Dr. Mary E. White - Curriculum Vitae

Mary E. White

Professor, Department of Biological Sciences

Ted Joanen Endowed Professorship

Southeastern Louisiana University

Phone: (985) 549-3508

Email:mwhite@southeastern.edu

 

EDUCATION

  • S. (Zoology) University of Texas at Austin, 1982.
  • D. (Developmental Biology, Dr. W.R. Jeffery) University of Texas at Austin, 1989. Dissertation: Analysis of the Ascidian Cytoskeleton: Temporal and Spatial Expression of an Invertebrate Intermediate Filament Gene. 

 

POSTDOCTORAL EXPERIENCE

 Sept. 1989-Oct. 1990. University of Texas at Austin. Dr. James J. Bull and Dr. David M. Hillis. Using Bacteriophage T7 as an experimental system to study phylogenetic reconstruction methods.
  

Jan. 1991-August 1991. The Salk Institute; La Jolla, CA. Dr. Merl Hoekstra. Homologous recombination in yeast-- using a yeast artificial chromosome system to map large regions of DNA (i.e. Human chromosomes).

 

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles

American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists

Herpetologists’ League

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Group of Southeastern Louisiana 

 

AWARDS

President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching; Southeastern Louisiana University, 2002.

 

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Board  of Governors; American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.  2011- 2015.

Symposium Chair.  Herpetologists’ League.  2010- 2017.

Member Herpetologists’ League Curriculum Committee 2010-present

Local Host, Joint Meetings of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, 1996, 2006, 2016.

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Grants Panel; Washington D.C. 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010. And 2012.

Reviewer of grants for the National Science Foundation and of papers for numerous professional journals

 

Teaching Experience

General Biology I Lecture and Lab

Biology Advising Seminar (GBIO 241)

Cell Biology

Animal Development Lecture and Lab

Biology Senior Seminar (GBIO 441)

Graduate Molecular Biology

Graduate Seminar—How to Be A Graduate Student

 

Research Interests

Research projects on-going in the laboratory include:

Evolution of germ cell determination in vertebrates-- This project is in collaboration with Dr. Andrew Johnson from the University of Nottingham and  with Dr. Brian I. Crother. We have been studying mode of germ cell determination in vertebrates, and how it may effect macroevolution by release of a developmental constraint.

Crocodilian immune response  genes—A genomic analysis of genes involved in the innate immune response of alligators, crocodiles and caimans in collaboration with Dr. Mark Merchant, McNeese State University.

Physiological effects of saltwater intrusion on amphibians—Effects of salinity on the development of amphibians.  This work currently focuses on the effects of varying concentrations of salt on the expression of “heat-shock” proteins in frog embryos.

 

Select Publications

Merchant, M., V. Morkotinis, A. Hale, M White and C. Moran (2017) Crocodylian nuclear factor kappa B.  Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol. 213: 28-34.

White, M.E.  2016. Hopeful Monsters? Evo-devo and a Much Expanded Evolutionary Synthesis. Chapter 7 IN: Assumptions Inhibiting Progress in Comparative Biology. B.I. Crother and L. Parenti, Eds. CRC Press.

Merchant, M.E., C. Trahan, C. Moran, and M. E. White. 2016. Two Different Complement C3 Genes in Crocodilians. Copeia 104(3):756-762.

B. I Crother, M. E. White, A. D. Johnson. 2016. Diversification and Germ-line Determination Revisited: Linking Developmental Mechanism with Species Richness. Front. Ecol. Evol. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2016.00026

Stower, M. J., R.E. Diaz, L.C. Fernandez, M.E. White, B. Crother, A. Marco, P.A. Trainor, S. Srinivas, and F. Bertocchini (2015).  Bi-modal strategy of gastrulation in reptiles.  Developmental Dynamics 244 (9):1144-1157.

White, M. E. (2011) Oogenesis and Early Embryogenesis.  Pp. 97-118. In R.D. Aldridge and D. M. Sever (eds), Reproductive biology and phylogeny of snakes. Volume 9, Reproductive Biology and Phylogeny series, B. G. M. Jamieson (ed). CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida.

