RESEARCH INTERESTS
Anthropological genomics ¨ Genetics ¨ Non-human primates ¨ Human evolution ¨ Bioinformatics ¨ Natural selection ¨ Cold Adaptations
EDUCATION
2018-Present BOSTON UNIVERSITY Boston, MA
Ph.D. Anthropology
Dissertation: Evolutionary History and Adaptive significance of UCP1
Mediated Thermogenesis in Primates
Expected defense date: 12/23
2015-2018 CUNY HUNTER COLLEGE New York, NY
Degree: M.A. Anthropology
Thesis: Phylogenetic History of the AMY Gene Cluster in Catarrhines
2013-2015 CUNY HUNTER COLLEGE New York, NY
Degree: B.A. Anthropology
2010-2013 FORSYTH TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE Winston-Salem, NC
Degree: A.A. Emergency Preparedness Technology
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Aug. 2019 - BOSTON UNIVERSITY Boston, MA
Present Teaching Fellow/ Lead Instructor
Aug. 2016 - CUNY HUNTER COLLEGE New York, NY
2018 Assistant to the Director of the Program in Human Biology
Jan. 2016 - CUNY HUNTER COLLEGE New York, NY
2018 Adjunct Professor
May - Sept. WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY New York, NY
2015 Wildlife Conservation Education Fellow
Jan. - May CUNY HUNTER COLLEGE New York, NY
2015 Undergraduate Research Fellow
Jul. 2011 - GRIFFITH FIRE DEPARTMENT Winston-Salem, NC
Jul. 2013 Firefighter
COURSES INSTRUCTED
Title Course # Semester
Human biology, behavior, and evolution AN102 Spring 2023 (Head TF)
Human biology, behavior, and evolution AN102 Summer 2022 (Lead instructor)
Human biology, behavior, and evolution AN102 Spring 2022 (Head TF)
Human biology, behavior, and evolution AN102 Fall 2021 (Head TF)
The evolutionary biology of human variation AN233 Spring 2021 (Head TF)
Human biology, behavior, and evolution AN102 Fall 2020
Human biology, behavior, and evolution AN102 Spring 2020
Human biology, behavior, and evolution AN102 Fall 2019
The Human Species ANTHP105 Spring 2018
Human Evolution ANTHP101 Fall 2017 (Lead instructor)
Human Evolution ANTHP101 Spring 2017
Human Evolution ANTHP101 Fall 2016
Human Evolution ANTHP101 Spring 2016
Human Evolution ANTHP101 Fall 2015
AWARDS AND GRANTS
2023 Outstanding Teaching Fellow Awardee, Boston University College of Arts and Sciences
2023 Summer Research Grant, Boston University Department of Anthropology
2022 The Leakey Foundation Research Grant Awardee
2022 Runner-up best poster presentation Northeastern Evolutionary Primatology conference
2022 Summer Research Grant, Boston University Department of Anthropology
2021 Summer Research Grant, Boston University Department of Anthropology
2020 Summer Research Grant, Boston University Department of Anthropology
2019 Summer Research Grant, Boston University Department of Anthropology
2019 Summer Institute for Statistical Genetics Scholarship, University of Washington
2019 Honorarium, Boston University Genome Science Institute
2016-2017 Research Fellowship, CUNY Hunter College
PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
1. Gagnon, CM & Schmitt, CA. Phylogenetic analysis of the UCP1 gene in primates reveals clade-specific structural variation (In prep)
2. Gagnon, CM, Svardal H, Jasinska AJ, Freimer NB, Grobler PJ, Turner TR, Schmitt, CA (2022) Evidence of Selection in the UCP1 Gene Region Suggests Local Adaptation to Irradiance Rather Than Cold Temperatures in Savanna Monkeys (Chlorocebus Spp.) Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 289, 20221254.
3. Steiper, ME, Grube, NT, & Gagnon, CM (2021) Elevated diversity in loci linked to facial morphology is consistent with the hypothesis that individual facial recognition is important across hominoids. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 174(4), 785-791.
4. Gagnon, CM, Steiper, ME, & Pontzer, H. (2018) Elite swimmers do not exhibit a body mass index trade-off across a wide range of event distances. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 285(1882), 20180684.
NON PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
1. Grube, NT, Gagnon, CM, & Zarate, MA (2022). Primatology and evolutionary anthropology at the 91st meeting of the American Association of Biological Anthropologists. Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews, 31(5), 222-226.
2. Harwell, FS, Gagnon, CM, & Henderson, WB (2022). The seventh annual northeastern evolutionary primatologists (NEEP) meeting: Back in‐person in Boston, MA!. Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews, 31(1), 5-8.
