Megan Mahoney

Megan Mahoney is an Associate Professor in the Department of Comparative Biosciences within the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She maintains additional appointments as Associate Professor in Psychology and Nutritional Sciences, and serves as Director of Graduate Programs for Comparative Biosciences while being an Affiliate of the Center for Social & Behavioral Science. Her research integrates chronobiology, reproductive biology, and neurotoxicology to investigate hormonal and environmental chemical impacts on circadian regulation and behavior.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Zoology and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior (EEBB), Michigan State University, 2003
• Bachelor of Arts in Biology, Bates College (1993-1995) and Smith College (Biology Major, 1991-1993), 1995

Dr. Mahoney's work centers on how estradiol, estrogen receptor agonists, botanicals, and endocrine disrupting chemicals modulate sleep-wake cycles, anxiety behaviors, neural responses to light, and molecular rhythms. Her lab pioneered research establishing estrogen signaling mechanisms in circadian regulation, addressing critical questions about sex differences in biological timing systems and environmental chemical impacts on neurological function. Current investigations focus on menopause-related sleep disruptions and endocrine disruptor effects across species.

Analysis of her 2020-2024 publications reveals concentrated exploration of endocrine disruption at the intersection of women's health and circadian biology. Her team employs dual methodologies: human studies with midlife women examining phthalate exposure and sleep metrics, and rodent models investigating reproductive behavior, cognitive function, and metabolic consequences of circadian disruption. Key thematic threads include estrogen-circadian interactions, translational toxicology, and sex-specific vulnerability to environmental chemicals.

Grants:

• Carle Illinois Collaborative Research Seed Funding Program: "Impact of hormonal changes and environmental chemicals on sleep disruptions in a population of menopausal women"
• Companion Animal Research Grant Program: "The association of urinary phthalate metabolites with feline hyperthyroidism"
• NIH: "Gender and sex differences in phthalate-induced toxicity in the reproductive system"
• Center for Social and Behavioral Science Small Grant Program: "The influence of depression and modifiable lifestyle factors on sleep in menopausal women"

The Mahoney Lab operates from the Veterinary Medicine Basic Sciences Building, conducting interdisciplinary research that bridges veterinary science, neuroscience, and public health. Current projects include collaborations with the Midlife Women's Health Study and translational investigations into feline endocrine disorders as models for human conditions, with emphasis on developing interventions for chemical-induced circadian and reproductive dysfunction.