Ruben U. Tovar, M.S., Ph.D.

Human Anatomy
Cellular and Molecular Methods

Ph.D. Integrative Biology (EEB), The University of Texas at Austin
M.S. Biology, Texas State University
B.S. Interdisciplinary Studies, The University of Texas at Arlington

Comparative Morphological and Molecular Approaches
Comparative Phylogenetic’s
Evolutionary Developmental Biology (Evo-Devo)

Ruben U. Tovar, M.S., Ph.D., is a first-generation college graduate and Latino from San Antonio, TX. He is an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at St. Mary’s University, where he joined the faculty in Fall 2025. He teaches courses in Anatomy and Cellular and Molecular Methods and conducts research in Evolutionary Developmental Biology (Evo-Devo), with a focus on the molecular and developmental processes underlying biodiversity.

Tovar earned his B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies from The University of Texas at Arlington, where he engaged in diverse research experiences across biology and archaeology, including fieldwork throughout Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. His early work focused on the evolutionary relationships and behavioral traits of slug-eating snakes within a comparative phylogenetic framework.

Tovar turned his research focus toward the endemic, cave-adapted Eurycea salamanders of central Texas. He earned his M.S. in Biology from Texas State University, where he took a comparative developmental approach to target two proteins known to play a leadership role in eye development: PAX6 and SHH. Using confocal microscopy and immunohistochemistry, he examined labeling patterns of these key developmental proteins along with proteins involved with phototransduction (Opsin and Rhodopsin) in adult salamander retinal tissue.

He continued this work as a Dean’s Strategic Minority Fellow in the Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Ph.D. program at The University of Texas at Austin. Under the mentorship of David M. Hillis, Ph.D., and working closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) – San Marcos Aquatic Resources Center (SMARC), Tovar managed to breed and obtain a developmental series for several species. He took an integrative approach to understand how far reaching developmental convergent and parallel evolution is at the morphological, cellular and molecular levels. He uses microCT (diceCT) imaging, microscopy and RNA-sequence to analyze eye development across multiple cave-dwelling species. This work led to the identification of candidate genes involved in ocular development and degeneration.

Following his Ph.D., Tovar completed a postdoctoral position with Dean Hendrickson, Ph.D. (Curator of Ichthyology) at UT Austin’s Biodiversity Center, initiating collaborative work on blind cavefish with Patricia Ornelas García, Ph.D. (UNAM). At St. Mary’s, he is building breeding colonies of salamanders to further explore genetic and developmental parallels between cave-adapted vertebrates and human congenital eye disorders.

His lab welcomes motivated Master of Science (M.S.) in Medical Genomics and undergraduate students (Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Biology) to participate in all aspects of this integrative research, including fieldwork, animal husbandry, 3D imaging, confocal microscopy, geometric morphometrics and bioinformatics.

Selected Publications: Tovar RU, Brittany A. Dobbins, Nicholas R. Hartman, Sheena Leelani, Thomas J. Devitt, Dana M. García, Paul G. Gignac, David C. Cannatella, David M. Hillis. (2025). Parallel Sensory Compensation following Independent Subterranean Colonization by Groundwater Salamanders (Eurycea). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 122 (23) e2504850122. June 3, 2025. DOI: doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2504850122

Nice CC, Bell KL, Gompert Z, Lucas LK, Ott JR, Tovar RU, Crump P, Diaz PH. (2025). Extensive Admixture Among Karst-Obligate Salamanders Reveals Evidence of Recent Divergence and Gene Exchange Through Aquifers. Ecol Evol. 15(1):e70785. January 9, 2025. DOI: doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70785

Dobbins B.A., Ruben U. Tovar, Braden J. Oddo, Thomas J. Devitt, David M. Hillis, Dana M. García. (2024). “PAX6 protein in neuromasts of the lateral line system of salamanders (Eurycea).” PLoS One. 19(8):e0293163. Aug 30, 2024. DOI: doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293163

Dobbins BA, Moore MM, Tovar RU, Garcia DM. 2023. “Cannibalism.” Herpetological Review. 54 (2). Tovar RU, Cantu V, Fremaux B, Gonzalez Jr P, Spikes A, García DM. (2021). Comparative development and ocular histology between epigean and subterranean salamanders (Eurycea) from central Texas. PeerJ. 9:e11840. July 28, 2021. DOI: doi.org/10.7717/peerj.11840

Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB)
Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE)
Tomography for Scientific Advancement (ToScA)
Sigma Xi (Scientific Research Honor Society)
Texas Academy of Science (TAS)
Texas Herpetological Society (THS)