Education

Degree	Institution	Major
BS	Purdue University	Biology
PhD	University of California, Los Angeles	Biology

Post-Graduate Training

Training	Institution	Specialty
Postdoctoral	Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole	Cell Biology
Postdoctoral	University of California, San Diego	Cell Biology

Awards

Name of Award/Honor	Awarding Organization
Invited to serve on the scientific advisory board for the Laboratory of Developmental Biology	Sorbone University/CNRS
UConn Health Dean's Award for Excellence in Research Mentoring	UConn Health
Frontiers in Reproduction Pioneer Award	Frontiers in Reproduction Program (NICHD, MBL, and Burroughs Wellcome)
MERIT Award, 2014 (extension to April 2024 approved)	NIH/NICHD
Fellow	AAAS
Human Frontier Science Program Award 2000-2004	Human Frontier Science Program
Faculty Award for Women 1991-1997	National Science Foundation
Loeser Award for Outstanding Teaching	University of Connecticut Health Center

Name & Description	Category	Role	Type	Scope	Start Year	End Year
Developmental Biology	Editorial Board	Editorial Board Member	External	National	2018
5th International Oocyte Meeting	Workshop/Conference	Co-Organizer	External	International	2018	2019
Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences	Advisory Committee	Scientific Advisory Board Member	External	International	2018
2012 Cold Spring Harbor meeting on Germ Cells	Workshop/Conference	Organizer	External	National	2012	2012
2011 American Society for Cell Biology minisymposium	Workshop/Conference	Organizer	External	National	2011	2011
NICHD Board of scientific counselors	Advisory Committee	Member	External	National	2011	2016
Department of Cell Biology	Education Committee	Interim Chair	UConn Health	University	2006	2011
Cellular, Molecular, and Integrative Reproduction, NIH study section	Study Section	Member	External	National	2006	2012
Department of Cell Biology	Education Committee	Vice Chair	UConn Health	University	2003	2006
Cell Development and Function, NIH study section	Study Section	Member	External	National	1998	2002
Developmental Biology	Professional/Scientific Journal	Editor	External	National	1995	2007
Developmental Biology	Professional/Scientific Journal	Associate Editor	External	National	1986	1995
Department of Cell Biology	Education Committee	Chair	UConn Health	University
Advanced Research Training Courses Advisory Committee, Marine Biological Lab (Woods Hole)	Education Committee	Member	External	University
Research Council	Research Committee	Member	UConn Health	University
Richard D. Berlin Memorial Lecture Series	Research Committee	Member and Chairperson	UConn Health	University
Sorbonne Universite/CNRS	Advisory Committee	Scientific Advisory Board Member	External	International
Post bac program advisory committee	Advisory Committee	Member	UConn Health	University

My lab's research concerns the physiological mechanisms that regulate the oocyte cell cycle and fertilization. Currently, our studies are focused on meiotic regulation in the ovarian follicle. We are investigating how the ovarian follicle functions as a coordinated system in which events in the somatic cells surrounding the oocyte regulate its meiotic progression.

 

Accepting Lab Rotation Students: Fall Block 2024

Journal Articles

Book Chapters

Other

Reviews

Title or Abstract	Type	Sponsor/Event	Date/Year	Location
Physiology of fertilization	Lecture		2022	National Academy of Sciences, Physiology and Pharmacology section meeting
Regulation of bone growth by the NPR2 guanylyl cyclase	Other	University of Paris	2019	Paris, France
Gonadotropin-induced calcium dynamics in intact mouse follicles.	Poster	Gordon Research Conference on Fertilization & the Activation of Development	2019	New Hampshire
Intercellular communication between the luteinizing hormone receptor and the NPR2 guanylyl cyclase in mouse ovarian follicles.	Other	Gordon Research Conference on Fertilization & the Activation of Development	2019	New Hampshire
Luteinizing hormone receptor and NPR2 guanylyl cyclase communication in mouse ovarian follicles.	Poster	ASCB/EMBO Cell Biology Meeting	2019	Washington DC
Regulation of mammalian oocyte meiosis by intercellular communication within the ovarian follicle	Other	Society for the Study of Reproduction Meeting	2018	New Orleans, LA
Illuminating cellular communication: Imaging cyclic GMP signaling within intact tissues	Other	European Molecular Biology Laboratory	2018	Heidelberg, Germany
Regulation of mammalian oocyte meiosis by intercellular communication within the ovarian follicle	Other	117th International Titisee Conference	2018	Titisee, Germany
Illuminating cellular communication: Imaging cyclic GMP signaling within intact tissues	Other	University of Hamburg	2018	Hamburg, Germany
Frontiers in Reproduction: How the ovarian follicle controls meiotic progression in the oocyte	Other		2017	Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole MA
Intercellular signaling via cyclic GMP diffusion through gap junctions restarts meiosis in ovarian follicles	Other	8th International Conference on cGMP	2017	Germany
Regulation of mammalian oocyte meiosis by intercellular communication within the ovarian follicle	Other	Gordon Conference	2017	New Hampshire
Intercellular signaling via cyclic GMP diffusion through gap junctions restarts meiosis in ovarian follicles	Other		2016	University of Pittsburgh
A conserved cGMP signaling pathway that controls development of both oocytes and bones	Other		2016	University of Minnesota
Intercellular signaling via cyclic GMP diffusion through gap junctions restarts meiosis in ovarian follicles	Other		2015	University of Washington, Seattle WA
Luteinizing hormone signaling rapidly reduces cyclic GMP levels in mammalian ovarian follicles by dephospho rylation of NPR2 and phosphorylation of PDE5, leading to meiotic resumption	Other		2015	Japan