Assistant Professor of Biology
Biology / Academic
- Office:
- IDEA Center 343
- Mailbox:
- 61603
- Phone:
- 903.813.2344
Education:
B.A., Davidson College.
Ph.D., Harvard University.
Faculty Bio:
As a graduate of another small liberal arts college, I know the transformative power of an undergraduate liberal arts education. Because of the opportunity to do research as an undergraduate, I discovered Developmental Biology, which is the study of the processes by which an organism changes from a fertilized egg into an adult. After working with undergraduates during my PhD and postdoctoral training, I also discovered how much I enjoy being in the classroom. I’m thrilled to be at Austin College where I’m able to integrate my passion for teaching, mentoring, and research every day.
Recent Courses:
- Bio 101: Disease of the Genes
- Bio 116: Introductory Cell Biology
- Bio 324: Developmental Biology
- Bio 349: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
- Jan Term: Swim, Bike, Run: The Biology of Exercise
Research Interests:
My research lab uses zebrafish as a model organism. Zebrafish embryos are small, optically clear, and develop completely outside the mother, making them ideal for visualization of development. We use both chemical and genetic approaches to manipulate zebrafish embryos, with a particular interest in the development of the heart, skeletal muscle, and nervous system.
Current projects in my lab include using zebrafish as environmental sentinels to examine the impact of pesticide exposure on neural development and investigation into the role of actin polymerization and sarcomere formation in skeletal and cardiac muscle development.
Publications:
Carroll KJ, Esain V, Garnaas MK, Cortes M, Dovey MC, Nissim S, Frechette GM, Liu SY, Kwan W, Cutting CC, Harris JM, Gorelick DA, Halpern ME, Lawson ND, Goessling W, North TE. Estrogen defines the dorsal ventral limit of VEGF regulation to specify the location of the hemogenic endothelial niche. 2014. Developmental Cell. 29(4):437-453.
Mokalled MH*, Carroll KJ*, Cenik BK, Chen B, Liu N, Olson EN, Bassel-Duby R. Myocardin-related transcription factors are required for cardiac development and function. 2015. Developmental Biology. 406(2):109-116.
Carroll KJ, Makarewich CA, McAnally J, Anderson DM, Zentilin L, Liu N, Giacca M, Bassel-Duby R, Olson EN. A mouse model for adult cardiac-specific gene deletion with CRISPR/Cas9. 2016. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.113(2):338-343.
Faculty Extras:
Outside of work, I enjoy reading, doing triathlons, traveling, knitting, and spending time with family and friends. I also volunteer as a Court Appointed Special Advocate with CASA of Grayson County.