Who is Hannah Carey?
Coming Full Circle
Hannah V. Carey was born in Brooklyn, NY. As a child
she had a strong attraction to animals and biology for as long as she can
remember. Hannah spent most childhood summers in the country near the Long
Island Sound, where she was able to learn about both terrestrial and
marine animal life.
To Be or Not to Be a Veterinarian
After graduating from high school, Hannah decided to
attend the State University of New York in Binghamton and major in
biological sciences. She selected SUNY-Binghamton because it had (and
still has) a very good reputation for high-quality undergraduate training.
In addition, because it was a state school, Hannah was able to compete for
and receive a New York State Regents Scholarship, which provided critical
financial assistance for her undergraduate degree. When Hannah began
college, she intended to become a veterinarian, because of her interest in
animals and biology.
After a couple of years following that course of
study, a few key professors and their courses opened Hannah’s eyes to the
possibility of pursuing a PhD rather than a DVM degree after college.
Although she did not have the opportunity to do research during her
undergraduate years, Hannah’s instructors helped her to realize that she’d
much rather learn how to do independent research and study how organisms
came to be the way they are, rather than learn how to treat sick animals.
It was those undergraduate experiences that really turned Hannah on to the
excitement of a career as a PhD doing research and teaching at the
university level.
Making Physiology a Career
When she finished college in 1977, Hannah decided to
try a school on the opposite side of the country. She moved to California
to attend the University of California-Davis to get her PhD. Although she
always enjoyed her undergraduate classes related to physiology, she
decided to focus more on ecology/field biology for her PhD research.
After receiving her PhD degree in 1983, Dr. Carey
went on to do her postdoctoral training, first at University of Nevada and
then across country at Ohio State University. It was during that time that
she returned to studying physiology. She was able to integrate her
ecological/evolutionary training with physiology and soon came to realize
that physiology was her true intellectual home. However, she always thinks
about the ecological and evolutionary aspects of her work in physiology.
Back to Veterinary School
After finishing her postdoctoral positions, Dr. Carey
was offered a position in the Department of Comparative Biosciences in the
School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Wisconsin in 1989. Dr.
Carey finds it ironic that she has ended up getting a job in a veterinary
school. Of course, back when she was an undergraduate, she was not aware
of the many non-clinical research opportunities available to DVMs, which,
especially in today’s world, are very important and very exciting.
Although she chose to get a PhD instead of a DVM, in
some sense she feels that she has now come full circle, with her primary
appointment in a school of veterinary medicine. She finds that it is a
wonderful environment to work in, particularly at an outstanding
institution like Wisconsin. Dr. Carey has stayed at the University of
Wisconsin for her entire career to date. She is now a full professor in
the department.
Studying Animals That Hibernate
The research that Dr. Carey does is in the fields of
hibernation biology and gastrointestinal physiology. Much of her current
work focuses on translating hibernation biology into novel biomedical
applications, including organ preservation and trauma care.
Her teaching responsibilities include teaching
physiology (both gastrointestinal and renal) to first-year veterinary
students and training graduate students in her lab, both Masters and PhD
candidates. She also trains undergraduates who want to do research during
their college years.
Dr. Carey has served on many committees both for her
university and for APS at the local, state, national and international
levels. She has been active in the Gastrointestinal Section of APS, and on
many committees, like the Membership and Women in Physiology Committees.
In 1999, she was elected by the entire membership to serve on the APS
Council and help govern the Society. While she was on Council, Dr. Carey
was asked to lead a task force to determine how best to publicize the APS
and its members’ research. One outcome of that task force was the
establishment of a Communications Committee. Dr. Carey was asked this year
(2005) to be the Chair of that Committee and to oversee those efforts to
make physiology and APS more visible to the everyday person.
Outside of Work
Dr. Carey makes sure she saves some time for outdoor
pursuits, including her favorites of hiking and skiing. She also enjoys
traveling, which she has the opportunity to do quite often, both in the US
and overseas.
Dr. Carey also enjoys doing outreach. She makes
presentations to the public about her research, careers in science, and
issues related to the use of animals in biomedical research. She has
spoken at elementary and middle schools, senior citizen’s groups, and
community groups (e.g., Rotary Clubs). This fall (2005), she was asked to
be one of the featured speakers at the National Association of Biology
Teachers national meeting to talk about her research. She also is active
in the Wisconsin Association for Biomedical Research and Education.
Advice for Graduate Students
When you choose a graduate program/major
professor/research topic, consider issues such as: Does this field of
study excite me? Does the graduate program foster regular interactions
such as journal clubs and seminars? Does it emphasize scientific rigor and
provide diverse opportunities for their trainees? Does a potential advisor
have a good record of mentorship with their students? Have other trainees
from the potential lab gone on to successful positions in physiology, such
as postdoctoral fellowships, industry, academic positions? Join the APS as
a student member and take advantage of the APS programs that target
students, including travel and professional opportunity awards. If
possible attend EB and other APS –sponsored meetings and workshops and
begin to meet and interact with scientists from other universities.
Recent Publications
- Alexander, A.N., and H.V. Carey. Involvement of PI-3 kinase in IGF-I
stimulation of jejunal Na+,K+-ATPase activity and
nutrient absorption.
Am.
J. Physiol. Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 280: G222-G280, 2001.
- van
Breukelen, F. and H.V. Carey. Ubiquitin conjugate dynamics in the
gut and liver of hibernating ground squirrels. J. Comp. Physiol. B 172:
269-273, 2002.
- Carey, H.V., C.A. Rhoads and T.Y. Aw. Hibernation induces glutathione
redox imbalance in ground squirrel intestine. J. Comp. Physiol. B
173:269-276, 2003.
- Carey, H.V., M.T. Andrews and S.L. Martin. Mammalian hibernation: cellular
and molecular responses to depressed metabolism and low temperature.
Physiol. Rev. 83: 1153-1181, 2003.
- Lindell, S.L., Klahn, S.L., Piazza, T.M., Mangino, M.J., Torrealba, J.R.,
Southard, J.H. and H. V. Carey. Natural resistance to liver cold
ischemia-reperfusion injury associated with the hibernation phenotype.
Am.
J. Physiol. Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 288:G473-G480, 2005.
- Fleck, C. and H.V. Carey. Modulation of apoptotic pathways in intestinal
mucosa during hibernation.
Am.
J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol 289: R586--R595, 2005.
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