Amy Newman

Amy Newman is a Professor & Chair of Integrative Biology at the University of Guelph. Her research bridges ecology, physiology, and neuroendocrinology, focusing on stress biology and the effects of early life environments on stress axis development. She leads the Newman Lab, studying wild populations such as Savannah Sparrows and red squirrels to understand how early life stress influences physiology, behavior, and fitness. Dr. Newman holds a B.Sc. from Queen's University (2004) and a Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia (2009), followed by an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Guelph (2010–2012).

Her work employs field and lab techniques to investigate molecular, neuronal, and ecological aspects of stress responses. Key foci include epigenetic mechanisms linking environment and phenotype, multigenerational stress effects in songbirds, and prenatal stress impacts on red squirrels. Collaborations with the Kluane Red Squirrel Project and long-term studies on Kent Island enhance her research's ecological relevance. Dr. Newman mentors graduate students to develop independent, integrative research projects, emphasizing fieldwork and publication-driven theses.

Notable projects include studying HPA axis development in Savannah Sparrows, the role of corticosterone in neuroplasticity, and microbiome variations in urban mammals. Her lab's work highlights the importance of early life conditions in shaping adult physiology and fitness, with implications for wildlife conservation and evolutionary ecology.