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Colleen Farmer

Professor

Ph.D. Brown University

Graduate Program Membership:

Office/Building: Biol 107
Phone: 801-581-4236
Email: farmer@biology.utah.edu
Farmer Lab: http://farmer.biology.utah.edu/

Research Statement

Research in my lab aims to understand the evolutionary sequence of events involved in major vertebrate transitions, especially aspects of the evolution of the cardiopulmonary system and the transition from ectothermy to endothermy. We combine historical data with neontological studies and, occasionally, mathematical models to piece together scenarios for the acquisition of key vertebrate features.

Research Interests

General Interests
Specific Interests
  • Vertebrate evolutionary physiology and functional morphology
  • Evolution of the cardiopulmonary system and metabolism
  • Evolution of parental care behaviors

Selected Publications

  • Cieri, R. L., Turner, M. L., Carney, R. M., Falkingham, P. L., Kirk, A. M., Wang, T., Jensen, B., Novotny, J., Tveite, J., Gatesy, S. M., Laidlaw, D. H., Kaplan, H., Moorman, A. F. M., *Howell, M., *Engel, B., *Cruz, C., *Smith, A., *Gerichs, W., *Lian, Y., Schultz, J., Farmer, C. G.2021. Virtual and augmented reality: New tools for visualizing, analyzing, and communicating complex morphology. Journal of Morphology, 1– 16. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.21421
  • Gillich, A., F. Zhang, C.G. Farmer, M. Gu, M.A. Krasnow, R. J. Metzger. 2020 Capillary cell type specialization in the alveolus revealed by single cell analysis. Nature: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2822-7
  • Farmer, C.G. 2020 Linking Structure and Function in the Vertebrate Respiratory System: A Tribute to August Krogh. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpa.2020.110892
  • Schachner, E.R., B.P. Hedrick, H.A. Richbourg, J.R. Hutchinson, C.G. Farmer. 2020 Anatomy, ontogeny, and evolution of the archosaurian respiratory system: a case study on Alligator mississippiensis and Struthio camelus. Journal of Anatomy : DOI: 10.1111/joa.13358
  • Farmer, C.G. 2020. Destabilizing Selection, Parental Care and the Evolution of Tetrapod Endothermy. Physiology. 35(3): 160-176. PMID: 32293231 doi.org/10.1152/physiol.00058.2018

Courses Taught

  • Biol 5665: Paleophysiology