Crother, B.I., M. E. White, J.M. Savage, M.E. Eckstudt, M.R. Graham and D.W. Gardner (2011)  A Reevaluation of the Status of the Foxsnakes Pantherophis gloydi Conant and P. vulpinus Baird and Girard (Lepidosauria). ISRN Zoology Volume 2011.                

Eckstudt, M.E., D.M. Sever, M.E. White and B.I. Crother. (2009). Phylogenetic Analysis of Sperm Storage in Female Squamates   Chapter 5 in L.T. Dahnof (Ed.),Animal Reproduction: New Research Developments (pp. 185-218). NOVA Science Publishers, Inc., Happauge, New York.

Crother, B.I., M.E. White, D. Gardner and J. Warms (2009).  Giant Canadian Snakes and Forensic Phylogenetics.  Contemporary Herpetology 2009(2).

Crother, B. I., M. E. White and A.D. Johnson. (2007) Inferring Developmental Constraint and Constraint Release:  Primordial Germ Cell Determination as Examples.  J. of Theoretical Biology.

White, M.E., M. Kelly-Smith, and B.I. Crother. Higher level snake phylogeny as inferred from 28S ribosomal DNA and  morphology. (2005).  Book chapter IN Ecology and Evolution in the Tropics (eds., M. Donnelly, B. Crother, C. Guyer, M. Wake, M. White), University of Chicago Press (in press)

Johnson, A., R.F. Bacharova, B.I. Crother, M.E. White, R. Patient, M. Drum, and T. Masi (2003).  Regulative Germ Cell Specification in Axolotl Embryos: A Primitive Trait Conserved in the Mammalian Lineage. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. London:358:1371.

Johnson, A., M. Drum, R. Bachvarova, T. Masi, M. E. White, and B. Crother. (2003) Evolution of Pre-determined Germ Cells in Vertebrate Embryos. Implications for macroevolution. Evolution and Development 5: 414-431.

Taggart, T., B.I. Crother, and M.E. White (2002).  Palm-pitviper (Bothriechis) phylogeny, mtDNA and consilience. Cladistics. 17,#4.

White M.E. and B.I. Crother.  (2000). Gene conversions may obscure actin gene family relationships. J. Mol. Evol. 50:170-174.

 

Books and Lab Manuals:

Donnelly, M., B. I Crother, C. Guyer, M. Wake, and M.E. White. (2005).  Editors.  Ecology and Evolution in the Tropics.  A Herpetological Perspective.  University of Chicago Press.  Chicago, IL.,

M.E. White and F.M. Campo. Investigations in Biology. I.  Cellular and molecular biology and genetics. (2013)  Hayden McNeil Publishing.

F.M. Campo and M.E. White . Investigations in Biology. II.  Evolution, Diversity and Ecology. (2013)  Hayden McNeil Publishing

M.E. White and F.M. Campo. Investigations in Biology. I.  Cellular and molecular biology and genetics. McGraw Hill Companies.  Four Editions:  1999, 2001, 2004 and 2008.

M.E. White and F.M. Campo. Investigations in Biology. II.  Evolution, Diversity and Ecology. McGraw Hill Companies.  Three Editions:  1999, 2001 and 2004.

 

Recent Presentations:

Venom Proteins, Genomics and Predicted Sequences. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists; Austin TX; July 2017.

Invited Seminar:  California Polytechnic; San Luis Obispo  Venom Proteins in Crocodilians?  Genomes, Transcriptomes and the Immune System of Alligators.

Science on Tap April 2017  Designer Babies:  Has Science Fact Caught up with Science Fiction?

Innate Immune System Genes of Crocodilians with Mark Merchant. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists; New Orleans LA; July 2016.

Rosen’s Assumptions that Inhibit Progress in Comparative Biology: Goldschmidt and NeoDarwinism. Invited Seminar. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, July 2015, Reno NV.

Complement Component 3 and the Innate Immune Response of Crocodilians. With Mark Merchant. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, July 2014, Chattanooga TN.

Multiple Genes Code for Two Distinct Crocodilian Complement C3 Proteins.  IUCN-SSC Crocodile Specialist Working Group.  With Cassandra Trahan and Mark Merchant.  Lake Charles, Louisiana May 2014.

