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Profile for Tisha King-Heiden

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Tisha King‑Heiden

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Professor
Biology University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

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Tisha King‑Heiden Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Professor

Biology

Specialty area(s)

Reproductive physiology, reproductive toxicology, and developmental toxicology.  In my lab, we strive to bridge the gap between ecotoxicology (fish) and human health. We use small fish models (typically zebrafish and fathead minnows) to study the effects of embryonic exposure to various  environmental contaminants of emerging concern on development, behavior,  metamorphosis, cardiovascular health, immune response and reproductive health.  

Students interested in doing Undergraduate Independent Research or earning a MS degree should email me, especially if you hold marginalized identities within the field of environmental science.

Brief biography

As a professor at a comprehensive/ primarily undergraduate university, I am committed to using innovative strategies in the classroom to help all students feel that they belong in biology so that they excel in their program. By working with undergraduate and MS students in the research lab, I help students develop the necessary skills for them to be successful in graduate programs or in their chosen field of interest. I strive to incorporate outreach opportunities for students to also get involved with their community here in La Crosse.

Education

PhD University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Great Lakes WATER Institute, 2005

MS University of North Carolina - Greensboro, 1998

BS University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, 1996

Career

Teaching history

Bio 105 (General Biology)

Bio 260 (Special Topics: Environmental and Health Effects of Water Pollution)

Bio 312 (Human Anatomy & Physiology I)

Bio 313 (Human Anatomy & Physiology II)

Bio 421/521 (Comparative Vertebrate Endocrinology)

Bio 441/541 (Environmental Toxicology)

Bio 718 (Advanced Human Physiology I)

Professional history

Health Professions Advisory Board to the International Joint Commission 2023-present

Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) World Council, 2021-present

Immediate Past President, SETAC-North America (SETAC-NA), Nov 2023-present

President, SETAC-NA Nov 2022-Nov 2023

Vice President, SETAC-NA 2021-Nov 2022

Board of Directors for SETAC-NA 2018-2024

Faculty in the Biology Department at UWL since 2008

Post-doctoral Fellow, University of Wisconsin Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center, 2006-2008

Field Research Technician, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee 1999-2000

High School Biology Teacher, North Carolina School of the Arts, 1999

Lecturer, University of North Carolina -Greensboro, 1998

 

Research and publishing

RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS (*indicates undergraduate student; †graduate student):

AJ Jeninga†, N Kooij*, E Harrahy, and TC King-Heiden. Binary mixtures of imidacloprid and thiamethoxam do not appear to cause additive toxicity in fathead minnow larvae (Pimephales promelas).  “Women in Ecotoxicology” Special Issue. Front. Toxicol. 5:1282817. https://doi:10.3389/ftox.2023.1282817

J Scheuller†, M Boogaard, C Kirkeeng, N Schloesser, S Wolf†, A Lettenberger*, TC King-Heiden, and J Luoma. 2023. Determination of Larval Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) Seasonal Sensitivity Differences to Lampricide Treatment. J Great Lakes Research.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2023.102248 

AJ Jeninga†, Z Wallace*, S Victoria†, E Harrahy, and TC King-Heiden.  2023.  Chronic exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of imidacloprid impacts survival and ecologically relevant behaviors of fathead minnow larvae. Env. Tox and Chem. 42(10): 2184-2192 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5710 

S Victoria†, M Hein*, E Harrahy and TC King-Heiden.  2022. Potency matters: Impacts of embryonic exposure to nAChR agonists thiamethoxam and nicotine on hatching success, growth, and neurobehavior in larval zebrafish.  J Toxicol Env Health, A.  85(18):767-782.

S Victoria†, S Duffy*, E Harrahy and TC King-Heiden.  2022.  Embryonic exposure to thiamethoxam reduces survival and alters neurobehavior of fathead minnows.  Env. Tox. and Chem.  41(5):1276-1285.

A Stenzel*, H Wirt*, A Patten*, B Theodore*, and TC King-Heiden.  2019.  Larval exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of triclosan impairs metamorphosis and reproductive fitness in zebrafish.  Repro. Toxicol. 87:79-86.

R Ryan†, C Belby, TC King-Heiden, RJ Haro, J Ogorek†, and G Gerrish.  2019. The role of macroinvertebrate in the distribution of lead (Pb) within a marsh ecosystem. Hydrobiologica. 827:337-352.

H, Wirt*, R Botka*, KE Perez, and TC King-Heiden.  2018.  Embryonic exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of triclosan impairs foraging efficiency in zebrafish larvae.  Env. Tox. and Chem.  37(12):3124-3133.

