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Alexis Morris, BS

Curriculum Vitae

PhD student
Aquatic Animal Health Program
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences

Expected year of graduation: 2010
Major advisors: Dr. Ruth Francis Floyd and Dr. Louis Guillette

Email:morrisa@vetmed.ufl.edu

Office location: V2-172
Lab location: Bartran Hall 520

PO Box 100136
2015 SW 16th Ave
Gainesville, FL 32608
(352) 392-2212 ext 5616

Education:

BS, Environmental Studies, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga, 2005

Honors and Awards:

National Science Foundation GK-12 Fellowship, University of Florida, 2007-2008

Francis-Floyd, F., Guillette, L. Jr., Hamlin, H., and Morris, A. Nitrate as an endocrine disrupting contaminant in thyroid function of juvenile bamboo sharks (Chiloscyllium plagiosum), University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, awarded $7,387, 2008

Marine Mammal Fellowship, University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, current


Current Research:

My dissertation research focuses on the influence that high environmental nitrate have on thyroid function of juvenile bamboo sharks (Chiloscyllium plagiosum). The affect of nitrate as an endocrine disrupting contaminant will be evaluated in the following ways:

  • Measuring changes in plasma thyroid hormone concentrations (thyroxine [T4]) between my two nitrate treatments.
  • Determining whether exposure to elevated nitrate concentrations will manifest histological changes to the thyroid gland via evaluating concentration of T4 in thyroid colloidal epithelium.
  • Determining if exposure to elevated nitrate concentrations alter thyroid hormone receptor expression in the thyroid and peripheral tissues (liver, gonad, and kidney).
Laboratory Experience:
  • RIA
  • IHC
  • QPCR