INVITED SEMINARS
Year University Department or Institute
2020 Boston University (Boston, MA) Anthropology
2019 Boston University (Boston, MA) Genome Science Institute
2017 CUNY Hunter College (New York, NY) Human Biology Program
2017 CUNY Hunter College (New York, NY) Anthropology
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
1. Gagnon, CM, Schmitt, CA (2022). Analysis of the UCP1 gene in primates reveals clade-specific structural variation. Genome Science Institute Research Symposium (Boston, MA) - Poster
2. Gagnon, CM, Svardal, H, Jasinska, AJ, Freimer, NB, Grobler, PJ, Turner, TR, Schmitt, CA (2022). Evidence of selection in the FABP4 gene region suggests thermoregulatory adaptation to cold temperatures in savanna monkeys. Northeastern Evolutionary Primatologists (SUNY Buffalo) - Poster
3. Gagnon, CM, Kavanagh, K, and Schmitt, CA (2021). A method for estimating supraclavicular brown adipose tissue volume using CT scans. Northeastern Evolutionary Primatologists (Boston University) - Poster
4. Gagnon, CM, Schmitt, CA (2021). Phylogenetic analysis of the UCP1 gene in primates reveals clade-specific structural variation. American Assn of Physical Anthropologists (Virtual) - Podium
5. Gagnon, CM, Schmitt, CA (2020). Phylogenetic analysis of the UCP1 gene in primates reveals clade-specific structural variation. Northeastern Evolutionary Primatologists (Virtual) – Podium
6. Louisor, K, Gagnon, CM, Svardal, H, Jasinska, AJ, Freimer, NB, Grobler, PJ, Turner, TR, Schmitt (2019). Characterizing population variation in the ASPM gene region among savanna monkeys (Chlorocebus spp.). Northeastern Evolutionary Primatologists (Virtual) – Poster
7. Sun, EY, Gagnon, CM, Svardal, H, Jasinska, AJ, Freimer, NB, Grobler, PJ, Turner, TR, Schmitt (2019). Investigating selection in the PLIN2 (Perilipin-2) gene among wild savanna monkeys (Chlorocebus spp.). Northeastern Evolutionary Primatologists (Virtual) – Poster
8. Hilsenrath, JM, EY, Gagnon, CM, Svardal, H, Jasinska, AJ, Freimer, NB, Grobler, PJ, Turner, TR, Schmitt (2019). Investigating selection in the CXCR6 gene in wild savanna monkeys (Chlorocebus spp.). Northeastern Evolutionary Primatologists (Virtual) – Poster
9. Gagnon, CM, Svardal, H, Jasinska, AJ, Freimer, NB, Grobler, PJ, Turner, TR, Schmitt (2019). Evidence of selection in the ucp1 gene region suggests local adaptation to cold temperatures in South African vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus). Genome Science Institute Research Symposium (Boston, MA) - Podium
10. Gagnon, CM, Svardal, H, Jasinska, AJ, Freimer, NB, Grobler, PJ, Turner, TR, Schmitt (2019). Evidence of selection in the UCP1 gene region suggests local adaptation to cold temperatures in savanna monkeys (Chlorocebus spp.). Northeastern Evolutionary Primatologists (UMass Amherst) – Podium
11. Cooper, T, Gagnon, CM, Svardal, H, Jasinska, AJ, Freimer, NB, Grobler, PJ, Turner, TR, Schmitt (2019). TRPM8 analysis suggests regional selection for cold sensitivity in South African vervets. Northeastern Evolutionary Primatologists (UMass Amherst) – Poster
12. Grob, G, Gagnon, CM, Svardal, H, Jasinska, AJ, Freimer, NB, Grobler, PJ, Turner, TR, Schmitt (2019). The evolutionary genomics of the PPARG gene in South African vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus). Northeastern Evolutionary Primatologists (UMass Amherst) – Poster
13. Gagnon, CM, Svardal, H, Jasinska, AJ, Freimer, NB, Grobler, PJ, Turner, TR, Schmitt (2019). Evidence of selection in the ucp1 gene region suggests local adaptation to cold temperatures in South African vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus). American Society of Primatologists (Madison, WI) - Poster
14. Gagnon, CM, Steiper ME (2018). Phylogenetic history of the AMY gene family in catarrhines. Primate Ecology and Genetics Group (Cape town, South Africa) - Podium
15. Gagnon, CM, Steiper ME (2018). Phylogenetic history of the AMY gene family in catarrhines. American Assn of Physical Anthropologists (Austin, TX) - Poster
16. Gagnon, CM, Steiper ME (2018). Phylogenetic history of the AMY gene family in catarrhines. Northeastern Evolutionary Primatologists (Canisius College) - Podium
17. Steiper ME, Grube, NT, Gagnon, CM, Evidence for elevated diversity in genes linked to facial diversity in apes supports the hypothesis that individual facial recognition is important across hominoids (2017). American Assn of Physical Anthropologists (New Orleans, LA) - Podium
18. Gagnon, CM, Steiper ME, Pontzer H (2017). Body mass index varies with event distances among elite runners but not swimmers. Human Biology Association (New Orleans, LA) - Poster
FIELDWORK EXPERIENCE
2018 South Africa (Free State). Savannah monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) morphometrics and genetic sampling.
2017 Uganda (Kibale National Park). Olive baboon (Papio anubis) population genetics, genetic effects of habitat type.
2015 Uganda (Kibale National Park). Red tail monkey behavior, costs, and benefits of poly-specific associations.
LAB SKILLS
Cell culture (ipsc, fibroblast, NPC, brown adipose), chemical cell conversion, PCR, RT PCR, gel electrophoresis, DNA extraction (Feces, blood, and tissue), RNAseq, Next-gen whole genome sequencing (Illumina, Nanopore), Oil Red O lipid staining, immunostaining, fluorescence microscopy.
COMPUTATIONAL SKILLS
Coding languages: Unix/linux, R, Python. Software: Rstudio, MEGA, Clustal, PAML, MAFFT, Hyphy, VCFtools, BCFtools, est-sfs, 3d-slicer, Avizo