Sarah Milton PhD: University of Miami, 1994 Assistant Professor Contact information Office: SC 288 Phone: (561) 297-3327 Email: smilton@fau.edu

Research Interests:

The animal physiologist studies the functioning of living organisms at many levels, from the molecular to the organismal to the population level. An understanding of function is also helped enormously by a comparative approach. By examining different animals and how each solves problems posed by the environment, one can find common themes or general principles that might not otherwise come to light. In this vein, my research utilizes a variety of model organisms to examine questions at several levels, thus providing a broad base from which to establish an integrative perspective on basic problems in biology. My recent work includes investigations into the molecular adaptations of neuronal anoxia tolerance in freshwater turtles, an examination of stress adaptations at the molecular and physiological level in Everglades fish, and several different aspects of sea turtle biology including hatchling energetics, immunology, and molecular responses to disease; these studies follow a general theme of the effects of stress at multiple levels, from the cell to the population.

Publications:

Kesaraju S, and Milton SL. 2008.  Preliminary evidence of neuronal regeneration in the anoxia tolerant vertebrate brain.  Exp Neurol. 2008 Nov 12.

Stensløkken KO, Milton SL, Lutz PL, Sundin L, Renshaw GM, Stecyk JA, Nilsson GE. 2008. Effect of anoxia on the electroretinogram of three anoxia-tolerant vertebrates.  Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol. Aug;150(4):395-403.

Milton SL, Dirk LJ, Kara LF, Prentice HM. 2008. Adenosine modulates ERK1/2, PI3K/Akt, and p38MAPK activation in the brain of the anoxia-tolerant turtle Trachemys scripta.  J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2008 Aug;28(8):1469-77.

Milton S.L., G. Nayak, S. Kesaraju, L. Kara, and H.M. Prentice.  2007.  Suppression of reactive oxygen species production enhances neuronal survival in vitro and in vivo in the anoxia-tolerant turtle Trachemys scripta.  J. Neurochem.  101: 993-1001.

Milton, S.L.  and H.M. Prentice.  2007.  Beyond Anoxia: The physiology of metabolic downregulation and recovery in the anoxia tolerant turtle.  Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A 147: 277-290.

Milton, S.L. and Lutz P.L. Adenosine and ATP sensitive potassium channels modulate dopamine release in the anoxic turtle (Trachemys scripta) striatum. Am. J. Physiol. 289: R77-R83, 2005.

Lutz, P.L. and Milton , S.L. Negotiating brain anoxia survival in the turtle. J. Exp. Biol. 207(18): 3141-3147, 2004.

Prentice, H.M., Milton S.L., Scheurle D., and Lutz P.L. The upregulation of cognate and inducible heat shock proteins in the anoxic turtle brain. J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metab. 24(7): 826-8, 2004.

Prentice, H.M., Milton S.L., Scheurle D. and Lutz P.L. Gene transcription of brain voltage-gated potassium channels is reversibly regulated by oxygen supply . Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol. 285(6): R1317-R1321, 2003.

Milton , S.L. and Lutz P.L. Slow death in the leopard frog Rana pipiens: neurotransmitters and anoxia tolerance. J. Exp. Biol. 206(22): 4021-8, 2003.

Milton S.L. and P.L. Lutz. Sea Turtle Taxonomy and Distribution. pp. 9-20 In: Oil Spills and Sea Turtles: Biology, Planning and Response. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2003.

Milton S.L. and P.L. Lutz. Life History and Physiology. pp. 21-26 In: Oil Spills and Sea Turtles: Biology, Planning and Response. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2003.

Milton S.L. and P.L. Lutz. Natural and Anthropogenic Impacts. pp. 27-34 In: Oil Spills and Sea Turtles: Biology, Planning and Response. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2003.

Milton S.L., P.L. Lutz and G. Shigenaka. Oil Toxicity and Impacts on Sea Turtles. pp. 35-48 In: Oil Spills and Sea Turtles: Biology, Planning and Response. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2003.

Lutz, P.L., Prentice H., and Milton S.L. Is turtle longevity linked to enhanced mechanisms for surviving brain anoxia and reoxygenation? Exp. Gerentol. 38:797-800, 2003

Milton S.L. and P.L. Lutz. Environmental and Physiological Stress. IN: Lutz, P. L., J. Musick. and J. Wyneken The Biology of Sea Turtles, volume 2 C.R.C. Press, Boca Raton. 2003.

