Research

My research focuses on the study of circadian rhythms and the effect that these rhythms have on animal (including human) behavior and physiology. Circadian rhythms are daily oscillations that serve to coordinate an organism and its external environment. Examples of circadian rhythms are phenomena such as sleep-wake cycles, oscillations in core body temperature, and hormone cycling. These rhythms are significant because they allow the organism to anticipate and adapt its behavior and physiology to changing environmental conditions. The ongoing work in my laboratory utilizes a variety of techniques (molecular, physiological, and behavioral) and experimental systems (both vertebrate and invertebrate) to investigate:

(1) The impact of environmental perturbations, such as social jetlag and photopollution, on mammalian and invertebrate circadian systems 

(2) The role of circadian rhythms in the modulation of appetitive and breathing behavior in praying mantis insects

(3) The molecular genetic mechanisms involved in the regulation and expression of circadian rhythms in the brain and peripheral tissues

(4) New technologies and techniques for studying circadian clocks in vivo and in vitro

In the laboratory, I have directly engaged with over 40 undergraduate and graduate students (28 women and 8 underrepresented minorities) in my collaborative research program. I was designated a Bernard J. Brommel distinguished research professor and I have been interviewed or featured in over 75 international media outlets such as the BBC, CanadaTV, Reuters Health, and NASA’s webpage. My students have assisted me in writing federal and institutional grants (28 total, 25 awarded) and publishing top-rated articles (12 articles total) in rigorous peer-reviewed journals that have gained NEIU international recognition. These publications are the culmination of years of data collection and analysis totaling countless person hours in the laboratory. I am very proud of the fact that I have been able to include multiple students as co-authors on my papers (23 different student co-authors on 9 manuscripts). My students and I have also actively communicated our findings to the scientific community in over 120 presentations at more than 60 different scientific conferences. Nine of my students have won awards for their research and work at NEIU. In addition, I have been able to integrate my research interests and expertise into my courses (e.g. General Biology, Genetics, Chronobiology, and Research Skills), which allows an even larger group of students to engage in researching novel and intriguing questions.

Schirmer AE, Wallis LC, editors. (2023). Connecting underrepresented scientists to the biology core curriculum. Vol. 1. Chicago (IL): Northeastern Illinois University; [accessed 2023 Sep 27]. https://neiudc.neiu.edu/oer/1/

Schirmer AE, Kumar V, Schook A, Song EJ, Marshall MS and Takahashi JS (2023) Cry1 expression during postnatal development is critical for the establishment of normal circadian period. Front. Neurosci. 17:1166137. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1166137

Epiney, D., Salameh, C., Cassidy, D., Zhou, L., Kruithof, J., Milutinović, R., Andreani, T., et al. (2021). Characterization of Stress Responses in a Drosophila Model of Werner Syndrome. Biomolecules, 11(12), 1868. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biom11121868

Dow EG, Wood-Charlson EM, Biller SJ, Paustian T, Schirmer A, Sheik CS, Whitham JM, Krebs R, Goller CC, Allen B, Crockett Z and Arkin AP (2021) Bioinformatic Teaching Resources – For Educators, by Educators – Using KBase, a Free, User-Friendly, Open Source Platform. Front. Educ. 6:711535. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2021.711535

Smarr, B. L., Ishami, A. L., & Schirmer, A. E. (2021). Lower variability in female students than male students at multiple timescales supports the use of sex as a biological variable in human studies. Biology of sex Differences, 12(1), 1-7.

Geddes, P., Murphy, L., Astudillo-Scalia, Y., Blasini, D., Nugent, S., Ríos, M.J., Schirmer, A.E. and Olfelt, J.P. (2021). Microsatellite Markers Reveal Unprecedented High Frequencies of Hybridization among Typha Species in the Midwestern US. Wetlands, 41(2), pp.1-9.

Cassidy, D., Epiney, D. G., Salameh, C., Zhou, L. T., Salomon, R. N., Schirmer, A. E., ... & Bolterstein, E. (2019). Evidence for premature aging in a Drosophila model of Werner syndrome. Experimental gerontology, 127, 110733.

Schirmer, A. E.*, Gallemore, C.*, Liu, T.*, Magle, S., DiNello, E., Ahmed, H., & Gilday, T. (2019). Mapping behaviorally relevant light pollution levels to improve urban habitat planning. Scientific reports, 9(1), 1-13.  * authors contributed equally

Prete, F. R., Schirmer, A. E., Patel, S., Carrion, C., Prete, G. M., van Alphen, B., & Svenson, G. J. (2019). Rhythmic abdominal pumping movements in praying Mantises (Insecta: Mantodea). Fragmenta entomologica, 51(1), 29-40. doi: https://doi.org/10.4081/fe.2019.332.

Smarr, B. L. and Schirmer, A. E. (2018). 3.4 million real-world learning management system logins reveal the majority of students experience social jet lag correlated with decreased performance. Scientific Reports 8, 4793.

Kimble, M., Schirmer, A., Campbell T. (2015). General Genetics Laboratory Manual 2nd Edition. Dubuque: Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.

Lesniak, T, Schirmer, A, Knapp, C. (2014). Evaluating the Role of Temperature in the Reproduction of the Yellow Stingray (Urobatis jamaicensis).  Zoo Biology 34: 33-39.

Schirmer, A. E., Prete, F. R., Mantes, E. S., Urdiales, A. F., Bogue, W. (2014) Circadian Rhythms Affect the Electroretinogram, Compound Eye Color, Striking Behavior, and Locomotion of the Praying Mantis, Hierodula patellifera (Serville).  The Journal of Experimental Biology 217: 3853-3861.

Lesniak, T, Schirmer, A, Knapp, C. (2013). Ultrasound evidence of fetal resorption in the yellow stingray, Urobatis jamaicensis (Urotrygonidae). Cybium, 37(4): 314-316.

Kimble, M and Schirmer, A. (2012). General Genetics Laboratory Manual. Dubuque: Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.

Chen, R*, Schirmer, A*, Lee, Y, Lee, H, Kumar, V, & Yoo, S, et al. (2009). Rhythmic PER abundance defines a critical nodal point for negative feedback within the circadian clock mechanism. Molecular Cell 36, 417-430. * authors contributed equally