Michelle Haynie

Michelle Haynie is a Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO), serving as Graduate Advisor since 2014 and Curator of the UCO Museum of Natural History's Frozen Tissue Collection since 2008. She also holds a Research Associate position at the Museum of Texas Tech University.

Her educational background includes:

• B.S. in Zoology from Oklahoma State University (1998)
• M.S. in Zoology from Oklahoma State University (2000)
• Ph.D. in Biology from Texas Tech University (2006)

Dr. Haynie's research centers on population genetics and molecular systematics in mammalian systems, utilizing genetic markers to address conservation and evolutionary questions. Current projects focus on comparative hybrid zone studies, cryptic species identification, genomic drivers of speciation, and local adaptations, including a small mammal mark-recapture survey at the UCO Selman Living Lab.

Her publication record (2006-2025) reveals consistent investigation into genetic diversity of rodents and bats, with emerging emphasis on climate change impacts on disease vectors. Recent work examines Trypanosoma cruzi distribution shifts and host-pathogen dynamics in woodrat-virus systems, demonstrating interdisciplinary integration of conservation genetics, virology, and climate modeling.

No major scientific awards or fellowships were documented in the source material.

As Graduate Committee Chair and long-term advisor, Dr. Haynie mentors UCO biology graduate students while serving on departmental committees for assessment, awards, strategic planning, and animal care. Her research has secured funding for wildlife disease ecology projects, particularly through collaborations with the Museum of Texas Tech University and Oklahoma conservation agencies.

She actively contributes to the Center for Wildlife Forensic and Conservation Studies (CFACS) and Center for Research and Education in Interdisciplinary Computation (CREIC), while leading fieldwork at the Selman Living Lab and advising the Oklahoma Mammal Technical Committee on species conservation status.