Milton , S.L., J.W. Thompson and P.L. Lutz. Mechanisms for maintaining extracellular glutamate in the anoxic turtle striatum. Am.J. Physiol. 282: R1317 – R1323, 2002.

Milton, S. A. and P. L. Lutz. Low extracellular dopamine levels are maintained in the anoxic turtle brain. J. Cereb. Blood Flow and Metab. 18,803-807. 1998

Milton, S. A. Schulman, A. and P. L. Lutz. The effects of aragonite sand on the nesting

and hatching success of loggerhead sea turtles. J. Coastal Res 13.904-913. 1997

Hylland, P., S. Milton, M. Pek, G E. Nilsson and P. L. Lutz. Na +/K + ATPase activity in the brain of anoxia tolerant crucian carp and freshwater turtle. Neurosci. Letters. 235, 89-92. 1997.

Nelson, D.A., S. M. Blair, R. Cheeks, P.L. Lutz, S.L. Milton, and T.S. Gross. Evaluation of alternative beach nourishment sands as loggerhead sea turtle nesting substrates. US Army Corps of Engineers Technical Report, 1996.

Milton, S. L., Schulman, A. and Lutz, P.L. The effects of Hurricane Andrew on sea turtle

nesting beaches of South Florida. Bull. Mar. Sci. 54,974-981, 1994.

Shaw ( Milton) SL, S. Leone-Kabler, P.L. Lutz, and A. Schulman. Isoflurane: A safe and effective anesthetic for marine and freshwater turtles. Pp. 112-119 IN Proceedings of the 1992 International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council Conference. Omnipress, Madison, WI, 1992.

Current Graduate Students and Research Topics:

Angie Bancalari : New blood vessel growth (angiogenesis) in papilloma tumors by RT-PCR (MS)

Gauri Nayak : Role of Bcl-x family in anoxia tolerance; Neuroglobin expression in the anoxic brain (PhD)

Natasha Jensen: Effects of mid-incubation egg movement on loggerhead embryonic development. (MS)

Melissa Reiterer:  Oxidative stress and apoptosis as key factors in aging and senescence (MS)

Lynsey Bruce: Oxidative stress and apoptosis as key factors in aging and senescence (MS)

Sharon Homer-Drummond (PhD)

 

Recent Graduate Students and Thesis Topics:

Alyssa Deming: Stress protein expression in severely tumored green sea turtles

Lynda Dirk : Stress responses in fish in the Kissimmee restoration area (MS)

Shailaja Kesijura : Role of HIF-1 in anoxia tolerance in T. scripta; siRNA manipulation of HSP in anoxic T. scripta (PhD)

Botterill, Brooke L. M.S. 2005 . Sex Determination of Loggerheads (Caretta caretta) via Hormonal Analysis by High Performance Liquid Chromatography.

Kowalski, Amy. M.S. 2005 . Specific Dynamic Action in Hatchling and Post-Hatchling Green (Chelonia mydas) and Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) Sea Turtles

McGarrity, Monica. M.S. 2005 . Stress Protein Expression and Green Turtle Fibropapillomatosis In Juvenile Green Turtles from Two Environments.

Grants and Awards:

Active

American Federation of Aging Research
Methionine sulfoxide reductase A and resistance to oxidative damage in an animal model of aging without senescence
Role: PI
$60,000 over 24 months

Completed Grants:

NIH AREA Grant Milton (PI) 7/1/04 – 6/30/06
ROS defense mechanisms in brain reoxygenation.
Role: PI
$139,000 over 24 months

American Heart Association Grant-in-Aid Milton (PI) 7/01/04 – 6/30/06
Role of adenosine pathways in brain anoxic tolerance and reoxygenation survival.
Role: PI
$120,000 over 24 months

South Florida Water Management District contract Milton (PI) 10/1/04 – 9/30/05
Evaluation of physiological stress indicators in fishes to determination restoration success in the Kissimmee River.
Role: PI
$38,078 over 12 months

Caribbean Conservation Corp Milton (PI) 7/1/06 – 6/30/07
Stress Protein Expression as a Marker of Physiological Stress: Associations with Green Turtle Fibropapillomatosis
Role: PI
$25,519