AJ Olson*, T Cyphers†, G Gerrish, C Belby, and TC King-Heiden.  2018. Evaluating the toxicity of contaminated sediments from an urban wetland: A case study approach to develop a molecular biomarker for exposure to lead in zebrafish. J Toxicol Environ Health (A). 81(18):924-938.

Q Liu, RH Klingler, B Wimpee, M Dellinger, TC King-Heiden, J Wehr Grzybowski*, SL Gerstenberger, DN Weber, and MJ Carvan, III.  2016.  Maternal methylmercury from a wild-caught walleye diet induces developmental abnormalities in zebrafish. Repro. Toxicol. 65:272-282.

A Saley*, M Hess*, K Miller*, D Howard, and TC King-Heiden.  2016. Cardiac toxicity of triclosan in developing zebrafish.  Zebrafish: Special Issue on Toxicology.  13(5): 399-404.

N Carmosini, S Grandstrand*, and TC King-Heiden. 2016.  Developmental toxicity of triclosan in the presence of dissolved organic carbon: Moving beyond standard acute toxicity assays to understand ecotoxicological risk. Zebrafish: Special Issue on Toxicology.  13(5): 424-431.

Lor*, Y, A Revak*, J Weigand*, E Hicks*, D Howard, and TC King-Heiden.  2015.  Juvenile exposure to vinclozolin shifts sex ratios and impairs reproductive capacity of zebrafish. Repro Tox 58:111-118.

RJ Hutz, M Carvan, III, JK Larson, Q Liu, RV Stelzer, TC King-Heiden, MG Baldridge, N Shahnoor and K Julien.  2014. Familiar and novel reproductive endocrine disruptors: xenoestrogens, dioxins and nanoparticles. Current Trends Endocrinol. 7:111-122.

TR Baker, TC King-Heiden, W Heideman, RE Peterson. 2014. Dioxin induction of transgenerational inheritance of disease in zebrafish. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 398:36-41.  Invited Review.

Chollett*, D, KE Perez, and TC King-Heiden.  2014. Embryonic exposure to sublethal concentrations of 2,3,7,8-TCDD impairs prey capture by zebrafish larvae. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 33(4): 784-790. Selected by editorial board as one of top 5 exceptional papers in ETC 2014.

Wiecinski, PN, KM Metz, TC King-Heiden, K Lewis, AN Mangham, RJ Hamers, W Heideman, RE Peterson, and JA Pederson. 2013. Toxicity of oxidatively degraded quantum dots. Environ. Sci. and Technol.  47(16):9132-9139.

King-Heiden, TC, V Mehta, KM Xiong, KA Lanham, DS Antkiewicz, A Ganser*, W Heideman, RE Peterson.  2012. Reproductive and developmental toxicity of dioxin in fish. Mol. Cell Endo. 354(1-2):121-38. 

King-Heiden, TC, PN Wiecinski, AN Mangham, KM Metz, D Nesbit, JA Pederson, RJ Hamers, W Heideman, and RE Peterson. 2009. Quantum Dot nanotoxicity assessments using the zebrafish embryo. Environ. Sci. and Technol. 43(5):1605-1611.

King-Heiden, TC, J Spitsbergen, W Heideman, and RE Peterson.  2009.  Persistent adverse effects on health and reproduction caused by exposure of zebrafish to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin during early development and gonad differentiation. Tox Sci. 109(1):75-87.

Hill, AJ, TC King-Heiden, W Heideman, W, and RE Peterson.  2009.  Roles of ARNT2 in zebrafish embryonic development. Zebrafish. 6(1): 79-91.

King-Heiden, TC, CA Struble, ML Rise, MJ Hessner, RJ Hutz, and MJ Carvan, III. 2008. Molecular targets of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin within the zebrafish ovary: Insights into TCDD’s ovarian toxicity.  Reprod. Toxicol.  25(1):47-57.

King-Heiden, TC, E Dengler, WJ Gao, W Heideman, and RE Peterson.  2007.  Developmental toxicity of low generation PAMAM dendrimers in Zebrafish.  Toxicol. Appl. Pharm. 225:70-79.

Hutz, RJ, MJ Carvan III, MG Baldridge, LK Conely, and TC King-Heiden.  2006.  Environmental toxicants and effects on female reproductive function, Review. Trends in Repro. Biol. 2:1-11.

