Jessica Goodheart
Laboratory of Molecular Evolution
Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
University of Maryland, College Park
College Park, MD 20742
(626) 482-9792
jagood@umd.edu
EDUCATION
University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP)
- PhD Student in Biology (Exp. Graduation Date: June 2017)
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (CPP)
- MS in Biology (June 2013)
- BS in Biology – Summa Cum Laude/Kellogg Honors College (June 2011)
PUBLICATIONS
Research Articles
Goodheart, Jessica, Camacho-Garcia, Yolanda, Padula, Vinicius, Schrödl, Cervera, Juan L., Gosliner,
Terrence M. & Valdés, Ángel. Accepted by the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.
Systematics and biogeography of Pleurobranchus Cuvier, 1804 sea slugs (Heterobranchia:
Nudipleura: Pleurobranchidae).
Goodheart, Jessica & Valdés, Ángel. 2013. Re-evaluation of the Doriopsilla areolata Bergh, 1880
(Mollusca: Opisthobranchia) subspecies complex in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and its relationship
to South African Doriopsilla miniata (Alder & Hancock, 1864) based on molecular data. Marine
Biodiversity 43:113-120. doi: 10.1007/s12526-012-0136-1.
Manuscripts in review
Goodheart, Jessica, Bazinet, Adam, Collins, Allen, Cummings, Michael. Submitted. Phylogeny of
Cladobranchia (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia): a total evidence analysis using DNA sequence data
from public databases.
Manuscripts in preparation
Goodheart, Jessica, Bazinet, Adam, Collins, Allen, Cummings, Michael. Can RNA-Seq be used to resolve
Cladobranchia (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia)? A phylogenetic inference of Cladobranchia using
transcriptome data.
Public forum contributions
Goodheart, Jessica. 2014. How Sea Slugs Steal the Defenses of Their Prey. Smithsonian Ocean Portal
http://ocean.si.edu/blog/how-sea-slugs-steal-defenses-their-prey.
Goodheart, Jessica. 2013. New PhD Student Studying Sea Slugs. No Bones (Smithsonian’s Invertebrate
Zoology Department). http://nmnh.typepad.com/no_bones/2013/10/new-phd-student-studyingsea-slugs.html
AWARDS, SCHOLARSHIPS AND HONORS
Graduate Student Research Award from the Society of Systematic Biologists
(August 2014)
Biology Department Student Travel Grant – UMCP
Research Opportunity Fund – Smithsonian Institution
Goldhaber Travel Grant – Graduate School, UMCP
Conchologists of America Research Grant
Smithsonian Graduate Student Fellowship
Deans Fellowship – University of Maryland, College Park
Student Presentation Award at the Meeting of the Western Society of Malacologists
Chuck Bayless Scholarship, Cal Poly Pomona Biology Dept.
Vernon Gregory Scholarship, Cal Poly Pomona Biology Dept.
Cal Poly Pomona Biological Sciences Department Student Research Grant
Ed Roche Research Assistant Scholarship, Cal Poly Pomona Biology Dept.
COAST Student Travel Award
Goodheart 2
(May 2014)
(April 2014)
(April 2014)
(March 2014)
(March 2014)
(2013-2014)
(June 2013)
(June 2013)
(June 2013)
(March 2013)
(June 2012)
(November 2011)
CONFERENCES
Smithsonian Botanical Symposium (May 2014) - Poster
- Biogeography, cryptic diversity and molecular evolution of Pleurobranchus sea slugs.
Mid-Atlantic Malacologists Annual Meeting (March 2014) - Presentation
- Evolution of nematocyst sequestration in Cladobranchia (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia)
Meeting of the Western Society of Malacologists (June 2013) - Presentation
- Co-Chair of a Symposium: “Opisthobranchs”
- Biogeography, cryptic diversity and molecular evolution of Pleurobranchus sea slugs
(Opisthobranchia: Notaspidea).
Southern California Academy of Sciences Annual Meeting – May 2013
- Biogeography, cryptic diversity and molecular evolution of Pleurobranchus sea slugs.
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Student Research Conference – March 2013
- Biogeography, cryptic diversity and molecular evolution of Pleurobranchus sea slugs.
Southern California Unified Malacologists Meeting – January 2013
- Report on the Biodiversity Research Expedition to Madang, Papua New Guinea.
Joint Meeting of the Western Society of Malacologists and International Workshop on Opisthobranchs –
June 2012
- Is there molecular support for the Doriopsilla areolata Bergh, 1880 (Mollusca:
Opisthobranchia) subspecies scheme in the eastern Atlantic Ocean?
Southern California Unified Malacologists Meeting – January 2012
- Biogeography, cryptic diversity and molecular evolution of Pleurobranchidae sea slugs
(Opisthobranchia: Notaspidea).
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE:
Graduate Student, UMCP
(September 2013-Present)
- Performed phylogenetic analyses on Cladobranchia (Gastropoda:Nudibranchia)
- Receiving training in trancriptomics, bioinformatics, histology and evolutionary character
analysis
- Advisors: Dr. Allen Collins (Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History) and Dr.
Michael Cummings (UMCP)
Student Research Assistant, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Department of Biological
Sciences
(September 2010 – July 2013)
- Trained in molecular lab techniques and phylogenetic analyses
- Participated in at least ten field collecting expeditions, including: Northern California
(March 2011, tide pool, mud flat and dock collection), Multiple Southern California Trips
(2010-2012, tide pool, mud flat and dock collection), Maui, Hawaii (June 2011, tide pool
-
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collection and collection by snorkeling). All collecting trips were focused on
opisthobranchs.
Participated in a large scale, international biodiversity expedition in Papua New Guinea,
organized by the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France (Nov-Dec 2012)
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Teaching Assistant, University of Maryland, College Park, Department of Biology (September 2013 –
Present)
- BSCI106 Lab – Principles of Biology II Laboratory
Teaching Assistant, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Department of Biological Sciences
(September 2011 – June 2013)
- BIO211L – Biometrics Laboratory
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Systematics Association
Golden Key International Honor Society
Sigma Xi
Society of Systematic Biologists
American Malacological Society
(2013-Present)
(2009 - Present)
(2014)
(2014)
(2013)
SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
- Certified AAUS Scientific SCUBA Diver
- Have used phylogenetic programs such as Geneious Pro, Seaview, MAFFT, PAUP*,
jModelTest, Figtree, TCS, Arlequin, MrBayes and Garli.
- In the process of learning the R framework.
- Have utilized python for the handling of files and data.
- Am familiar with generating figures using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
- Have used many laboratory procedures including, but not limited to RNA extractions,
DNA extractions, PCR, gel electrophoresis, chromatography, use of a spectrophotometer
REFERENCES
On request.