Deborah I. Lutterschmidt
Associate Professor, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
School of Biological Sciences
School of Biological Sciences
Ph.D., Oregon State University, 2006, Integrative Biology
M.S., University of Oklahoma, 2000, Biology
B.S., DeSales University, 1997, Biology, Chemistry
M.S., University of Oklahoma, 2000, Biology
B.S., DeSales University, 1997, Biology, Chemistry
University of California, Irvine
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
5236 McGaugh Hall
Mail Code: 2525
Irvine, CA 92697
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
5236 McGaugh Hall
Mail Code: 2525
Irvine, CA 92697
Research Interests
Physiological ecology, Behavioral endocrinology, Comparative neurobiology
Appointments
Assistant and Associate Professor, Portland State University, 2010-2019
NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, Georgia State University and the NSF Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, 2006-2010
NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, Georgia State University and the NSF Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, 2006-2010
Research Abstract
Research in my lab is broadly directed at understanding the mechanisms of life-history transitions. More specifically, we aim to understand the environmental, neuroendocrine, and metabolic factors that mediate seasonal transitions from one life-history stage to another. My research is both integrative and comparative in nature, with my interests lying at the interface of physiology, endocrinology, neurobiology, animal behavior, and ecology. I am particularly interested in understanding sex and phylogeographic variation in the neuroendocrine mechanisms that mediate life-history transitions.
Awards and Honors
Graduate Mentoring Excellence Award, Portland State University, 2019
Gorbman-Bern New Independent Investigator Award, North American Society for Comparative Endocrinology, 2015
Outstanding Scientific Researcher Award for Biological Sciences, Sigma Xi, Columbia-Willamette Chapter, 2015
Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral National Research Service Award, NIH General Medical Sciences, 2008-2010
Dorothy M. Skinner Scholar Award, Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, 2008
PEO Scholar Award, 2003-2004
Biology Department Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Teaching, University of Oklahoma, 2000
Provost’s Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, University of Oklahoma, 1999
Excellence in Research Award, Department of Biology, DeSales University, 1997
Gorbman-Bern New Independent Investigator Award, North American Society for Comparative Endocrinology, 2015
Outstanding Scientific Researcher Award for Biological Sciences, Sigma Xi, Columbia-Willamette Chapter, 2015
Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral National Research Service Award, NIH General Medical Sciences, 2008-2010
Dorothy M. Skinner Scholar Award, Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, 2008
PEO Scholar Award, 2003-2004
Biology Department Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Teaching, University of Oklahoma, 2000
Provost’s Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, University of Oklahoma, 1999
Excellence in Research Award, Department of Biology, DeSales University, 1997
Publications
Wilson, R.C. and D.I. Lutterschmidt. 2020. Energy metrics of red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) vary with sex but not life-history stage. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 93: 347-357.
DOI: 10.1086/709994.
Dayger, C.A., M.P. LeMaster, and D.I. Lutterschmidt. 2018. Physiological correlates of reproductive decisions: Relationships among body condition, reproductive status, and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in a reptile. Hormones and Behavior, 100: 1-11.
DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.02.004.
Lutterschmidt, D.I., A.R. Lucas, R.A. Karam, V.T. Nguyen, and M.R. Rasmussen. 2018. Sexually dimorphic patterns of neurogenesis are linked to seasonal life-history transitions in red-sided garter snakes. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 12:364.
DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00364.
Lucas, A.R., D.Y. Richards, L.M. Ramirez, and D.I. Lutterschmidt. 2017. Arginine vasotocin and neuropeptide Y vary with seasonal life-history transitions in garter snakes. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 57: 1166-1183.
DOI: 10.1093/icb/icx107.
Dayger, C.A. and D.I. Lutterschmidt. 2016. Seasonal and sex differences in responsiveness to adrenocorticotropic hormone contribute to stress response plasticity in red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis). Journal of Experimental Biology 219: 1022-1030. DOI: 10.1242/jeb.130450.
Wilczynski, W. and D.I. Lutterschmidt. 2016. Biological Rhythms: Melatonin shapes the space-time continuum of social communication. Current Biology 26: R892-R895. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.08.045.
Howard, C.M. and D.I. Lutterschmidt. 2015. The effects of melatonin on brain arginine vasotocin: Relationship with sex and seasonal differences in melatonin receptor type 1 in green treefrogs (Hyla cinerea). Journal of Neuroendocrinology 27: 670-679. DOI: 10.1111/jne.12292.
Lutterschmidt, D.I. and A.R. Maine. 2014. Sex or Candy? Neuroendocrine regulation of the seasonal transition from courtship to feeding behavior in male red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis). Hormones and Behavior 66: 120-134. DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.01.011.
Lutterschmidt, D.I. 2012. Chronobiology of reproduction in garter snakes: Neuroendocrine mechanisms and geographic variation. General and Comparative Endocrinology 176: 448-455. DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2011.12.015.
Lutterschmidt, W.I. and D.I. Lutterschmidt. 2008. Laboratory Exercises in Human Physiology: A Clinical and Experimental Approach. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., New York, New York.
Professional Societies
North American Society for Comparative Endocrinology
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
J.B. Johnston Club (for Comparative Neurobiology)
Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology
Link to this profile
https://faculty.uci.edu/profile/?facultyId=6820
https://faculty.uci.edu/profile/?facultyId=6820
Last updated
10/28/2020
10/28/2020