Dr. Laura McKinnon

Postdoctoral Researcher

B.S. (York University, Toronto, ON, Canada)
M.Sc. (Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA)
Ph.D. (Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada)

Currently an Assistant Professor at York University’s Glendon Campus.

E-mail: lmck@glendon.yorku.ca

McKinnon Lab Website

Selected Publications

Dr. Derrick Groom

Dr. Derrick Groom

PhD – Cell & Systems Biology – 2016

Thesis title: “Hummingbird Hovering Energetics and Flight Capacities Across Elevational Gradients.”

 

Ph.D. (University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada)

B.S. (University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada)

Currently a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Dr. Alex Gerson at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

 

E-mail: dgroom@umass.edu

 

Selected Publications

Groom, D. J. E., Kuchel, L. and Richards, J. G. (2013). Metabolic responses of the South American ornate horned frog (Ceratophrys ornata) to estivation. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 164, 2–9. Download
Speers-Roesch, B., Mandic, M., Groom, D. J. E. and Richards, J. G. (2013). Critical oxygen tensions as predictors of hypoxia tolerance and tissue metabolic responses during hypoxia exposure in fishes. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 449, 239–249. Download
Groom, D. J. E., Toledo, M. C. B. and Welch, K. C. (2017). Wingbeat kinematics and energetics during weightlifting in hovering hummingbirds across an elevational gradient. J Comp Physiol B 187, 165–182. Download
Skandalis, D. A., Segre, P. S., Bahlman, J. W., Groom, D. J. E., Jr, K. C. W., Witt, C. C., McGuire, J. A., Dudley, R., Lentink, D. and Altshuler, D. L. (2017). The biomechanical origin of extreme wing allometry in hummingbirds. Nature Communications 8, 1047. Download
Groom, D. J. E., Toledo, M. C. B., Powers, D. R., Tobalske, B. W. and Welch, K. C. (2018). Integrating morphology and kinematics in the scaling of hummingbird hovering metabolic rate and efficiency. Proc. R. Soc. B 285, 20172011. Download
Groom Derrick J. E., Deakin Jessica E., Lauzau M. Collette and Gerson Alexander R. (2019). The role of humidity and metabolic status on lean mass catabolism in migratory Swainson’s thrushes (Catharus ustulatus). Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 286, 20190859.
Groom, D. J. E., Bayram, N., Shehata, M., Herrera M., L. G. and Welch, K. C. (2019). Low ambient temperature reduces the time for fuel switching in the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology 237, 110559. Download
Richards, M., Cardama Garate, A., Groom, D., J. E., Tattersall, G. and Welch Jr., K. C. (2020). Effect of nest microclimate temperatures on metabolic rates of small carpenter bees, Ceratina calcarata. The Canadian Entomologist 152, 772–782. Download
Dr. Brandy Velten

Dr. Brandy Velten

Ph.D. – Cell & Systems Biology, 2016

Thesis title: “Comparative Identification and Characterization of Myosin Heavy Chain Isoforms in Avian Skeletal Muscle”

E-mail: br.velten@gmail.com

 

Selected Publications

Velten, B. P., Dillaman, R. M., Kinsey, S. T., McLellan, W. A. and Pabst, D. A. (2013). Novel locomotor muscle design in extreme deep-diving whales. Journal of Experimental Biology jeb.081323. Download
Velten, B. P. and Welch, K. C. (2014). Myosin heavy-chain isoforms in the flight and leg muscles of hummingbirds and zebra finches. American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology 306, R845–R851. Download
Velten, B. P., Welch, K. C. and Ramenofsky, M. (2016). Altered expression of pectoral myosin heavy chain isoforms corresponds to migration status in the white-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii). Royal Society Open Science 3, 160775. Download
Dr. Sajeni Mahalingam

Dr. Sajeni Mahalingam

M.Sc. – Cell & Systems Biology, 2012

Thesis title: “Neuromuscular control of hummingbird flight kinematics.”

E-mail: mahals4@mcmaster.ca

 

Selected Publications

Mahalingam, S. (2012). Neuromuscular Control of Aerodynamic Power Output via Changes in Wingbeat Kinematics in the Flight Muscles of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris). Download
Mahalingam, S. and Welch, K. C. (2013). Neuromuscular control of hovering wingbeat kinematics in response to distinct flight challenges in the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris). Journal of Experimental Biology jeb.089383. Download
Lui, M. A., Mahalingam, S., Patel, P., Connaty, A. D., Ivy, C. M., Cheviron, Z. A., Storz, J. F., McClelland, G. B. and Scott, G. R. (2015). High-altitude ancestry and hypoxia acclimation have distinct effects on exercise capacity and muscle phenotype in deer mice. American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology 308, R779–R791. Download
Du, S. N. N., Mahalingam, S., Borowiec, B. G. and Scott, G. R. (2016). Mitochondrial physiology and reactive oxygen species production are altered by hypoxia acclimation in killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus). Journal of Experimental Biology jeb.132860. Download
Mahalingam, S. (2017). THE STRESS OF BEING ON TOP: HIGH-ALTITUDE ADAPTATIONS AND PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY OF MITOCHONDRIA IN DEER MICE. Download
Lau, D. S., Connaty, A. D., Mahalingam, S., Wall, N., Cheviron, Z. A., Storz, J. F., Scott, G. R. and McClelland, G. B. (2017). Acclimation to hypoxia increases carbohydrate use during exercise in high-altitude deer mice. American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology 312, R400–R411. Download
Mahalingam, S., McClelland, G. B. and Scott, G. R. (2017). Evolved changes in the intracellular distribution and physiology of muscle mitochondria in high-altitude native deer mice. The Journal of Physiology 595, 4785–4801. Download
Dr. Chris Chen

Dr. Chris Chen

M.Sc. – Cell & Systems Biology, 2012

Thesis title: “Measuring metabolic fuel use and metabolic rate during flight in Archilochus colubris.”

