PrincipalInvestigator
Ciaran A. Shaughnessy, Ph.D.
Hometown | Portland, ME, USA
Current Position | Assistant Professor of Integrative Physiology
Office | 307 Life Sciences West, Department of Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078
Research Interests | Dr. Shaughnessy's research integrates bioinformatic, molecular, cellular, live-tissue, and whole-animal approaches to investigate the mechanisms of osmoregulation and stress physiology across evolutionary, ecological, and biomedical contexts. Ongoing investigations in the Shaughnessy Lab span comparative, applied, and translational themes, including: how ion transporters and hormone receptors evolved across vertebrate lineages to support increasingly complex physiological processes; how animals respond and adapt to environmental change; and how dysfunction in epithelial transport contributes to human disease and may be addressed through pharmacological intervention.
Current Society Appointments
- Treasurer | Physiology Section of the American Fisheries Society
- International Committee | International Society for Fish Endocrinology
Current Courses and Credits Offered
- BIOL 3204 "Physiology" | Upper-division lecture/lab course required by multiple departments/degree programs
- BIOL 3700 "Readings and Special Studies in Integrative Biology" | Undergraduate independent study
- BIOL 4700 "Undergraduate Research Problems" | Undergraduate research credit
- BIOL 5000 "Research for Master's Thesis" | Graduate research credit
- BIOL 6000 "Research for PhD Dissertation" | Graduate research credit
Previous Training and Fellowships
- NSF Postdoctoral Fellow (PRFB) | University of Denver (Denver, CO)
- NIH NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow (F32) | National Jewish Health (Denver, CO)
- Ph.D., Organismic and Evolutionary Biology | University of Massachusetts Amherst (Amherst, MA)
- M.S., Biological Sciences | DePaul University (Chicago, IL)
- B.S., Chemistry | Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago, IL)
Ava Cannizzaro
Hometown | Philadelphia, PA, USA
Current Position | M.S. Student in Integrative Biology
Research Interests | Ava's research interests include conservation physiology and marine biology. In the Shaughnessy Lab, she studies seawater-type ionocytes in sea lamprey gills, focusing on the role of potassium channels in osmoregulation. Her future plans are to pursue a Ph.D. and a career in academia and intends to integrate her research and teaching in field-based settings.
Previous Training
- B.S., Biology | University of Denver (Denver, CO)
Allison DeLoache, M.S.
Hometown | Saluda, SC, USA
Current Position | Ph.D. Student in Integrative Biology
Research Interests | Allison's research interests include environmental toxicology, stress physiology, and behavioral and movement ecology involving aquatic organisms. Her previous research experience has involved studies on stream fish movement, aquatic insect habitat preference, and diet assessments on both fish and amphibians. Her Master's thesis focused on the effects of paper mill effluent on wild populations of minnows in Southeastern Louisiana. In the Shaughnessy Lab, she studies stress physiology and responses in a range of teleost and agnathan fishes. Her career goals are to pursue a career spanning both academia and government research, continuing to focus on fish physiology and toxicology.
Previous Training
- M.S., Biological Sciences | Southeastern Louisiana University (Hammond, LA)
- B.S., Biological Sciences | Clemson University (Clemson, SC)
Dillon Flowers, M.S.
Hometown | Durango, CO, USA
Current Position | Ph.D. Student in Integrative Biology
Research Interests | Dillon’s research interests include conservation physiology, epithelial ion transport, acid-base regulation, and respiratory processes in aquatic organisms. Dillon has previously worked on mechanisms of acid-base regulation in fishes. In the Shaughnessy Lab, he studies the seawater adaptive ion transport and acid-base regulatory mechanisms of the intestinal tract of various fish models, including sea lamprey and Atlantic killifish. His career goals are to work in academia as a comparative physiologist, continuing his research focus in aquatic physiology.
Previous Training
- M.S., Biology | University of Texas at Tyler (Tyler, TX)
- B.S., Zoology | Weber State University (Ogden, UT)
Susanne Hahs
Hometown | New Hampshire, USA
Current Position | M.S. Student in Integrative Biology
Research Interests | Forthcomming...
Previous Training
- B.S., Biology | Boston College (Boston, MA)
Madison Merideth
Hometown | Edmond, OK, USA
Current Position | M.S. Student in Integrative Biology
Research Interests | Madison's research interests include cellular, molecular, and behavioral neuroscience. In the Shaughnessy Lab, she studies cystic fibrosis using model airway epithelial cells, focusing on the role of GPCRs in CFTR activation. Her future plans are to pursue a career in the research industry and intends to integrate her research and teaching in a laboratory setting.
Previous Training
- B.S., Psychology (Neuroscience) | Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK)
Kristine Branch
Hometown | USA
Current Position | B.S. Student in Biology
Research Interests | Forthcomming...
Conner Brown
Hometown | Oklahoma, USA
Current Position | B.S. Student
Research Interests | Forthcomming...
Samantha Kennedy
Hometown | Edmond, OK, USA
Current Position | B.S. Student in Zoology (Ecology and Conservation Biology)
Research Interests | In addition to her Zoology major with a focus in Ecology and Conservation Biology, Samantha is also working toward a Geographic Information Systems Certificate. Her future plans are to pursue an M.S. in Integrative Biology before continuing on to earn a Ph.D.. She intends to develop a career as an aquatic biologist. Her research interests include aquatic and marine biology, endocrinology, and evolution.
Savannah Caldwell | B.S. Biology; Wentz Reseach Scholar (Pursing a career in wildlife conservation)
Madelyne Hurst | B.S. Microbiology; Undergraduate Researcher (Clinical Laboratory Sciences Program, OSU Center for Health Sciences)