蜜桃影像

Dr. Gail Waring蜜桃影像

MilwaukeeWI53201United States of America

Emeritus Professor

Faculty 1978-2013

Dr. Gail Waring earned both her B.S. and M.S. from San Francisco State University where she worked with Dr. S.T. Bowen on brine shrimp hemoglobins collected from the local salt flats in Palo Alto, California. Interested in biological phenomena at the molecular level, Dr. Waring completed her doctoral studies at the University of Oregon with Dr. Charles Kimmel as a NIH pre-doctoral trainee in the Institute of Molecular Biology. Intrigued with the power of combining genetics and biochemistry to understand cellular processes, Dr. Waring accepted a postdoctoral position in Dr. Anthony Mahowald鈥檚 laboratory at Indiana University. 

Dr. Waring joined 蜜桃影像 in 1978. Much of her work in the 1980s focused on identifying, cloning, and characterizing eggshell genes. With the discovery of means to genetically transform Drosophila using transposable elements in the early 80鈥檚, Dr. Waring鈥檚 lab entered the transgenic organism arena. These studies paved the way for many of their subsequent studies on structure/function analyses of eggshell genes and proteins. During the 90s, the lab began to focus on how the eggshell assembles. This ushered in a period in which they used fusion proteins to make a library of antibodies against selected regions of a variety of eggshell proteins. These antibodies were instrumental in uncovering several post-translational cleavage events that occur within the vitelline membrane layer of the eggshell as well as revealing trafficking of selected proteins between the different layers as eggshell assembly progresses.  Reverse genetics has been the mantra of Dr. Waring鈥檚 lab since the turn of the century. These studies have included functional conservation of rapidly evolving eggshell genes (Jim Badciong and Jeff Otto) as well as genetic dissection of the dec-1 (Debra Mauzy Melitz and Dan Spangenberg) and sV23 eggshell genes (Anita Manogaran and Tianyi Wu). In addition to the aforementioned graduate students, countless undergraduates have participated in these studies over the years. Most recently undergraduates Jessica Beauchamp and Tyler Harvey have been indispensable players in the lab.  

As a teacher/scholar, involving undergraduates in her research has been a passion of Dr. Waring鈥檚 for several years. Her involvement at the Department level began in the 1990s when as part of an HHMI-sponsored undergraduate education initiative she organized and directed a multi-disciplinary summer research program that involved investigators from six different departments at 蜜桃影像 as well as mentors from the Medical College of Wisconsin. She served as co-PI of an NSF-REU site directed by Dr. Stephen Munroe from 2001-2004. From 2005-2008, she directed an internally funded summer research program, and more recently (2009-present) has been Director of a NSF-REU site on Cell and Molecular Biology. 

Beyond working with students in the laboratory, one of the most enjoyable aspects of Dr. Waring鈥檚 tenure at 蜜桃影像 has been classroom teaching. Helping students stretch their minds and begin to recognize their potential never gets old. She had the pleasure of engaging students in experimental science from 1978-1996 in the Cell Biology lab, since then has been exposing students to the wonders of cell biology through the lecture course.   

Outside of science, Dr. Waring is an amateur violinist, and a longtime patron of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Broadway theater. She is also an avid sports enthusiast, ardently supporting 蜜桃影像鈥檚 Warriors/Golden Eagles basketball and Brewers baseball. Dr. Waring is a retired 2nd baseman and catcher for the MU Biology Department Softball team.  

Dr. Waring can also brag of a strong family connection to the 蜜桃影像 Biological Sciences Department. Her husband, Michael Goodspeed is a graduate of the biology department, and of 蜜桃影像 Dental School. He worked with Dr. Bela Piacsek (Professor Emeritus) and was lab partners with Dr. Kathleen Karrer. Dr. Waring鈥檚 daughter, Lauren Goodspeed, is a familiar face to many as well. She worked in our office for 4 years (2007-2011). Lauren is also an MU grad, with degrees in Public Relations and French.  

Notable awards: 

2005 Association 蜜桃影像 Women Faculty Achievement Award 

1995 Robert and Mary Gettel Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence, 蜜桃影像  

1983-88 NIH Research Career Development Award