PhD, Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, 2007
BA, Biology, Boston University, 2002
Twitter: @ProfSharkBrain
yopakk@uncw.edu
Research Interests
I received my B.A. in Biology (with a specialization in marine science) from Boston University in 2002 and completed my PhD at the University of Auckland in New Zealand in 2007, before completing postdocs at the University of California San Diego and the University of Western Australia. In this time, my research has focused on comparative neurobiology and the adaptive, developmental, and phylogenetic forces acting on evolution of the brain, particularly within the clade of cartilaginous fishes.
My research interests lie in the evolution of neural systems, particularly the ways in which variation in brain size, structure, and cellular composition underlies complex behaviors and cognitive capacity in fishes. Through my academic career, I have found the best way to answer scientific questions is to cross traditional academic boundaries, employing novel techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and flow cytometry, in conjunction with traditional histology and comparative phylogenetic statistics, and applying these seemingly disparate methods to explore the adaptive, developmental, and evolutionary processes driving brain evolution. As such, I consider myself an integrative biologist, with research at the nexus between marine biology, neuroscience, functional morphology, evolutionary biology, and MR physics.
If you want to hear about some of our ongoing projects, check out our Research page.
Selected Professional Service
- Co-Editor-in-Chief, Brain Behavior and Evolution
- Chair, UNCW Dept. of Biology, Neuroscience Minor
- Board of Directors, American Elasmobranch Society
- Scientific Advisory Board, oVert: Open Exploration of Vertebrate Diversity in 3D, a NSF-funded Thematic Collections Network (TCN), NSF’s Advancing the Digitization of Biological Collections (ADBC) program
- Executive Committee, J.B. Johnston Club for Evolutionary Neuroscience
- Chair, American Elasmobranch Society Carrier Award Committee
- Guest Editor of a special issue of Brain Behavior and Evolution: “The Nervous System of Cartilaginous Fishes” (Vol 80 (2): 73-166)
Graduate/Honors Students
MSc/PhD
- Russell Ward, MSc Candidate, UNCW, School of Biology & Marine Biology, “Effects of water quality on salmon nervous system development.”
- Derek Sauer, PhD Candidate, University of Auckland, School of Biological Sciences, “How do sharks localize sound? Variation in inner ear morphology in cartilaginous fishes.” (co-supervisor with Dr. C. Radford)
- Emily Peele, PhD Candidate, UNCW, School of Biology & Marine Biology, “Effects of increased temperature on brain development in cartilaginous fishes.”
- Sarah Rheinsmith, MSc (2021), UNCW, School of Biology & Marine Biology, “Ontogenetic shifts in the brain of the Pacific sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka”
- Victoria Camilieri-Asch, PhD (2019), University of Western Australia, School of Animal Biology, “Neurobiological indicators of olfactory sensitivity in elasmobranchs.” (co-supervisor with Dr. S. Collin)
- Christopher Mull, PhD (2017), Simon Fraser University, Biological Sciences, “Maternal investment and brain development in chondrichthyans.” (co-supervisor with Dr. N. Dulvy)
- Lucille Chapuis, PhD (2017), University of Western Australia, School of Animal Biology, “The auditory abilities of sharks and their relatives.” (co-supervisor with Dr. S. Collin)
- Carlos Salas, PhD (2016), University of Western Australia, School of Animal Biology, “Central visual pathways of the southern hemisphere lampreys, Geotria australis and Mordacia spp.” (co-supervisor with Dr. S. Collin)
Honors
- Haley Morman, Honors Candidate, UNCW, Department of Biology & Marine Biology, "Ontogenetic Shifts in the Brain of the Smooth Butterfly Ray, Gymnura micrura."
- Alayna Mahon, Honors (2021), UNCW, Department of Biology & Marine Biology, "Sexual Dimorphism in Brain Size Scaling in Cartilaginous Fishes."
- Rachel Zino, Honors (2020), UNCW, Department of Biology & Marine Biology, "Effects of temperature on the peripheral nervous system in cartilaginous fishes.”
- Krista Laforest, Honors (2019) UNCW, Department of Biology & Marine Biology, “Ontogenetic shifts in the brain of Rhizoprionodon terranovae."
