Alexander M Schreiber
Associate Professor of Biology, R. Sheldon and Virginia H. Johnson Chair in the Sciences
Johnson Hall of Science 121
aschreiber@stlawu.edu | (315) 229-5822
Nothing fascinates me more than the mystery of vertebrate metamorphosis. How does a tadpole turn into a frog? What genes mediate the abrupt transformation of a larval fish or amphibian into its juvenile form? How did metamorphosis evolve? I have studied the biology of vertebrate metamorphosis in fishes and frogs for over 22 years. Metamorphosis is a period during which virtually every organ in the body changes abruptly and dramatically. Metamorphosis in frogs is characterized by three broad categories of development: 1) apoptosis, during which larval-specific structures (e.g. tail, gills) are programmed to die; 2) cell proliferation and differentiation of adult-specific organs (e.g. growth of the limbs); 3) the remodeling of all other organs from larval to adult forms (e.g. the intestine of the herbivorous tadpole remodels to accommodate a carnivorous adult lifestyle). Remarkably, all of these developmental programs are mediated entirely by one molecule: thyroid hormone. As such, amphibian metamorphosis is a naturally-inducible system that is conducive for studying numerous questions relating to the development of virtually any tissue or organ system.
PhD
University of Rhode Island
Kingston and Narragansett, RI
- NIH National Research Service Award, National Institute of General Medical Sciences
- Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Baltimore, MD
- National Science Foundation Summer Research Fellowship, Ocean Research Institute, Tokyo University, Japan
- Board of Editors Member, International Journal of Endocrinology
Examples of my work as a visiting scholar or guest at another institution:
1) Influence of thyroid hormone of skull remodeling during Atlantic halibut metamorphosis. Norwegian Research Council visiting scientist, National Institute for Nutrition & Seafood Research, Bergen.
2) Asymmetric skull remodeling and development of lateralized swimming behaviors in the Bamboo sole. Fukui Prefectural University visiting scientist, Research Center for Marine Bioresources, Obama, Japan.
Research Interests:
- Endocrinology of amphibian metamorphosis Environmental endocrine disruption
Presentations, Exhibitions, Performances and Published Work:
- Forthcoming: "Textbook of Integrative Endocrinology", by A.M. Schreiber. Publisher: Sinauer Associates
- Schreiber, A.M. (2013) Flatfish: an Asymmetric Perspective on Metamorphosis. Chapter in the book “Animal Metamorphosis” (edited by Yun-Bo Shi), part of the series Current Topics in Developmental Biology, volume 103, pp. 167-194.
- Schreiber, A.M. (2011) Visualizing and quantifying the suppressive effects of glucocorticoids on the tadpole immune system in vivo. American Physiological Society: Advances in Physiology Education. 35, 445-453.
- Schreiber, A.M., Wang X., Tan Y., Sievers, Q., Sievers, B., Lee, M., Burral, K. (2010). Thyroid hormone mediates otolith growth and development during flatfish metamorphosis. General and Comparative Endocrinology. 169, 130-137.
- Schreiber, A.M., and Gimbel, S. (2010). Evolution and the Second Law of Thermodynamics: Effectively Communicating to Non-Technicians. Evolution: Education and Outreach. DOI 10.1007/s12052-009-0195-3
- Schreiber, A.M., Mukhi, S., Brown, D. (2009). Cell-cell interactions during remodeling of the intestine at metamorphosis in Xenopus laevis. Developmental Biology. 331, 89-98.
- Kuan, Y-S, Gamse, J.T., Schreiber, A.M., Halpern, M.E. (2007). Selective asymmetry in a conserved forebrain to midbrain projection. Journal of Experimental Zoology. 308, 669-678.
- Schreiber, A.M. (2006). Asymmetric craniofacial remodeling and lateralized behavior in larval flatfish. Journal of Experimental Biology. 209, 610-621.
