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Curriculum Vitae

Teresa L McElhinny
Department of Zoology - MSU Museum
Michigan State University - East Lansing, MI 48824
517 432-1057 (w)
mcelhinn@msu.edu

Education

Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Currently enrolled as a doctoral student in the Department of Zoology, the Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior Program, and the Certification of Teaching in College Science Program.

Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
MS in Zoology, with a concentration in animal behavior, 1996

Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
BS in Zoology, with a concentration in animal behavior, 1993

Research Experience

Graduate student research: My interests include the morphology, evolution, systematics, and behavior of mammals, specifically the Carnivora. I am currently studying the morphology of the skull in the Family Hyaenidae using morphometric techniques. This research is being conducted in the laboratory of Dr. Barbara Lundrigan.

Research assistant: July 1997-July 1999. This work involved efforts to elucidate the roles of steroid hormones and neurotrophins in the control of the differentiation of sexually dimorphic song nuclei in the zebra finch brain. This research was conducted in the laboratory of Dr. Juli Wade.

Research assistant: June 1996-July 1999. This work involved biological rhythms in the unstriped Nile grass rat (Arvicanthis niloticus), a diurnal murid rodent. This research centered on rhythms of behavior and peptides linked with time-keeping mechanisms. This research was conducted in the laboratory of Dr. Laura Smale.

Graduate student research: September 1993-June 1996. This group of projects involved researching the natural history of Arvicanthis niloticus, and developing and carrying out descriptive experiments centering on the reproductive biology, and biological rhythms associated with reproduction in this species. This research was conducted in the laboratories of Drs. Kay Holekamp and Laura Smale.

Undergraduate student research: Summer and Fall 1992. Substrate and environment choice in Michigan land snails. This work provided an introduction to behavioral observation. This research was conducted in the laboratories of Drs. Martin Balaban and James Atkinson.

Technical Experience

Histology, immunocytochemistry, autoradiography, thin layer chromatography, animal husbandry and maintenance of laboratory colonies (snails, grass rats, zebra finches, anole lizards), small animal perfusion and surgery, statistical analysis, graphical illustration of data, management of undergraduate employees including hiring, training, scheduling and project coordination.

Teaching Experience

Organisms and Populations, Laboratory Instructor, Michigan State University (Fall 2002).

Behavioral Ecology of African Mammals, Instructor, Michigan State University Study Abroad in Kenya (Summer 2001, 2002).

The Biology of Mammals, Laboratory Instructor/Teaching Assistant, Michigan State University (Fall 1994, 1995 and 1999; Spring 2001, 2002).

The Biology of Birds, Laboratory Instructor/Teaching Assistant, Michigan State University (Fall 2000, 2001).

Fundamental Genetics, Recitation Instructor, Michigan State University (Summer 2000).

Comparative Anatomy, Laboratory Instructor/Teaching Assistant, Michigan State University (Spring 1995,1996 and 2000).

The Biology of Mammals, Visiting Faculty, Michigan State University’s Kellogg Biological Station (Summer 1997).

The Biology of Birds and Mammals, Laboratory Instructor/Teaching Assistant, Michigan State University (Spring 1994).

Service

Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior Graduate Student Organization: Michigan State University, President (2001-2002).

Curriculum Committee: Michigan State University, Department of Zoology, Graduate Student Representative (2000-2001).

Campus Teaching Assistant Orientation: Michigan State University, Facilitator (2000, 2001).

Animal Weapons: Nature’s Arms Race, MSU Museum Exhibit Committee (1999-2000).

An Invitation to Sample Success: Sixth Grade Girls in Math and Science Conference, Hands-on mentor, Capital Area Math and Science Center (Annually, 1994-1998, 2000).

Seminar Committee: Michigan State University, Department of Zoology, Graduate Student Representative (????).

Professional Membership

American Society of Mammalogists, Animal Behavior Society, Society for the Study of Evolution, Association for Women in Science

Grants and Awards

Award for best graduate student poster, Second Annual Zoology Research Day, 1994.