Ph.D., 2017 (York University, Toronto, ON, Canada) in the lab of Dr. David Hood.

M.Sc., 2012 (University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada)

B.S., 2010 (University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada)

 

Currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Sunnybrook Research Institute

E-mail: cwchen@yorku.ca

 

Selected Publications

Welch Jr, K. C., Allalou, A., Sehgal, P., Cheng, J. and Ashok, A. (2013). Glucose Transporter Expression in an Avian Nectarivore: The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris). PLOS ONE 8, e77003. Download
Chen, C. C. W. and Welch, K. C. (2014). Hummingbirds can fuel expensive hovering flight completely with either exogenous glucose or fructose. Functional Ecology 28, 589–600. Download
Welch, K. C. and Chen, C. C. W. (2014). Sugar flux through the flight muscles of hovering vertebrate nectarivores: a review. J Comp Physiol B 184, 945–959. Download
Hood, D. A., Tryon, L. D., Vainshtein, A., Memme, J., Chen, C., Pauly, M., Crilly, M. J. and Carter, H. (2015). Chapter Five - Exercise and the Regulation of Mitochondrial Turnover. In Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science (ed. Bouchard, C.), pp. 99–127. Academic Press. Download
Carter, H. N., Chen, C. C. W. and Hood, D. A. (2015). Mitochondria, Muscle Health, and Exercise with Advancing Age. Physiology 30, 208–223. Download
Hood, D. A., Tryon, L. D., Carter, H. N., Kim, Y. and Chen, C. C. W. (2016). Unravelling the mechanisms regulating muscle mitochondrial biogenesis. Biochemical Journal 473, 2295–2314. Download
Chen, C. C. W., Erlich, A. T. and Hood, D. A. (2018). Role of Parkin and endurance training on mitochondrial turnover in skeletal muscle. Skeletal Muscle 8, 10. Download
Chen, C. C. W., Erlich, A. T., Crilly, M. J. and Hood, D. A. (2018). Parkin is required for exercise-induced mitophagy in muscle: impact of aging. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism 315, E404–E415. Download
Alexander Myrka

Alexander Myrka

MSc – Cell & Systems Biology – 2015

Thesis title: “Sweet GLUTs: Quantitative Analysis of Glucose Transporter and Fructolytic Enzyme Transcript Densities in Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris)”

 

M.Sc. (University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada)

B.S. (University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada)

Currently a PhD student in the lab of Dr. Les Buck at the University of Toronto.

 

E-mail: alex.myrka@mail.utoronto.ca

 

Selected Publications

Welch, K. C., Myrka, A. M., Ali, R. S. and Dick, M. F. (2018). The metabolic flexibility of hovering vertebrate nectarivores. Physiology 33, 127–137. Download
Workman, R. E., Myrka, A. M., Wong, G. W., Tseng, E., Welch, K. C. and Timp, W. (2018). Single-molecule, full-length transcript sequencing provides insight into the extreme metabolism of the ruby-throated hummingbird Archilochus colubris. Gigascience 7,. Download
Myrka, A. M. and Welch, K. C. (2018). Evidence of high transport and phosphorylation capacity for both glucose and fructose in the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 224, 253–261. Download
Groom, D. J. E., Bayram, N., Shehata, M., Herrera M., L. G. and Welch, K. C. (2019). Low ambient temperature reduces the time for fuel switching in the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology 237, 110559. Download
Myrka, A. M., Shah, T., Weir, J. T. and Welch Jr., K. C. (2020). No signature of selection on the C-terminal region of glucose transporter 2 with the evolution of avian nectarivory. Avian Research 11, 44. Download
Lily Hou

Lily Hou

MSc – Ecology & Evolutionary Biology – 2015

Thesis title: “Automated Serial Sampling in Hummingbirds Obviates Laborious Ecological Studies of Behaviourally Induced Rises in Departure Stores”

B.S. (University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada)

E-mail: lily.hou@mail.utoronto.ca

 

Selected Publications

Hou, L., Verdirame, M. and Welch, K. C. (2015). Automated tracking of wild hummingbird mass and energetics over multiple time scales using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. Journal of Avian Biology 46, 1–8. Download
Hou, L. and Welch, K. C. (2016). Premigratory ruby-throated hummingbirds, Archilochus colubris, exhibit multiple strategies for fuelling migration. Animal Behaviour 121, 87–99. Download
Raafay Syed Ali

Raafay Syed Ali

MSc student – Cell & Systems Biology

Thesis title: “Plasma Membrane Recruitment Patterns of Glucose Transporters (GLUT) 1, 2, 3, and 5 in Response to Feeding in the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Archilochus colubris.“

B.S. (University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada)

E-mail: raafay.ali@mail.utoronto.ca

 

Selected Publications

Gershman, A., Hauck, Q., Dick, M., Jamison, J. M., Tassia, M., Agirrezabala, X., Muhammad, S., Ali, R., Workman, R. E., Valle, M., et al. (2023). Genomic insights into metabolic flux in hummingbirds. Genome Res. gr.276779.122. Download
Ali, R. S., Dick, M. F., Muhammad, S., Sarver, D., Hou, L., G. William Wong and Welch, K. (2020). Glucose transporter expression and regulation following a fast in the ruby-throated hummingbird, Archilochus colubris. Journal of Experimental Biology 223, jeb229989. Download
Welch, K. C., Myrka, A. M., Ali, R. S. and Dick, M. F. (2018). The metabolic flexibility of hovering vertebrate nectarivores. Physiology 33, 127–137. Download