Andy Ammons

Andy Ammons is a Professor of Biology at Goshen College specializing in stress physiology, behavioral genetics, and entomology with a primary focus on honey bee research. His work bridges biomedical and ecological perspectives using Apis mellifera as a model organism for studying alcohol addiction mechanisms and stress responses.

His educational background includes:

• B.A. from Berea College (2003)
• Ph.D. from Purdue University West Lafayette (2007)

Ammons' research centers on physiological and genomic responses to stressors including ethanol, aging, and environmental challenges. He investigates how substances like alcohol affect neurophysiological systems through quantitative trait loci mapping and behavioral assays, with implications for human addiction treatments. His work extends to evolutionary genetics of social insects and circadian rhythm variations between honey bee subspecies.

Publication trends reveal sustained focus on honey bee genomics (60% of works), with recent emphasis on aging-related gene expression (2013) and ethanol sensitivity mechanisms (2008). His interdisciplinary approach integrates molecular biology, toxicology, and behavioral ecology, complemented by pedagogical research in biology education (2011).

Ammons actively mentors 17 undergraduate researchers across 15 concurrent projects including honey bee navigation, pheromone effects on alcohol sensitivity, innate immunity studies, and native bee biodiversity surveys. His lab employs techniques ranging from RT-PCR gene expression analysis to field behavioral observations, often collaborating with Dr. Kris Schmidt on Drosophila immunity research. Current work examines ethyl oleate pheromone interactions with ethanol sensitivity and genetic polymorphisms in circadian rhythm genes.