King-Heiden, TC, MJ Carvan, III, and RJ Hutz.  2006.  Inhibition of follicular development, vitellogenesis, and 17β estradiol concentrations in zebrafish following chronic, sublethal dietary exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin.  Tox. Sci. 90(2): 490-499.

King-Heiden, TC, RJ Hutz, and MJ Carvan, III.  2005.  Accumulation and maternal transfer of TCDD: Effects on reproductive success of female zebrafish. Tox Sci.  87(2):497-507.

King-Heiden, TC, A Neal Haines, C Manire, J Lombardi, and TJ Koob.  2005.  Ultrastructure and permeability of the egg capsule of the bonnethead shark, Sphyrna tiburo. J. Exp. Zool. 303A(7):577-589.

BOOK CHAPTERS:

KE Perez and TC King-Heiden. 2018. Geometric morphometrics as a tool to evaluate teratogenic effects in zebrafish (Danio rerio).  In Teratogenicity Testing: Methods and Protocols.  I  Springer.  Pg. 373-391.

Carvan III, MJ, TC King-Heiden, and H Tomasiawicz.  2005.  The Utility of Zebrafish as a Model for Toxicological Research.  In Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Fishes, vol 6 Environmental Toxicology.  TP Mommsen and TW Moon, eds.  Elsevier BV. Pp. 3-41.

RESEARCH IN THE AREA OF TEACHING AND LEARNING (SOTL):

TC King-Heiden and ME Litster. 2018. Using learning cycle based modules to promote a better understanding of the evolutionary processes that shape human health. J of Bio Ed, in press.

Gerrish, G, T King-Heiden, A, Sanderfoot, M Abler, K Perez.  2014.  Building the impetus for change: an across curriculum Vision & Change initiative in Biology.  J College Sci Teaching. 44(4):28-35.

Kudos

presented

Emily Erickson, Tisha King-Heiden and Audrey Quackenbush, all Biology students, presented "Exploring the potential immunotoxicity of imidacloprid in fathead minnow larvae (Pimephales promelas) " at Midwest Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry annual meeting on April 11 in La Crosse, WI.

Submitted on: April 17

 

presented

Tisha King-Heiden, Biology; and Cheyenne Bennett and Anders Cedergren, both Public Health & Community Health Education students; presented "Gauging UWL Student Awareness of PFAS Contamination in Wisconsin " at Midwest Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry annual meeting on April 11 in La Crosse, WI.

Submitted on: April 17

 

presented

Tisha King-Heiden, Biology, presented "Sublethal effects of chronic exposure to neonicotinoid pesticides in aquatic organisms" at the Groundwater Coordinating Council (GCC) meeting on Friday, Feb. 16 online. The GCC is comprised of representatives from the Dept of Natural Resources (DNR), the Dept of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), the Dept of Health Services (DHS), the Dept of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS), the Dept of Transportation (DOT), the UW System, the WI Geological and Natural History Survey (WGNHS) and a Governor’s appointed representative (local farmer). The presentation was a summary of work done in collaboration with Dr. Harrahy from UW-Whitewater to assist the GCC in preparing an annual report for the legislature on the “state” of our groundwater resources, and to inform future research needs for the GCC Joint Solicitation of groundwater research projects for possible (GCC agency) funding.

Submitted on: Feb. 16

 

presented

Tisha King-Heiden, Biology, presented "Cultural Humility: Fostering Deeper Community Relationships" at Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center on Feb. 6 in La Crosse, WI. This workshop was co-led with Amanda Goodenough (Goodenough Consulting, LLC) for the UMESC/USGS Diversity Equity Inclusion and Accessibility workshop series. The introspective workshop provided the opportunity for participants to learn how to engage in critical self-work, identify systemic inequities, and explore ideas for applying cultural humility principles into personal and professional spheres of influence as scientists and science supporters.

Submitted on: Feb. 7

 

named

Tisha King-Heiden, Biology, was named co-leader of the PFAS Collaborator Group for the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin (FCW) on Feb. 1. She will work with her previous graduate student, Anja Jeninga (MS, Biology 2022), who is currently the inaugural emerging contaminant outreach specialist at UW Extensions Natural Resources Institute. The goal of the FCW Collaborator group is to bring together scientists from the Universities of Wisconsin with those from local government and industry who are all working to better understanding the risks that PFAS pose to wildlife and human health. Ultimately, we hope to provide state legislators with the information they require to make data-informed decisions to best protect Wisconsin's water resources.

Submitted on: Feb. 7

 

Memberships & affiliations

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