I arrived at Kenyon in 1997 after graduate and postdoctoral training at Yale University. In collaboration with Kenyon students and faculty colleagues, I study salt transport in animals using a variety of approaches ranging from whole animal studies through molecular techniques. We are currently exploring salt absorption and secretion in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. I teach Animal Physiology as well as introductory lecture and lab classes. I have co-directed and taught writing workshops including The Kenyon Review Young Science Writers and a week-long workshop for scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras.
Areas of Expertise
Animal physiology, salt and water balance physiology, science writing
Education
1994 — Doctor of Philosophy from Yale University
1989 — Bachelor of Arts from Lafayette College
Courses Recently Taught
BIOL 110Y
Introduction to Experimental Biology
BIOL 110Y
This is the first laboratory course a student takes and is a prerequisite for all upper-division laboratory courses. Students are introduced to the processes of investigative biology and scientific writing. It is not designed to accompany any particular core lecture course. Laboratories cover topics presented in the core lecture courses, BIOL 115 and 116, and introduce a variety of techniques and topics, including field sampling, microscopy, PCR, gel electrophoresis, enzyme biochemistry, physiology, evolution and population biology. The course emphasizes the development of inquiry skills through active involvement in experimental design, data collection, statistical analysis, integration of results with information reported in the literature and writing in a format appropriate for publication. The year culminates in six-week student-designed investigations that reinforce the research skills developed during the year. Evaluation is based on short reports, quizzes, lab performance and scientific papers, as well as oral and written presentations based on the independent project. Enrollment is limited to 16 students in each section. Prerequisite: completion or concurrent enrollment in BIOL 115 or equivalent. Required for the major.
BIOL 115
Energy in Living Systems
BIOL 115
Energy flow is a unifying principle across a range of living systems, from cells to ecosystems. With energy flow as a major theme, this course covers macromolecules, cells, respiration and photosynthesis, physiology and homeostasis, population and community interactions, and ecosystems. Throughout the course, the diversity of life is explored. The course also introduces students to the process of scientific thinking through discussion of research methodology and approaches. This course is required for the major and as such, Biology majors should take this class prior to the junior year. No prerequisite. Offered every year. Required for the major although AP or IB credit can be applied against this course.
BIOL 243
Animal Physiology
BIOL 243
Animal physiology examines the processes of animal cells, tissues and organ systems. In this class, we will seek to understand how physiological processes relate to the survival of an animal in its environment. We will use three primary approaches: (1) comparative, contrasting animals that live in different environments; (2) environmental, exploring how animals survive in challenging environments; and (3) structure-function, examining how the anatomy of a system relates to its function. Each organ system (nerve, muscle, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, renal and excretory) will be covered in detail. Readings from the primary research literature will be assigned. The course includes a multi-part writing assignment. This counts toward the upper-level organismal biology/physiology requirement for the major. Prerequisite: BIOL 115, equivalent or permission of instructor.
BIOL 244
Experimental Animal Physiology
BIOL 244
This laboratory class explores the techniques, equipment and experimental designs common to animal physiology. Topics may include muscle physiology, cardiac physiology, salt and water balance, metabolism, and exercise physiology. A variety of experimental techniques will be used. Students will participate in experimental design, perform experiments and present results in oral and written form. Students also will read and analyze relevant papers from the primary literature. Prerequisite: BIOL 109Y-110Y and completion of or concurrent enrollment in BIOL 243. This counts toward the upper-level laboratory requirement.
BIOL 475
Senior Seminar
BIOL 475
In this capstone seminar, students explore current research topics in biology. Each section will explore a different fundamental concept in biology that spans the range of biology from ecosystems to molecules. Students analyze, critique, and integrate information from research articles they connect specific studies to broader biological questions and they propose future work that refines and extends prior studies. Student communicate their insights and analyses in both oral and written formats. Assignments include short essays, student presentations, student-led classes, peer review, and writing workshops. This course counts toward the upper-level lecture course requirement for the biology major. Prerequisite: senior standing and biology or molecular biology major.
