Margaret A. Olney
Department of Biological Sciences
Saint Martin’s University
5300 Pacific Ave SE
Lacey, WA 98503-7500
October 2006
(360) 438-4327 office
molney@stmartin.edu
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Assistant Professor, Department of Biology. St. Martin’s University. Lacey, Washington. 2005-present.
Courses: Biology 141 and 142 General Biology I and II, Biology 305 Botany with Laboratory, Biology
375 Genetics with Laboratory, Biology 397 Directed Study: Molecular Biology with Laboratory,
Biology 387 Directed Study: Nutrition, and Biology 401 and 401 Senior Seminar.
Lecturer, Department of Biological Sciences. Barnard College. New York, New York. 2003-2005.
Lecture/lab course: Biology 1001z Introduction to Biology: Cell Biology. Higher Education
Opportunity program, summer 2004.
Lab courses: Biology 1001 Revolutionary Concepts in Biology, Biology 1002 Contemporary Issues in
Biology, Biology 2003 Biodiversity Lab, and Biology 2004 Biological Experimentation Lab.
Assistant Professor, Department of Biology. Colorado College. Colorado Springs, Colorado. 2000-3.
Lecture/lab courses: Biology 105 Biology of Plants, Biology 210 Cell Biology, Biology 361 Genetics,
Biology 364 Plant Cell Physiology, and Biology 474 Plant Environmental Physiology.
Independent study courses: Biology 105 Biology of Plants, Biology 309 Research Problems in Biology,
Biology 403 Research Problems in Biochemistry, Biology 409 Research Problems in
Biology, and Biology 499 Senior Thesis.
Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Biology. Earlham College. Richmond, Indiana. 1999-2000.
Courses: Biology 12 Cells, Genes, and Inheritance, Biology 58 Plant Structure and Function, Biology 65
Molecular Genetics, Biology 82 Plant Molecular Biology, and Biology 85 Independent Study.
Teaching Assistant, Stanford University. Stanford, California. Stanford, California. 1993-1995.
Courses: Biology 33 Plant Biology, Ecology, and Evolution Section of the Core Biology lecture course,
spring 1994 and spring 1995. Biology 44X Plant Physiology Section of the Core Experimental
Biology Laboratory course, fall 1993 and winter 1994. Biology 120 General Botany, fall 1993.
EDUCATION
Stanford University. Stanford, California.
Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, 1999.
Swarthmore College. Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.
B.A. with Distinction in Biology, 1992.
WRITING AND EDITING EXPERIENCE
Independent contractor for Phototake. New York, New York. May 2005-November 2005. Researching,
editing, and writing captions for library of scientific and medical photographs and illustrations.
Saint Martin’s University Biology Journal, Volume 1. 2006. Edited, formatted and constructed journal
containing all 24 final research papers from Senior Seminar 2005-2006.
TEXTBOOK AND GRANT REVIEWING
Hartwell, Hood, Goldberg, Reynolds, Silver, and Veres. 2nd edition of Genetics: From Genes to
Genomes. McGraw-Hill Publishers. Review coordinated by Content Connections, LLC.
2002-2003.
Raven, Evert, and Eichorn. 7th edition of Biology of Plants. W.H. Freeman and Company-Worth
Publishers. 2002-2003.
USDA Plant Responses to the Environment. 1999-2005.
UNIVERSITY SERVICE
Scholar’s Day Committee, 2006-2007.
Beta Beta Beta (biology honor society) advisor
Bookstore Task Force. Saint Martin’s University. 2005-2006.
Instructor for Summer Bridge Program, summer 2006.
English Proficiency Exam Grader. Saint Martin’s University. 2006.
Guest lecturer on agriculture and genetically modified foods. Economics 101. 2006
Laboratory Safety Committee. Saint Martin’s University. 2005-2006.
Staff Award Selection Committee. 2006
Scholar’s Day application juror. 2006.