Guest Lectures

"Genetics and Behavior", Zoology 341 (Fundamental Genetics), Michigan State University, June, 2000.

"Circadian rhythms and sleep", Psychology 209 (Brain and Behavior), Michigan State University, Spring and Fall, 1998.

"Diurnality and nocturnality in Arvicanthis niloticus", Michigan State University’s interdepartmental Behavioral Biology Discussion Group, March, 1997.

"How to make a scientific poster", McNair/SROP Scholars Program, Michigan State University, July, 1996.

"Patterns of body temperature, activity, and reproductive behavior in a tropical murid rodent, Arvicanthis niloticus", Michigan State University’s interdepartmental Behavioral Biology Discussion Group, April, 1996.

Publications

Smale, L., T. McElhinny, J. Nixon, B. Gubik, and Rose, S. (2001). Patterns of wheel running are related to Fos expression in neuropeptide-Y containing neurons in the intergeniculate leaflet of Arvicanthis niloticus. Journal of Biological Rhythms. 16: 163-172.

McElhinny, T.L., Sisk, C.L., Holekamp, K.E., and Smale, L. (1999). A morning surge in plasma LH coincides with elevated Fos expression in GnRH-IR neurons in the diurnal rodent Arvicanthis niloticus. Biology of Reproduction. 61: 1115-1122.

Wade, J., Swender, D.A., and McElhinny, T.L. (1999). Sexual differentiation of the zebra finch song system parallels genetic, not gonadal, sex. Hormones and Behavior. 36: 141-152.

Nunez, A.A., Bult, A., McElhinny, T. L. and Smale, L. (1999). Daily rhythms of Fos expression in hypothalamic targets of the suprachiasmatic nuclei in diurnal and nocturnal rodents. Journal of Biological Rhythms. 14, 300-306.

Blanchong, J.A., McElhinny, T.L., Mahoney, M.M., and Smale, L. (1999). Nocturnal and diurnal rhythms in the unstriped Nile rat, Arvicanthis niloticus. Journal of Biological Rhythms. 14: 364-377.

McElhinny, T.L., Smale, L., and Holekamp, K.E. (1997). Patterns of body temperature, activity, and reproductive behavior in a tropical murid rodent, Arvicanthis niloticus. Physiology and Behavior. 62: 91-96.

Conference Presentations

Wade, J., Swender, D.A., and McElhinny, T.L. Sexual differentiation of the zebra finch song system parallels genetic, not gonadal, sex. Society for Neuroscience (abstract 24, 1998).

McElhinny, T.L., and Smale, L. Fos expression in GnRH neurons is associated with a morning post-partum estrus in the diurnal rodent, Arvicanthis niloticus. Sixth Meeting of the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms (1998)

Blanchong, J.A., McElhinny, T.L., and Smale, L. Variation in circadian rhythmicity in Arvicanthis niloticus. Sixth Meeting of the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms (1998).

Bult, A. McElhinny, T., Elliott, A., Nunez, T., and Smale, L. Arvicanthis niloticus: a model to study the neural mechanisms that control whether a circadian rhythm will be diurnally or nocturnally expressed. Gordon Conference (1997).

McElhinny, T.L., Holekamp, K.E., and Smale, L. Patterns of temperature, activity, and reproductive behavior in a tropical rodent, Arvicanthis niloticus. Fifth Meeting of the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms (1997).

Nunez, A.A., Smale, L., Bult, A., McElhinny, T., and Novak, C.M. Rhythms of Fos-related protein expression in diurnal and nocturnal rodents. Fourth Latin American Symposium on Chronobiology (1997).

McElhinny, T.L., Holekamp, K.E., and Smale, L. Patterns of temperature, activity, and reproductive behavior in a tropical rodent, Arvicanthis niloticus. Seventy-sixth meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists (1996).

McElhinny, T.L., and Kent, D. Reproductive physiology and behavior of Arvicanthis niloticus. Second annual Zoology Department Research Day, Michigan State University (1994).