Heidi Sleister

Research Interests:
Cell cycle, chromosome transmission, yeast functional genomics, yeast as model organism for human disease, behavioral genetics.

Amy Wisniewski

My interests are mainly concerned with the effects of sex steroid hormones on behavior and physical development. For example, in one of our lab studies we are focusing on an animal model of the impact of the phytoestrogen, genistein, on male reproductive development.

Students involved in this research project include: Alicia Fischer, Stacie Holgrom (bottom row), Raime Robinson, Evan Ball and Kylie Lago (top row). Measuring anogenital distance, and androgen-dependent phenotypic marker, in a 2-day-old rat pup.

Additionally, students in my lab are investigating the impact of illicit drug abuse on hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) function in men and women. In collaboration with the Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, we are investigating HPG function in men and women who are addicted to heroin and cocaine. Students involved with this project include Jack Frankowicz, Sarah Cooper, and Kayla Hatt.

David Senchina

Student research assistants and I study how the human immune system is influenced by two supplemental/alternative therapies: exercise and herbal medicine.  After collecting blood from human volunteers, we examine how the behaviors of white blood cells change in response to therapy.  Our research is multidisciplinary, involving elements from immunology, exercise physiology, and botany.

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