- Schreiber, A.M., Cai, L., Brown, D.D. (2005). Remodeling of the intestine during metamorphosis of Xenopus laevis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 102, 3720-3725.
- Brown, D.B., Cai, L., Das, B., Marsh-Armstrong, N., Schreiber, A.M., Juste, R. (2005). Thyroid hormone controls multiple independent programs required for limb development in Xeonpus laevis metamorphosis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences US
- Schreiber, A.M. and Brown, D.D. (2003). Tadpole skin dies autonomously in response to thyroid hormone at metamorphosis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 100, 1769-1774.
- Das, B., Schreiber, A.M., Huang, H., Brown, D.D. (2002). Multiple thyroid hormone-induced muscle growth and death programs during metamorphosis in Xenopus laevis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 99, 12230-12235.
- Schreiber, A.M., Das, B., Huang, H., Marsh-Armstrong, N., Brown, D.D. (2001). Diverse developmental programs of Xenopus laevis metamorphosis are inhibited by a dominant negative thyroid hormone receptor. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA
- Schreiber, A.M. (2001). Metamorphosis and early larval development of flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes): an osmoregulatory perspective. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 129, 587-595.
- Schreiber, A.M. and Specker, J.L. (2000). Metamorphosis in the summer flounder, Paralichthys dentatus: thyroidal status influences changes in gill mitochondria-rich cells. General and Comparative Endocrinology 117, 238–250.
- Bengtson, D.A., Simlick, T.L., Binette, E.W., Lovett, R.R., Alves, D., Schreiber, A.M., Specker, J.L. (2000). Survival of larval summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) on formulated diets and failure of thyroid hormone treatment to improve performance. A
- Schreiber, A.M. and Specker, J.L. (1999). Metamorphosis in the summer flounder, Paralichthys dentatus: changes in gill mitochondria-rich cells. Journal of Experimental Biology 202, 2475–2484.
- Schreiber, A.M. and Specker, J.L. (1999) Metamorphosis in the summer flounder, Paralichthys dentatus: thyroidal status influences salinity tolerance. Journal of Experimental Zoology 284, 414–424.
- Schreiber, A.M. and Specker, J.L. (1999). Early larval development and metamorphosis in the summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus): changes in percent whole body water content and effects of altered thyroid status. Journal of Fish Biology 54, 148-157.
- Specker, J.L., Schreiber, A.M., McArdle, M.E., Poholek, A., Henderson, J., Bengtson, D.A. (1999). Metamorphosis in summer flounder: effects of acclimation to low and high salinities. Aquaculture 176, 145-154.
- Schreiber, A.M. and Specker, J.L. (1998). Metamorphosis in the summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus): stage-specific developmental response to altered thyroid status. General and Comparative Endocrinology 111, 156-166
- Huang, L., Schreiber, A.M., Soffientino, B., Bengtson, D.A., Specker, J.L. (1998). Metamorphosis of the summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus): Thyroid status and the timing of gastric gland formation. Journal of Experimental Zoology 280, 413-420.
Regularly Taught Courses:
- BIOL 370, General and Comparative Endocrinology
- BIOL 247C, Comparative Animal Physiology
- BIOL 250, Cell Biology
- BIOL 347, Extreme Physiology
- BIOL 100/200, BioExpedition Kenya
Sample Student Projects Supervised:
- Synergistic effects of thyroid hormone and cortisol on thymus gland remodeling in Xenopus laevis tadpoles
- Influence of environmental endocrine disruptors on immune system development in tadpoles
- Influence of matrixmetallopreoteases on intestinal development during amphibian metamorphosis
- Maternal transmission of mercury and its redistribution in tissues of metamorphosing Xenopus laevis tadpoles
- Methylmercury uptake and tissue distribution in metamorphosing Xenopus laevis tadpoles fed a swordfish diet.
- Influence of sonic hedgehog signaling on intestinal remodeling during Xenopus laevis metamorphosis
Office Hours:
- By appointment