Contact Information
Office Hours
M/W 3-4:30pm
Mailing Address
University of Northern Colorado
Biological Sciences
Campus Box 92
Greeley, CO 80639
Education
2015- 2016 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Pittsburgh, Ophthalmology
2012- 2015 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University Texas at Austin, Department
of Molecular Biosciences
2005- 2011 PhD, Stanford University, Molecular and Cellular Physiology
2000-2005 Bachelor of Science, San Francisco State University, Biology Major with
an emphasis in Cell and Molecular Biology, Chemistry and History minor
Professional/Academic Experience
2013-2015 Guest Lecturer, Developmental Biology lecture and lab, University of
Texas at Austin
2012-2015 Undergraduate and Graduate Research Mentor, University of Texas, at
Austin
Fall 2011 Academic Lecturer, Undergraduate and Graduate Developmental Biology,
Masters seminar in Stem Cell Biology, San Francisco State University
2006-2011 7th and 8th Grade Science Lab Instructor, 49ers Academy in East Palo
Alto
2009 Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, Developmental Biology, Stanford
University
2007, 2009 Undergraduate Summer Research Mentor, Stanford Summer Research Program
2007, '09, '11 Program Assistant, Stanford Summer Research Program
2007, 2008 Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, Cell Biology, Stanford University
2003-2005 Learning Assistance Center, San Francisco State University
2002-2003 Teaching Assistant, Phlebotomy Training Program, San Francisco State
University
Other Experience
Currently Teaching: Cell Biology, Molecular Genetics
Research/Areas of Interest
The goal of my research is to determine how cell adhesion components contribute to
choroid fissure closure (CFC-closure of the ventral eye), and, more specifically,
how the adhesion proteins/complexes mediate intracellular signaling and subsequent
regulation of cytoskeletal stability required for proper closure. Zebrafish offer a powerful model system through which the molecular and cellular
underpinnings of CFC can be elucidated due to the diverse array of imaging, genetic
and molecular tools available in the system. My previous research establishes a system
through which discrete events during eye development can be dissected at the cellular
and molecular level. My future research builds upon these studies, and focuses on
dissecting the molecular underpinnings of tissue fusion in the choroid fissure.
Publications/Creative Works
Research Articles (previously published as A. Hartsock)
*James, A., *Lee, C., Williams, A., Angileri, K., Lathrop, K., and J. Gross. The Hyaloid Vasculature
Facilitates Basement Membrane Breakdown during Choroid Fissure Closure in the Zebrafish
Eye. Manuscript in review at Developmental Biology * Co-First Authors
Hartsock, A., Lee, C., Arnold, V., and J. Gross. Hyaloid vasculature formation in zebrafish does
not require the lens for recruitment of vascular precursor cells Developmental Biology, 394 (2), 327-39, 2014
*Hayes, J., *Hartsock, A., Clark, B., Napier, H., Link, B. and J. Gross. Integrin-alpha5/ Fibronectin and Focal
adhesion Kinase are required for lens fiber morphogenesis in Zebrafish. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 23(24)4725-38, 2012 * Co-First Authors
Hartsock, A., and W. James Nelson. Competitive Regulation of E-cadherin Degradation by p120-Catenin
Binding and Hakai-Mediated Ubiquitination. PLoS ONE. 7(5) e37476, 2012
Reviews
Hartsock, A., and W. James Nelson. Adherens and Tight Junctions: Structure, function, and connections
to the actin cytoskeleton. BBA Biomembranes, 2008 Mar;1778 (3): 660-9.
Honors and Awards
2015 ARVO Annual Meeting “Hot Topic”, ARVO Denver, CO
2013 Poster presentation winner, SBD Regional Meeting Austin, TX
2010 Minority Affairs Committee (MAC) Travel Grant for the American Society for
Cell Biology
2008 Carl Strom Minority Fellowship, Gordon Conference Boston, MA
2004 University of Michigan Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP)
2003 Poster presentation winner, SACNAS conference in Albuquerque, NM
