As of January 1, Dr. Damian Shea and Dr. Gerald LeBlanc are heads, respectively, of the Department of Zoology and the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology. Shea and LeBlanc both bring “a wealth of knowledge and experience” to these departments, said College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean Johnny Wynne, in announcing the appointments.

Shea, professor of environmental and molecular toxicology, had served as the Department of Zoology’s interim head for the past year and also previously served as the department head and director of graduate programs for the Environmental and Molecular Toxicology Department. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland and completed his NRC postdoctoral research at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

LeBlanc, professor and coordinator of the environmental toxicology concentration in the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, has served as that department’s interim head for the past year. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts and his Ph.D. from the University of South Florida. He conducted his postdoctoral research at Harvard Medical School.