معرفی
Susannah French serves as Professor and Associate Dean of the College of Science at Utah State University's Biology Department. Her office is located in BNR 235G with contact number (435) 797-9175.
Education:
- PhD in Physiology (Ecology), Arizona State University (2006). Dissertation: Occurrence and Regulation of Physiological Trade-offs Between the Reproductive and Immune Systems
- BS in Ecology, Ethology and Evolution (Chemistry), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2002)
Professor French's research centers on ecoimmunology and physiological ecology, particularly examining trade-offs between reproductive and immune systems in vertebrates. Her work investigates how environmental stressors, anthropogenic impacts, and toxins influence physiological responses across species including tree lizards, Siberian hamsters, Galápagos marine iguanas, and rough-skinned newts. She employs field and laboratory approaches to study corticosterone regulation, energy allocation strategies, and evolutionary adaptations to toxins like tetrodotoxin.
Analysis of her recent publications reveals consistent focus on amphibian and reptile models, with growing emphasis on anthropogenic stressors (road deicers, nanoparticles, invasive species) and elevation/climate gradients. Her work bridges fundamental physiological mechanisms with conservation applications, particularly regarding contaminant impacts on wildlife.
Scientific Mentoring:
- Emily Virgin (Biology, 2016)
- Spencer Hudson (Biology, 2015)
- Geoffry Smith (Biology, 2012)
- Andrew Durso (Biology, 2011)
- Gareth Hopkins (Biology, 2010)
- Lori Neuman-Lee (Biology, 2010)
Professor French teaches advanced physiology courses including BIOL 5600/6600 Comparative Animal Physiology and BIOL 6240 Physiological Ecology of Vertebrates. She leads the French Lab at Utah State University, which maintains active social media presence (@usufrenchlab on Twitter and Instagram), focusing on field research across variable landscapes with implications for individual physiology and population dynamics.