Panel presenter for New Faculty Orientation, 2006
Saint Martin’s University Herbarium curator 2005-present
Contributor to grant submitted to the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Undergraduate Biological
Sciences Education Program. Department of Biological Sciences, Barnard College, 2003.
Writing Committee. Colorado College. 2001-2003.
West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference Planning Committee and
Webmaster. Colorado College. 2002-2003. Created web site, assisted with planning, and
served as judge of oral presentation sessions.
Biochemistry Curriculum Committee. Colorado College. 2002-2003.
Reviewer and editor of grant submitted to the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Undergraduate
Biological Sciences Education Program. Department of Biology, Earlham College, 1999.
RESEARCH SUPERVISION
Senior Seminar Research Supervisor—Saint Martin’s University projects. 2005-2006. Co-supervised
24 senior research projects. 2006-2007. Co-supervising 28 senior research projects.
Undergraduate Research Supervisor—Colorado College Senior Thesis Project. Fall 2002 and spring
2003. Supervised one student in molecular research project on molecular complementation.
Undergraduate Research Supervisor—Colorado College Independent Research Project funded by the
Howard Hughes Medical Institution Undergraduate Research Program administered through Colorado
College. Spring 2003. Supervised one student in student-designed project to compare the circadian
rhythms of carbon dioxide uptake C3 and CAM plants.
Undergraduate Research Supervisor—Colorado College Independent Research Projects. Fall 2002.
Supervised two students in molecular research on the amplification, sequencing, and comparison of
mutant and wild-type genes.
Undergraduate Research Supervisor—Howard Hughes Medical Institution Summer Research
Program administered through Colorado College. May-September 2002. Supervised three students in
molecular research including 1) completion of the PCR-based fine-mapping of the PGA1 gene in the
model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and 2) subcloning potential PGA1 genes for complementation
analysis.
Undergraduate Research Supervisor—Colorado College Independent Research Project. Spring 2002.
Supervised one student in molecular research on the fine-mapping of the PGA1 gene.
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Undergraduate Research Supervisor—Howard Hughes Medical Institution Summer Research
Program administered through Colorado College. May-September 2001. Supervised three students in
molecular research on the fine-mapping of the PGA1 gene.
Undergraduate Research Supervisor—Earlham College Independent Research Projects. Fall 1999 and
spring 2000. Supervised two students in molecular research including the PCR-based fine-mapping of the
PGA1 gene and complementation analysis of potential PGA1 genes using Agrobacteria-mediated
transformation of pga1 mutants.
Undergraduate Research Supervisor—Howard Hughes Medical Institution Summer Research
Program administered through Earlham College. Research conducted at the Carnegie Institution of
Washington, Department of Plant Biology; Stanford, California. Summer 1999. Supervised two
Earlham College undergraduate students: one worked on the fine-mapping of the PGA1 gene using
PCR-based mapping techniques; the other worked on the physiological characterization of the pga1
mutants.
Undergraduate Research Supervisor—Stanford University Core Biology Independent Project. Spring
1999. Supervised two Stanford University undergraduate students in an independent research project
comparing the effect of a growth regulator on the root growth of wild type and pga1 seedlings.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Molecular, biochemical, and physiological mechanisms used by plants to sense and respond to their
environment, particularly those involved in regulating seedling cell elongation.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Visiting Investigator, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Department of Plant Biology, Stanford,
California. Research colleagues: Drs. Winslow R. Briggs, Hae-Young Cho, and Tong-Seung Tseng.
June-August 2006. Amplified, purified, and sequenced wild type and mutant alleles of a gene involved
in gravitropism.
Visiting Research Associate. Carnegie Institution of Washington, Department of Plant Biology,
Stanford, California. Research colleagues: Drs. Winslow R. Briggs, John C. Christie, and Trevor E.
Swartz. September 2001. Examined the first-positive phototropic response of heterozygous seedlings
defective in the gene encoding phototropin.
