Scott Kavanaugh - PhD

University of New Hampshire
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Rudman Hall Rm 322
46 College Rd
Durham, NH 03824

(phone) 603-862-0044
(fax) 603-862-4013
sik@cisunix.unh.edu

Research Area

Molecular & Biochemical Neuroendocrinology

Research Emphasis

My research as a graduate student has focused on the neuroendocrinology of reproduction using lampreys and hagfish as model. Lampreys and hagfish are exciting to study because they are the only two living representatives of the oldest extant lineage of vertebrates, the agnathans and hold a unique position at the base of the vertebrate tree.

The brain (hypothalamic) neurohormone, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), regulates reproduction in all vertebrates via the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.

Master's Research

My Master’s and part of doctoral dissertation research included elucidating the role and the identification of gonadotropin-releasing in the Atlantic hagfish, Myxine glutinosa. Although the primary structure or cDNA was not determined the study indicated changes in brain immunoreactive-GnRH correlated with changes in reproductive stages, supporting earlier published study correlating steroid production with a seasonal reproductive cycle in Atlantic hagfish.

Resulting publications:
a. Powell, M.L. S.I. Kavanaugh, and S.A. Sower. 2004. Seasonal concentrations of reproductive steroids in the gonads of the Atlantic hagfish, Myxine glutinosa. J. Exp Zool. 301A:352-360. PubMed
b. Kavanaugh, S.I., M.L. Powell and S.A. Sower. 2005. Seasonal changes of gonadotropin- releasing hormone (GnRH) in the Atlantic hagfish Myxine glutinosa. Gen Comp. Endocrinol. 140:136-143. PubMed
c. Powell, M.L., S.I. Kavanaugh and S.A. Sower. 2005. Current knowledge of hagfish reproduction: implications for fisheries management. Integrat. Comp. Biol. 45:158-165. OxfordJournals

Dissertation Research

My dissertation research involves the cloning and analysis of a novel GnRH in the sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus. The newly discovered lamprey GnRH-II offers a new paradigm of the origin of the vertebrate GnRH family We hypothesize that due to a genome/gene duplication event, an ancestral gene gave rise to two lineages of GnRHs—the gnathostome GnRH and lamprey GnRH-II.

Resulting Publication:
Kavanaugh, S.I., M. Nozaki and S.A. Sower. 2008. Origins of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in vertebrates: identification of a novel GnRH in a basal vertebrate, the sea lamprey. Endocrinology. 149(8): 3860-9.
PubMed

Teaching

During the past several years, I taught Biochemistry 659 (a molecular and biochemical course designed for junior and senior level students), Biology 411 (a general education lab course in introductory biology), Biology 412 (a core biology introductory lab course surveying organisms and organismal biology) and Ocean Technology 797 (teaching assistant for juniors and seniors during a year long course to study the reproduction of hagfish in their native habitat, the ocean). As an undergraduate I tutored Anatomy and Physiology, Vertebrate Zoology and Biology. I was also a teaching assistant for Anatomy and Physiology and Biology. Throughout the year I am engaged with several undergraduate and new graduate students, introducing them to laboratory structure and teaching them necessary protocols. It is the latter from which I derive the greatest pleasure—watching someone widen his/her horizons as he/she learns the scientific process.