BURNS
LAB
Texas Tech University
People
Dr. Jennifer M. Burns, Principal Investigator
Professor and Chair, Biological Sciences
Research in my laboratory has explored the linkages between physiology, nutrition, and performance in mammalian systems. Primarily, our work is focused on polar marine mammals, as the challenges these species face to exploit underwater food resources in a highly seasonal environment have led to multiple unique adaptations that highlight basic physiological principles. Research activities have proceeded along three main lines: 1) understanding the pattern of physiological development in juvenile marine mammals, and how it is regulated; 2) determining how physiological condition impacts diving performance and foraging success; and 3) determining how critical life history events are influenced by, and reflective of, individual condition and prey availability and environmental conditions. These questions are particularly relevant in polar ecosystems, where climate change is reducing available habitats, and altering food webs, but they are important to all populations.
Dr. Michelle Shero
Assistant Scientist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
PhD Thesis Title (Burns Lab, 2015):
What makes a year-round athlete?: seasonal changes in Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) physiological condition and links with diving behavior
Research Interests:
Michelle completed her Ph.D. and post-doctoral research in the Burns Lab, and is now a tenure-track Assistant Scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Her research focuses on the interrelationships between energy balance, behavior, and reproductive success in marine mammals. She takes an integrative, systems-biology approach, using a diverse toolset (ultrasonography, endocrinology, isotope dilution, genetic sequencing, drones) to understand the processes contributing to complex, multifaceted traits such as performance and life-long animal fitness. She maintains on-going collaborations with the Burns Lab in these efforts.
Dr. Roxanne Beltran
roxanne.beltran@gmail.com
https://roxannebeltran.wordpress.com/
PhD Thesis TItle (2018): Bridging the gap between pupping and molting phenology: behavioral and ecological drivers in Weddell seals.
MSc. Thesis Title (2015): Bioenergetic consequences of temporal variation in Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) critical life history events.
Research Interests:
I am particularly interested in the demographic influences of changing and dynamic environments on the behavior, physiology and foraging ecology of high trophic level marine mammals. For my thesis, I hope to determine whether a nutritional block regulates timing of breeding and molt, such that animals must regain lost caloric and nutrient reserves through foraging prior to initiating these events.
Amy Kirkham, Ph.D Student
amy.kirkham@gmail.com
ResearchGate
Thesis title: Endocrine regulation of annual life history in female Weddell seals
Broadly, I am interested in the mechanisms that drive biological rhythms in animals. My PhD research in the Burns Lab examines how hormones regulate the seasonal biology of Antarctic Weddell seals. By characterizing hormone levels related to nutrition, stress, reproduction, and molt, I am learning what influences the timing and completion of different life history events in female seals. Understanding these linkages is vital to predicting how environmental changes may impact annual cycles and reproductive success. I am also testing how gene expression in Weddell seal skin drives hair growth and affects how hormones regulate molt. Ice seals in Alaska have recently displayed disrupted molt, and I hope my research will aid efforts to understand this issue. Prior to starting graduate school, I completed my undergraduate degree in Biology at Stanford University and worked with marine mammals in stranding response and wildlife tourism.
Skyla Walcott, M.Sc Student
Thesis Title: Heat loss in Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii): implications of environmental and behavioral change to the cost of the annual summer molt
Research Interests: My background in marine mammal research stems from my time working as a research assistant and marine mammal trainer at the Pinniped Cognition Laboratory under Dr. Colleen Reichmuth. My research there focused on vibrissae growth rates for California sea lions and spotted seals in order to accurately evaluate stable isotope signatures during diet assessments. Now working on my master’s degree at UAA with Dr. Jenn Burns, my thesis centers on surface temperatures and heat flux in Weddell seals during the annual pelage molt (when they regrow an entire new fur coat, and shed their preexisting fur). I aim to use this information to quantify the overall thermoregulatory cost of molting, and how that may be altered in a changing climate. Next, I hope to use this degree to participate in research for the conservation and management of Arctic marine species.
Greg Merrill, Jr., M.Sc Student
gbmerrilljr@alaska.edu
MSc. Thesis Title: Maternal foraging trip duration by northern fur seals
Research Interests: Northern fur seal populations have experienced dramatic declines in population size and pup production over the last several decades. With respect to this decline, the aim of my thesis is to establish maternal foraging trip durations (MFTD) as a sensitive and inexpensive index of prey availability and reproductive success. VHF telemetry and R-based GIS methods will examine relationships between MFTD, walleye pollock prey availability, physical oceanographic conditions, and pup mass in an effort to validate the index. My work is supported by the Pollock Conservation Cooperative Research Center and the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
Upon completing my MSc, I intend to pursue a PhD, further investigating foraging ecology of marine mammals as it relates to marine debris, microplastics, and plastic contaminants
Past Graduate Students:
-
Julie (Richmond) Avery, MSc . 2004
-
Cheryl Clark, MSc. 2004
-
Danielle (Savarese) Dickson, MSc. 2004
-
Michael Rehberg, MSc 2005
-
Jill Prewitt, MSc. 2008
-
Vanessa vonBiela, MSc. 2008
-
George Esslinger, MSc. 2011
-
Yoko Kugo, MSc 2014
-
Linnea Pearson, PhD 2015
Past Undergraduate Students:
-
Undergraduate Student Researchers in Lab: Marina Rivera, UC CAMP program (1999-2000), Leslie Sarten (2000-2001), Danielle Love (2002), Nick Bronson (2004-2005), Dana Jenski (2005-2006), Nicollete Skomp (2007-2009), Nancy Bishop (2007-2009), Mallory Givens (2009-2011), Kattrina Crouch (2010-2011), Shane Ralls (2010-2011), Lena Hummell (summer 2012), Chelsea DeStefano (summer 2015), Concepcion Melovidov (2017-2018).
-
NSF- Sponsored REU students: Ryan Langendorf (summer 2008), Michelle Shero (Summer 2009, 2010), Katie Robbins (summer 2011), Kathleen Robertson (summer 2012), Lauren Simonitis (summer 2013), Jessica Espinosa (summer 2014), Clara Wollner (summer 2015).
-
High School Student Researchers: Mentored 3 high school students who participated in NIH-NIDDK program at UAA (Josh Proper, Juan Aparicio, Sijo Smith)