Post-Doctoral Research. Carnegie Institution of Washington, Department of Plant Biology, Stanford,
California. Research advisor: Dr. Winslow R. Briggs. January-July 1999 and May-July 2000.
Projects included quantification of the first positive phototropic responses of a variety of Arabidopsis
blue-light response mutants, heterologous expression of a gene involved in blue-light responses to probe
for association with flavin chromophores, analysis of the photochemical properties of heterologously
expressed FMN-binding domains of phototropin from rice, fine-mapping of the PGA1 gene using PCRbased mapping techniques, and the continued physiological and biochemical characterization of the
pga1 mutants.
Doctoral Research: Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, 1992-1998.
Research advisor: Dr. Winslow R. Briggs. Oral examination committee members: Dr. Christopher R.
Somerville, Dr. Virginia Walbot, and Dr. Arthur R. Grossman.
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Initiated project to isolate Arabidopsis mutants altered in gravitropic and phototropic responses. Studies
included genetic, biochemical, and physiological characterization of four mutants isolated. Molecular
studies included mapping the mutations as well as the cloning and characterization of a candidate
cDNA. Technical skills developed include: genomic DNA extraction and purification, total and mRNAenriched RNA extraction, Southern and Northern blotting, PCR-based mapping using SSLP and CAPS
markers, genomic library construction, genomic and cDNA library screening and clone isolation,
restriction mapping, primer design and probe amplification and labeling, automated sequencing,
sequence analysis, subcloning, Agrobacteria transformation, Arabidopsis transformation, transformant
selection and complementation analysis.
Senior thesis: Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, June 1991-May 1992.
Research advisor: Dr. Mark Jacobs. Worked to isolate the NPA receptor from zucchini hypocotyls with
immunological and photoaffinity techniques using polyclonal anti-NPA antibodies, tritiated 5’-azidoNPA, and 5’-azido NPA.
Undergraduate research assistant: Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Spring 1991.
Research advisors: Dr. Jacob Weiner and Ms. Leila Fishman. Assisted in data collection on the effect
of plant crowding on allometric growth.
Habitat restoration intern: International Crane Foundation, Baraboo, Wisconsin, Summer 1990.
Research advisor: Dr. Jeb Barzen. Designed and carried out independent research project investigating
the effect of seed density on prairie restoration success ten years after planting. Project included
identification and classification of more than 120 grass and forb species within several research plots.
Additional duties included trapping and tagging wild cranes, blue bird recovery monitoring, non-native
species eradication, and native species seed collection and planting.
Undergraduate research project: Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Fall 1989. Research
advisor: Dr. David Hart. Designed and carried out independent research project investigating the effect
of highway construction on the algal periphyton community of a small stream.
GRANTS
LI-COR Biosciences Genomic Education Matching Funds Program. 2006. Funded in the amount of
$52,101.50.
PUBLICATIONS
Kasahara, M., Swartz, T.E., Olney, M.A., Onodera, A., Nochizuki, N., Fukuzawa, H, Asamizu, E.,
Tabata, S, Kanegae, H, Takano, M., Christie, J.M., Nagatani, A. and Briggs, W.R. 2002.
Photochemical properties of the flavin mononucleotide-binding domains of the phototropins
from Arabidopsis, rice, and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Plant Physiology. Volume 129: pages
762-773.
Olney, M.A. 2002. Circadian rhythms in plants. In Encyclopedia of Science: Plant Life. Ness, B.,
editor. Salem Press, Pasadena, California. ISBN 0-58765-084-3.
Briggs, W.R. and Olney, M.A. 2001. Photoreceptors in Plant Photomorphogenesis to Date. Five
Phytochromes, Two Cryptochromes, One Phototropin, and One Superchrome. Plant
Physiology. Volume 125: pages 85-88.
Also published in the book: Raikhel, N.V., editor. 2001. Plant Physiology 75th Anniversary:
Conceptual Breakthroughs in Biology. American Society of Plant Biologists, Rockville,
Maryland. Pages 87-90. ISBN 0-943088-41-0.