- Matthew Fraser-Grant, Honors (2014), University of Western Australia, School of Animal Biology, “Quantitative assessment of motor output in the cerebellum of fishes”
- Rebecca Wassell, Honorss (2012), University of Western Australia, School of Animal Biology, “Quantitative Measures of Brain Evolution in cartilaginous and bony fishes”(co-supervisor with Dr. S. Collin)
Graduate/Honors Committees
MSc/PhD
- Vanessa Moreno, MSc Candidate, UNCW, “Coming into focus: clarifying the role of spatial vision in cryptic camouflage of summer flounder (P. dentatus) (Chair: L. Schweikert)
- Aubrey Clark, PhD Candidate. Florida Atlantic University, “Morphology and physiology of the elasmobranch olfactory system. (Chairs: M. Porter & T. Meredith)
- Lydia Naughton, PhD Candidate, UNCW, " Dermal photoreception on hogfish” (Chair, L. Schweikert)
- Olivia Jackson, PhD Candidate, UNCW, "Comparative morphology of the brain lymphatic system in marine mammals” (Chair, M. Tift)
- Peyton Thomas, PhD Candidate, UNCW, "Effects of Elevated Temperature on Muscle Development in Elasmobranch Species." (Chair, S. Kinsey)
- Carrie Rowlands, MSc (2021), UNCW, "Spinal Cord Morphology in Deep and Shallow Diving Cetaceans." (Chair, A. Pabst)
- Kelly Platfoot, MSc (2019), UNCW, "Innervation of swim musculature by peptidergic neurons in the pteropod mollusk, Clione limacina." (Chair, R. Satterlie)
- Alana Arnone, MSc (2019), UNCW. "Innervation of buccal cones in the pteropod mollusk, Clione limacina" (Primary, R. Satterlie)
- Samantha Ehnert, MSc (2017) University of North Florida, "Mercury Accumulation and Effects in the Brain of Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks (Rhizoprionodon terranovae)." (Chair: J. Gelschleiter)
Undergraduate
- Jake Bolin Honors Candidate, UNCW, Dept. of Biology and Marine Biology, “Numerically and visually quantifying humpback whale visual acuity using a retinal ganglion cell count." (Chair, L. Schweikert
- Emily Burrell, Honors (2022), UNCW, Dept. of Psychology, “The effects of an NMDA receptor (possibly Dizocilpine) on episodic memory in rodents.” (Chair, K. Bruce)
- Dylan Marshall, Honors (2022), UNCW, Dept. of Psychology, “
The effect of time delays on performance in the odor span task (OST) in rodents." (Chair, K. Bruce)
- Jasper Stead, Honors (2021), University of Queensland, “Brain morphology & sensory specialization in deep-sea lanternfish. (Chair: F. de Busserolles, UQ)
- Victoria Baer, Honors (2021), UNCW, Dept. of Biology and Marine Biology, “Identification of fabI mutations contributing to triclosan resistance in Staphylococcus Aureus isolates.” (Chair, K. Kiser, BIO)
- Laura Brock, Honors (2021), UNCW, Dept. of Psychology, “Does anti-VCAM-1 mediate exaggerated neuroinflammation and infarct size in diet induced obesity animal models?” (Chair, T. Peterson)
- Nicholas Blackburn, Honors (2021), UNCW, Dept. of Psychology, "The Role of Delays in Rodent Working Memory." (Chair, K. Bruce)
- Madeline Miller, Honors (2021), UNCW, Dept. of Biology and Marine Biology, “The use of neuroimaging as a diagnostic tool for intracranial hypertension.” (Chair, R. Danner)
- Rebekah James, Honors (2020), UNCW, Dept. of Biology and Marine Biology, "Overwinter movements and habitat of young of the year white sharks, Carcharodon carcharias, in the northwest Atlantic. "(Chair, T. Lankford)
- Joanna Harrod, Honors (2019), UNCW, Dept. of Biology and Marine Biology (Chair, R. Satterlie)
- Kenya Inoue, Honors (2019), UNCW, Dept. of Psychology (Chair, T. Peterson)
- Andreana Buckenberger, Honors (2019), UNCW, Dept. of Biology and Marine Biology (Chair, R. Satterlie)