BIOL 497
Senior Honors
BIOL 497
This course offers an in-depth research experience. Prior to enrollment in this course, students are expected to complete at least one semester of BIOL 385 and participate in the Summer Science Scholars program. Two semesters of BIOL 385 are recommended. Emphasis is on completion of the research project. Students also are instructed in poster production and produce one or more posters of their honors work for presentation at Kenyon and possibly at outside meetings. There will be oral progress reports, and students draft the Introduction and Methods section of the honors thesis. The letter grade is determined by the instructor and project advisor in consultation with the department. Students must have an overall GPA of at least 3.33 and a GPA of 3.33 in biology. Permission of instructor and department chair required. Prerequisite: BIOL 385 and permission of project advisor and department chair.
BIOL 498
Senior Honors
BIOL 498
This course continues the honors research project and gives attention to scientific writing and the mechanics of producing a thesis. A thesis is required and is defended orally to an outside examiner. The letter grade is determined by the instructor and project advisor in consultation with the department. Permission of instructor and department chair required. Prerequisite: BIOL 385 and 497.
ENGL 404
Science Writing
ENGL 404
In recent years, there has been a renaissance of science writing for the common reader that combines literary and scientific merit: from Stephen Hawking's "A Brief History of Time" to Oliver Sacks' "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for A Hat", from Dava Sobel's "Longitude" to Rebecca Skloot's "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks," a series of books that explore scientific questions in a style that transcends the conventions of academic science writing or popular history have brought important questions from physics, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, and mathematics to wider public attention. Short form science journalism has become one of the most important areas of literary nonfiction, recognized both by annual awards from the American Association for the Advancement of Science and two different series of Best of American Science Writing anthologies. This interdisciplinary science writing course will combine literary analysis of exemplary essays on scientific topics with a writing workshop that requires students to do close observation of scientific processes, conduct independent research and interviews, interpret data, and present scientific information in highly readable form. Weekly readings will be selected from prize-winning science essays and the Best of American Science and Nature Writing series. We may also read one book-length work of science writing. Weekly writing assignments will include journals, observational accounts of science experiments, exercises in interpreting scientific data, interviews, narratives and a substantial research essay. This counts toward the approaches to literary study or post-1900 requirements for the major. No prerequisite.
ENGL 491
ST: Science Writing
ENGL 491
Academic & Scholarly Achievements
2015
Rohrback*, S.E., M.G. Wheatly, and C.M. Gillen. Calcium binding to Procambarus clarkii sarcoplasmic calcium binding protein splice variants. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B 179: 57-63, 2015
2014
Gillen, C.M. The Hidden Mechanics of Exercise: Molecules that Move Us. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 336 p., 2014.
2012
Yeoh*, A.J., K. Davis*, A.V. Vela-Mendoza*, B.A. Hartlaub and C.M. Gillen. Effect of Body Size on Expression of Manduca sexta Midgut Genes. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology 317: 141-151, 2012.
2011
White*, A.J., M.J. Northcutt*, S.E. Rohrback*, R.O. Carpenter*, M.M. Niehaus-Sauter*, Y. Gao, M.G. Wheatly, and C.M. Gillen. Characterization of sarcoplasmic calcium binding protein (SCP) variants from freshwater crayfish Procambarus clarkii. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B 160: 8-14, 2011.
2010
Gillen, C.M. "The Data Suggest": Writing in the Sciences. In: Graff, G. and Birkenstein C. They Say/I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing. 2nd Ed. Norton, New York, 2010.
2009
Gao, Y., C.M. Gillen, D.R. Whalen, F.M. Vigo, A.E. Golshani and M.G. Wheatly. Expression of genes encoding Ca2+exporting proteins in freshwater crayfish Procambarus clarkii during cold exposure. Journal of Thermal Biology 34: 144-151, 2009.
2008
Gillen, C.M., Y. Gao, M.M. Niehaus-Sauter*, M.R. Wylde*, and M.G. Wheatly. Elongation factor 1Bgamma (eEF1Bgamma) expression during the molting cycle and cold acclimation in the crayfish Procambarus clarkii. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part B. 150: 170-176, 2008.
2007
Gillen, C.M. Reading primary literature: a practical guide to evaluating research articles in Biology. Benjamin Cummings, San Francisco, 44 pages, 2007.
2006
Gillen, C.M.; Somple, M.*; Heilman, N.R.*; Watson, N.*; Blair, C.R.*; Stulberg, M.*; Thombre, R.*; Gillen, K.; Itagaki, H. The cation chloride cotransporter, masBSC, is widely distributed in Manduca sexta. Journal of Insect Physiology 52: 661-668, 2006.
(* denotes Kenyon student)