Primordial Germ Cell Development:  An evolutionary approach to genes and morphology.  With Laura Jackson. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, July 2013, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Oct-4 and the Induced Mechanism of Germ Cell Determination in Reptiles.  With Laura Jackson and Brian Crother. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, July 2013, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Effects of Salinity on Development in Green Tree Frogs (Hyla cinerea). World Congress of Herpetology, August 2012, Vancouver, British Columbia.

Investigating Primordial Germ Cell Development Using Germ Cell-Specific Genes in Fish.  With Laura Jackson and Brian Crother.  World Congress of Herpetology, August 2012, Vancouver, British Columbia.

Salinity and Heat Shock Proteins in Green Treefrogs (Hyla cinerea). With Kayla Basham and Laura Jackson.  Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, July 2010, Providence RI.

Unusual Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbianus) Tadpole Phenotype May Indicate Hybrids

With Brian Crother,  Ronn Altig and James Austin.  Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, July 2009, Portland OR.

Phylogenetic Analysis of Sperm Storage in Female Squamates.  Mallory Eckstudt, David Sever, Mary White, and Brian Crother,  Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, July 2009, Portland OR.

Do Snakes have Predetermined Germ Cells?  with B. Crother. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, July 2008, Montreal, Canada.

A Re-examination of Relationships among the Palm Pit Vipers (Bothriechis) with B. Crother and J. Keeling. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, July 2008, Montreal, Canada.

Phytogeography of Necturus beyeri (Amphibia;  Proteidae) with R. Chabarria, B. Crother, H. Bart, K. Tenaglia and C. Guyer.  Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, July 2008, Montreal, Canada.

Primordial Germ Cell Determination in Fish. With Brian Crother and Andrew Johnson. .  Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, July 2006,  New Orleans, LA.

Squamate Phylogeny. With Brian Crother, Frank Burbrink, and Alec Pyron. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, July 2006,  New Orleans, LA.

Women:  Mad Scientists, or Just A Little Annoyed?  Southeastern Louisiana University Women’s History Month Presentation.  March 2006.

 

Grants:

Louisiana Board of Regents SURE Grant.  Undergraduate research support for Rose DePaula to study effects of salinity on amphibians. 2013-14.

NSF/ Louisiana Board of Regents P-Fund Grant 2009-2010.  Biochemical Effects of Saltwater Intrusion on Amphibian Development (A Pilot Study).

Louisiana Board of Regents Enhancement Program.  2006-2007. Enhancement of instruction and research in the biological sciences through acquisition of a workgroup cluster.  With Kyle Piller and Brian Crother. 

NSF CAREER GRANT:  Laboratory Evolution:  Creating Known Phylogenies.  1996-2002.

NSF-RUI   Determination of Higher Order Relationships Among Snakes Using Ribosomal DNA Sequences.  With Brian I. Crother. 1992-1998,

Louisiana Education Quality Support Fund - Determination of Higher Order Relationships Among Snakes Using Ribosomal DNA Sequences.  With Brian I. Crother. 1992.

Louisiana Education Quality Support Fund Instrumentation Program-- Science and the Future:  Integrating Molecular Biology into a Classical Curriculum.  With Brian I. Crother and Patricia L. Bounds.  1994-1995.

NSF Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement-- Science and the Future:  Integrating Molecular Biology into a Classical Curriculum.  With Brian I. Crother, Patricia L. Bounds, and Edward T. Nelson. 1994-96

Louisiana Education Quality Support Fund Instrumentation Grant--  A Perpetual Learning Laboratory for the Biological Sciences.  With Gary Shaffer and Michael Greene. 1997-1998.

NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement; with B. I. Crother. 1994.

NSF Research Opportunity Award Supplement, with B. I. Crother for Steven Werman. 1995.  

 

Graduate Students Mentored (Advisor or Co-advisor):

Laura Jackson M.S.  2013

Kelly Ryan M.S. 2012

Ryan Chabarria, M.S. 2008

Angel Reine, M.S. 2007

Damien Green, M.S. 2007

Maria Brown, M.S.  2004

David Gardner, M.S. 2003

Eric O’Neil, M.S.  2002

Lisa Aucoin, M.S. (posthumous) 2001

Maria Kelly Smith, M.S. 2000

Dorothy Scholl-Meeker, M.S. 1999

Brian Warren, M.S. 1999

Travis Taggart, M.S. 1998

Kevin McCarthy M.S.

Christie Watkins, M.S. 1996