Jennifer Grindstaff, Assistant Professor. Animal behavior, ecological immunology, maternal effects, maternal antibody transmission, avian biology, behavioral ecology.   Ph.D., 2004, Indiana University Phone: 405-744-9676 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Lab website

Specific Interests

My research incorporates concepts and approaches from physiology, behavioral ecology and evolutionary biology. I use this integrative approach to understand both the proximate mechanisms and the evolutionary consequences of life history trade-offs. Studies in the lab involve the integration of field and laboratory work to explore how ecological and physiological parameters act and interact to influence parent and offspring phenotypes.

Selected Publications

• J.L. Grindstaff 2010 Initial levels of maternally derived antibodies predict persistence time in offspring circulation. Journal of Ornithology 151:423-428.
• A.M. Forsman, L.A. Vogel, S.K. Sakaluk, J.L. Grindstaff, C.F. Thompson 2008 Immune-challenged house wren broods differ in the relative strengths of their responses among different axes of the immune system. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 21:873-878.
• J.L. Grindstaff 2008 Maternal antibodies reduce costs of an immune response during development. Journal of Experimental Biology 211:654-660.
• J.L. Grindstaff, D. Hasselquist, J-Å Nilsson, M. Sandell, H.G. Smith, M. Stjernman 2006 Transgenerational priming of immunity: maternal exposure to a bacterial antigen enhances offspring humoral immunity. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B 273:2551-2557.
• J.L. Grindstaff, G.E. Demas, E.D. Ketterson 2005 Dietary protein restriction affects egg size and number but does not reduce maternal antibody transfer in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). Journal of Animal Ecology 74:1051-1058.
• J.L. Grindstaff, E.D. Brodie III, E.D. Ketterson 2003 Immune function across generations: integrating mechanism and evolutionary process in maternal antibody transmission. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B 270:2309-2320.