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Gregory S. Fraley
Associate Professor of Biology
Education
- B.S. University of Maryland at College Park, Animal Science with an emphasis on physiology
- M.S. University of Maryland at College Park, Avian Physiology with emphasis on neuroscience. Physiological Changes Within the Central Nervous System During Kinfe-cut or Biochemically Induced Sexual Precocity. Thesis Major Advisor: Professor Wayne J. Kuenzel
- Ph.D. Washington State University at Pullman, Postnatal Development of the Spinal Nucleus of the Bulbocavernosus in the Mongolian Gerbil: Effects of Peripubertal Gonadal hormones on Anatomy, Androgen Receptor, and Neurotrophin Receptor Expression. Dissertation Major Advisor: Associate Professor Catherine Ulibarri, Center for Neurosciences
- Postdoctoral Experience:
- UCLA Brain Research Institute (Los Angeles, CA), Mentor Professor Art Arnold
- WSU College of Veterinary Medicine (Pullman, WA), Mentor Professor Sue Ritter
- UW School of Medicine (Seattle, WA), Mentor Professor Robert Steiner
Research Interests
Obesity and poor nutrition are world-wide problems that cost the US medical institutions millions of dollars every year. Poor nutrition can lead to diabetes, anorexia nervosa, or obesity - all referred to generally as metabolic diseases. Metabolic diseases can alter brain chemistry that can further alter feeding behaviors, metabolic rate and the reproductive system. My research involves understanding how nutrition affects brain chemistry, growth and reproductive development. I study how altered nutrition (such as high fat diets) during development can alter neuropeptides within the brain that ultimate regulate the timing of puberty, growth and adult eating habits and reproductive function. The control of feeding and reproduction are regulated by parallel neuropeptide circuitry within the hypothalamus of the brain; thus whenever feeding systems are affected, the reproductive system is also affected and vice versa. My research has demonstrated specific neuropeptide systems within the hypothalamus that are regulated by the body's nutritional status, and these neuropeptides in turn regulate both food intake and reproduction. Students in my lab utilize behavioral analyses, histology, and molecular biological techniques to investigate how altered diets in youth can have long-term effects on brain chemistry, growth and adult feeding and reproductive health.
Go to current research projects
Experience
- I am originally from Baltimore, Maryland. I began research as an undergraduate developing a digital atlas of the avian brain. I stayed in the same lab as a graduate student (MS, Dr. Wayne Kuenzel) where I studied the brain mechanisms involved in timing the onset of puberty. I continued my graduate work with Dr. Cathy Ulibarri at Washington State University where I studied the developmental changes in the nervous system that occur during puberty. After my PhD, I spent the next 5 years in postdoctoral research studying factors that affect the development of brain and behavior including the environment, steroids and nutrition. During these years, I obtained experience teaching gross anatomy to veterinary students and behavioral neuroendocrinology to medical students.
- I have been married since 1999 to Dr. Susan Fraley (D.V.M.). We live in Byron Center, Michigan on a small hobby farm with our two Basset Hounds (Mabel and Maggie) and Sphynx cat (Holly).
Affiliations
- Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology
- Society for Neuroscience
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
- Sigma Xi
Dr. Fraley is on Facebook (Hope Biology Alumni)
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Contact Details
Phone: 616-395-7306
Fax: 616-395-7125
Email: fraley@hope.edu
Office: Science Center 3065
Lab: Science Center 3011
Office Hours
Please make an appointment to see me.
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