Jennifer Burns, Ph.D.

Research Interests

Over the past two decades, research in my laboratory has explored the linkages between physiology, nutrition, and performance in mammalian systems. Primarily, our work is focused on polar marine mammals, as the challenges these species face to exploit underwater food resources in a highly seasonal environment have led to multiple unique adaptations that highlight basic physiological principles. Research activities have proceeded along three main lines:

1. Understanding the pattern of physiological development in juvenile marine mammals, and how it is regulated;

2. Determining how physiological condition impacts diving performance and foraging success; and

3. Exploring how critical life history events are influenced by, and reflective of, physiological status, prey availability and environmental conditions.

These questions are particularly relevant in polar ecosystems, where climate change is reducing available habitats, and altering food webs, but they are important to all populations.

Current Research Projects

Collaborative Research: the role of maternal iron transfer in the development of heme stores and aerobic diving capacity in grey seal pups. PI JM Burns (TTU), M. Shero (WHOI), G. Breed (UAF); National Science Foundation, IOS-2133824. 

Physiological and Genetic Correlates of Reproductive Success in High- versus Low-Quality Weddell seals. PIs: M.R. Shero (WHOI), B. Briggs (UAA), A. Hindle (UNR), J. Burns (UAA/TTU) Collaborators: Gregg Adams (U. Saskatchewan). National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs 

Pushing the Limit: Driving constraints and adaptive capacity of Alaskan pinnipeds. PIs: A. Bishop (UAF), J. Burns (TTU), M. Horning (WTF). North Pacific Research Board

Openings in the Lab

The Burns' lab is searching for a research technician to assist with ongoing research projects and manage the lab. Prior experience with physiological (hormone assays, gel electrophoresis, distillations) and biochemical assays required. 

We are also looking for 1-2 undergraduates to work alongside graduate students in the lab during the 2023-25 academic year. Undergraudates interested in this opportunity shoudl reach out to the PI by email. 

While we do not currently have funding for a postdoctoral researcher, interested candidates are encouraged to reach out to Dr. Burns to discuss possible projects. 

Selected recent publications (*Grad student in my lab)

1. *Tsai, E. DW Schwilk, M.A. Castellini, M. Burns (In Prep). Diving into the past: tools for recovering historic dive traces from film-based time depth recorders using data from Weddell seals. Animal Biotelemetry
2. *Kirkham A.L., Avery J.P., Beltran R.S., and Burns J.M. (In Prep) Post-lactation mass recovery and metabolic hormone dynamics in adult female Weddell seals. Target journal: General and Comparative Endocrinology.
3. Regney, M., S. Kraberger, JM Custer, A.E. Crane, M.R. Shero, R.S. Beltran, A.L. Kirkham, K. Van Doorslaer, A.C Stone, M.E. Goebel, J.M. Burns, A. Varsani. (2024).Diverse papillomavirus identified from Antarctic fur seals, leopard seals and Weddell seals from the Antarctic. Virology 594:110064. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2024.110064
4. Goetz, K.T., M.S. Dinniman, L.A. Hückstädt, P.W. Robinson, M.R. Shero, M. Burns, E.E. Hofmann, S.E. Stammerjohn, E.L. Hazen, D.G. Ainley, D.P. Costa. 2023. Seasonal habitat preference and foraging behaviour of post-moult Weddell seals in the western Ross Sea. Royal Society Open Science.10(1). Doi: 10.1098/rsos.220500.
5. Shero, M.R., Kirkham, A.L., Costa, D.P.  and J.M. Burns (2022). Iron mobilization during lactation reduces oxygen stores in a diving mammal. Nat Commun 13, 4322 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31863-7
6. Shero, M.R., Burns, J.M. (2022). The Weddell Seal: Eco-Physiological Adaptations to a High-Latitude Seasonal Environment. In: Costa, D.P., McHuron, E.A. (eds) Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Phocids . Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Marine Mammals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-88923-4_13
7. *Beltran, R.S.B., G.A. Breed, T. Adachi, A. Takahashi, Y. Naito, P.W. Robinson, W.O Smith Jr., A. M Kilpatrick, A.L Kirkham, J. M. Burns (2021). Seasonal resource pulses and the foraging depth of a Southern Ocean top predator. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 288, 20202817, doi:10.1098/rspb.2020.2817.
8. *Merrill, G, J.W.Testa, and J. M. Burns (2021). Maternal foraging trip durations as a population-level index of foraging and reproductive success for the northern fur seal. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 666:217-229. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13694
9. Hückstädt, LA., M.A., Piñones, D.M. Palacios, B.I. McDonald, M.S. Dinniman, E.E. Hofmann, J.M. Burns, D.E. Crocker, D.P. Costa (2020). Future shifts in the habitat of crabeater seals along the Antarctic Peninsula. Nature Climate Change. Https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-0745-9.
10. *Walcott, S., M. Horning, A. Kirkham, J.M. Burns (2020). Thermoregulatory costs in molting Antarctic Weddell seals: impacts of physiological and environmental conditions. Conservation Physiology. 8(1): coaa022, doi: 10.1093/conphys/coaa022
11. *Shero, M.R., P.J. Reiser, L. Simonitis,J. M. Burns. (2019). Links between muscle phenotype and life history: Differentiation of myosin heavy chain composition and muscle biochemistry in precocial and altricial pinniped pups Journal of Comparative Physiology B. 189(6): 717-734, DOI:10.1007/s00360-019-01240-w
12. *Beltran, R.S., A.L. Kirkham, G.A. Breed, J.W. Testa, and J. M. Burns. (2019). Reproductive success delays moult phenology in a polar mammal. Sci.Rep.9: 5221 https://doi:10.1038/s41598-019-41635-x 
13. Brennan, S.R., D.P. Fernandez, J.M. Burns, S. Aswad, D.E. Schindler, T.E. Cerling. (2019). Isotopes in teeth reveal a cryptic population of coastal freshwater seals. Conservation Biology 33(6): 1415-1425. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13303
14. Frankfurter G, Beltran RS, Hoard M, Burns JM. (2019). Rapid Prototyping and 3D Printing of Antarctic Seal Flipper Tags. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 43(2): 313-316. https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.964
15. *Pearson, L.E., E.L. Weitzner, J.M. Burns, M.O. Hammill, H.E.M. Liwanag. (2019). From ice to ocean: Changes in the thermal function of harp seal pelt with ontogeny. J. Comp. Physiology B. 189: 501-511. https://org/10.1007/s00360-019-01214-y00061   
16. Piñones, A., D.P. Costa, J.M. Burns, J.M. Klinck, E. Hofmann, M. Dinniman, F. Roquet, K. Goetz. (2019). Hydrographic variability along the inner and mid-shelf region of the western Ross Sea obtained using instrumented seals. Progress in Oceanography 174: 131-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2019.01.003
17. *Beltran, R.S., J.M. Burns, G. Breed. 2018. Convergence of biannual moulting strategies across birds and mammals. Proc Biol Sci. 285(1878): 20180318. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.0318