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Olney, M.A. 1999. Isolation and Characterization of Gravitropic and Phototropic Response mutants of
Arabidopsis thaliana. Ph.D. dissertation, Stanford University.
Lascève, G., Leymarie, J., Olney, M.A., Christie, J.M., Vavasseir, A., and Briggs, W.R. 1998.
Arabidopsis Contains at Least Four Independent Blue-Light-Activated Signal Transduction
Pathways. Plant Physiology. Volume 120: pages 605-614.
ABSTRACTS
Briggs, W.R., Christie, J.M., Salomon, M, and Olney, M.A. Phototropin (NPH1) is a new and different
kind of plant photoreceptor. European Symposium on Photomorphogenesis.
March 21-26, 1999. Free University of Berlin.
Olney, M.A. and Briggs, W.R. 1997. Mutational analysis of tropic responses in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Plant Physiology. Volume 114, Number 3: page 133.
POSTER AND ORAL PRESENTATIONS
National Meeting of the American Society of Plant Biologists (July 2003).
Poster Title: A Problem Based Learning Approach to a Plant Cell Physiology Course.
National Meeting of the American Society of Plant Biologists. (July 2002). Poster title: Fine
Mapping of the PGA1 Gene in Arabidopsis thaliana with student co-authors Benjamin
Bellows, Catie Bellus, and William Underwood.
Gravitational Effects on Living Systems Gordon Research Conference (July 1998).
Poster Title: Analysis of Tropic Response Mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana.
Bay Area Regional Photomorphogenesis Meeting (January 1998). Oral presentation title:
Physiological characterization of Arabidopsis thaliana gravitropic mutants.
National Meeting of the American Society of Plant Physiologists (July 1997).
Poster Title: Mutational Analysis of Tropic Responses in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Bay Area Regional Photomorphogenesis Meeting (April 1997). Oral presentation title:
Isolation of Arabidopsis thaliana gravitropic and phototropic mutants.
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS
Underwood, William. Spring 2003. Presented at the West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate
Research Conference. Presentation title: Molecular Complementation of the pga1 gene in
Arabidopsis thaliana.
Nelson, David. Spring 2003. Presented at the West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research
Conference. Poster title: A Comparison of the Circadian Rhythms of Carbon Dioxide Uptake
in C3 and CAM Plants in Response to Altered Photoperiods.
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Bellows, Benjamin; Bellus, Catie; and Underwood, William. Summer 2002. Presented at Plant Biology
2002: Frontiers in Plant Biology, National Meeting of the American Society of Plant Biologists.
Poster title: Fine Mapping of the PGA1 Gene in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Kallman, Tim; Lim, Suzy; and Rino, John. Summer/Fall/Spring 2001-2002. Presented at the Colorado
College Fifteenth Annual Biology Day. Poster title: Fine Mapping of the PGA1 Gene using
SSLP (Simple Sequence Length Polymorphic) Markers.
Maraboyina, Sanjay. Summer/Fall 1999. Presented at the Earlham College Science Division
Research Symposium. Poster title: Fine Mapping of the PGA1 Gene.
Hansburg, Olivia. Summer/Fall 1999. Presented at the Earlham College Science Division Research
Symposium. Poster titles: The Effect of Abscisic Acid on Root Growth; and
The Morphology of 3 Week-Old Wild Type and pga1 Mutant Plants.
Howles, Gabriel and Venkatesan, Priya. Spring 1999. Presented at the Stanford University Core
Biology Symposium. Poster title: Cytokinin 6-benzylaminopurine inhibits root elongation of
wild type and pga1 mutant seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana.
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS (not all are current)
American Society for Cell Biology
American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology
American Society of Plant Biologists (formerly the American Society of Plant Physiologists)
Association for Women in Science
Council on Undergraduate Research
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