Sarah Keesom

Dr. Sarah Keesom serves as Associate Professor of Biology at Utica University, leading innovative research on social isolation's physiological impacts using mouse models. Her work bridges undergraduate education and cutting-edge science through the BIO 324 Animal Physiology laboratory course, involving over 40 students across multiple semesters in collaborative projects with faculty colleagues Terri Provost and Adam Pack.

Her research focuses on three core domains:

• Reproductive Health: Investigating ovarian follicle density, litter size, and hormone regulation (luteinizing/follicle-stimulating hormones)
• Metabolic Function: Analyzing food consumption, sucrose preference, blood sugar, and digestive health
• Cognitive Effects: Studying anxiety responses and memory changes under social isolation

Notably, her team discovered counterintuitive fertility enhancement in isolated female mice—larger ovarian follicles and bigger litters—challenging established stress-response paradigms.

Dr. Keesom emphasizes experiential learning, with student researchers presenting findings at major conferences including Experimental Biology (2022, Philadelphia) and Developmental Biology New York (2022, Ithaca College). This work provides critical insights into how social interaction influences overall health, with implications for human pandemic recovery.