Research
At North Central College I sought out opportunities to be involved in a wide array of projects in molecular and organismal fields within biology. My undergraduate research experience began in Steve Johnston's lab, where I explored the evolutionary relationship between two yeast species by focusing on the role the Yak1 gene played in their respective ecological niches. Most recently I have pursued interests in the spatial ecology and geographic distribution of wildlife relating to conservation and land management.
Common mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus), a neotenic salamander native to eastern North America.
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Biogeography
In order to conserve biodiversity we must first understand the geographic distribution of species and the manner in which those ranges may be changing. I have expanded the known distribution of several species of amphibian and reptile and reported the first known record of the state-threatened mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) in the Spoon River watershed of Illinois. |
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Community Ecology
Understanding an organism's interactions within its biotic community and responses to change are critical to developing effective management practices that ensure long-term survival. As an undergraduate in Christine Weilhoefer's lab at North Central College I studied whether the restoration of a prairie stream had affected water quality, algal biomass, and macroinvertebrate diversity. In 2016, I described the first known observation of the Great Basin spadefoot toad preying on the eggs of Woodhouse's toad. |
A large tadpole of the Great Basin spadefoot (Spea intermontana) feeding on eggs of Woodhouse's toad (Anaxyrus woodhousii).
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Disease Ecology
I tested populations of Chicago-area frogs for the amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) and wrote my undergraduate honor's thesis on the development of a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) detection method for oomycete pathogens of North American amphibian eggs. In Rod Williams' Lab at Purdue University I used qPCR to monitor the spread of ranavirus in a population of eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) in southwestern Indiana. I also assisted Williams' Lab doctoral PhD student Obed Hernandez-Gomez in sampling the skin microbiome of the eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis) throughout its range. I later worked with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to test for Chronic Wasting Disease and Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). |
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Life History Evolution
As an undergraduate I studied how axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) eggs responded to the presence of the important pathogen of North American amphibian eggs Saprolegnia ferax. |
Freshly hatched larvae of the Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum).
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PEER-REVIEWED NOTES
Johnson, H., L. Livo, R. Kreutzer, N. Kreutzer, A. Berardi, T. Warfel, and A. DuBois. 2019. Geographic Distribution: Apalone mutica (Smooth Softshell). Herpetological Review 50(3): 522.
DuBois, A., and I. DuBois. 2018. Geographic Distribution: Thamnophis sirtalis (Common Gartersnake). Herpetological Review 49(2): 288.
DuBois, A. 2017. Natural History: Spea intermontana (Great Basin Spadefoot) Diet. Herpetological Review 48(1):172.
DuBois, A., M. Larson, L. Bowman, and A. Mallery. 2016. Geographic Distribution: Lithobates clamitans (Green Frog). Herpetological Review 47(3):420.
DuBois, A., A. Robertson, and L. Bowman. 2016. Geographic Distribution: Necturus maculosus (Mudpuppy). Herpetological Review 47(2):245.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS & POSTERS
DuBois, A., G. Ruthig, and C. O’Connor. 2013. Delayed Hatching of Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) in Response to Water Mold. Poster presentation at the 3rd Annual St. Louis Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Meeting, St Louis, Missouri.
DuBois, A., G. Ruthig, and C. O’Connor. 2013. Ambystoma mexicanum delays hatching in response to a Saprolegnia sp. Oral presentation at the annual National Conference of Undergraduate Research (NCUR), University of Wisconsin La Crosse, La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Di Bernardo, J., A. DuBois, and G. Ruthig. 2013. Identification, quantification, and preservation of amphibian pathogens in DuPage County, IL. Poster presentation at the annual National Conference of Undergraduate Research (NCUR), University of Wisconsin La Crosse, La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Ruffatti, M., A. DuBois, C. Troyer, V. Gravelle, Z. Arif, and C. Weilhoefer. 2012. Is Stream Restoration Effective? Poster presentation at the annual Rall Symposium, North Central College, Naperville IL.
DuBois, A., S. DeWerff, K. Rasmussen, and S. Johnston. 2011. Exploring the Effects of YAK1 Expression on Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces bayanus. Poster presentation at the annual Rall Symposium, North Central College, Naperville, IL.
DeWerff, S., A. DuBois, and S. Johnston. 2010. YAK1 is an expressed pseudogene in Saccharomyces bayanus. Midwest Yeast Meeting, Evanston, IL.
Johnson, H., L. Livo, R. Kreutzer, N. Kreutzer, A. Berardi, T. Warfel, and A. DuBois. 2019. Geographic Distribution: Apalone mutica (Smooth Softshell). Herpetological Review 50(3): 522.
DuBois, A., and I. DuBois. 2018. Geographic Distribution: Thamnophis sirtalis (Common Gartersnake). Herpetological Review 49(2): 288.
DuBois, A. 2017. Natural History: Spea intermontana (Great Basin Spadefoot) Diet. Herpetological Review 48(1):172.
DuBois, A., M. Larson, L. Bowman, and A. Mallery. 2016. Geographic Distribution: Lithobates clamitans (Green Frog). Herpetological Review 47(3):420.
DuBois, A., A. Robertson, and L. Bowman. 2016. Geographic Distribution: Necturus maculosus (Mudpuppy). Herpetological Review 47(2):245.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS & POSTERS
DuBois, A., G. Ruthig, and C. O’Connor. 2013. Delayed Hatching of Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) in Response to Water Mold. Poster presentation at the 3rd Annual St. Louis Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Meeting, St Louis, Missouri.
DuBois, A., G. Ruthig, and C. O’Connor. 2013. Ambystoma mexicanum delays hatching in response to a Saprolegnia sp. Oral presentation at the annual National Conference of Undergraduate Research (NCUR), University of Wisconsin La Crosse, La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Di Bernardo, J., A. DuBois, and G. Ruthig. 2013. Identification, quantification, and preservation of amphibian pathogens in DuPage County, IL. Poster presentation at the annual National Conference of Undergraduate Research (NCUR), University of Wisconsin La Crosse, La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Ruffatti, M., A. DuBois, C. Troyer, V. Gravelle, Z. Arif, and C. Weilhoefer. 2012. Is Stream Restoration Effective? Poster presentation at the annual Rall Symposium, North Central College, Naperville IL.
DuBois, A., S. DeWerff, K. Rasmussen, and S. Johnston. 2011. Exploring the Effects of YAK1 Expression on Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces bayanus. Poster presentation at the annual Rall Symposium, North Central College, Naperville, IL.
DeWerff, S., A. DuBois, and S. Johnston. 2010. YAK1 is an expressed pseudogene in Saccharomyces bayanus. Midwest Yeast Meeting, Evanston, IL.
