive genes in yeast” , Oxygen Relationships: Evolutionary, Physiological, and Molecular AspectsTalk/Oral Presentation, Stanford University, Invited, Asliomar, Pacific Grove, CA,
• “Genetics and systematics of the Leptasterias hexactis (Stimpson) species complex (Echinodermata: Asteroidea)” , Echinoderm ConferenceTalk/Oral Presentation, Invited, Dauphin Island, AL,
• “Population genetics and systematics of the Leptasterias hexactis (Stimpson) species complex (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) ” Talk/Oral Presentation, University of Washington, Invited, Friday Harbor Laboratories,

• (Spring 2023) HBIO 301. Human Anatomy, MWF 09:00am – 09:50am, THH102
• (Spring 2023) HBIO 400. Motor Control and Learning, MWF 11:00am – 11:50am, ZHS252
• (Spring 2023) HBIO 420. Applied Human Physiology, MWF 10:00am – 10:50am, THH102

• Student-Nominated Excellence in Teaching, University of Illinois, 2004-2017
• James E. Health Award for Excellence in Teaching Physiology, University of Illinois, 2002-2003
• Graduate School Fellowship, University of Colorado, 1993-1996
• Dean’s Small Grant Award, University of Colorado, 1990-1994
• EPO Biology Graduate Fellowship, University of Colorado, 1992-1993
• Outstanding Graduate Teacher Award, University of Colorado, 1991-1992
• EPO Biology Graduate Fellowship, University of Colorado, 1990-1991
• Fernald Award, University of Washington, 1988-1990
• Friday Harbor Laboratories Fellowship, University of Washington, 1988-1990
• Travel Grant Award, Louisiana State University, 1987-1988
• Graduation Magna Cum Laude, University of Miami, 1986-1988
• Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society, University of Miami, 1986-1988

Committees

• HEB Laboratory Curriculum Committee, 2017-2021
• Human & Evolutionary Biology (HEB) Courses and Curriculum Committee, 2016-2021

Other Service to the University

• Commencement Marshall,

Committees

• “HEB Laboratory Curriculum Committee”, 2017-2021
• “Human & Evolutionary Biology (HEB) Courses and Curriculum Committee”, 2016-2021