Making a difference in the reproductive health of animals and people.
Faculty Profile
About
In addition to biological research, Dr. Desaulniers is also interested in the scholarship of teaching and learning. Her previous pedagogy research focused on the identification of effective methods to promote learning in large enrollment undergraduate physiology courses. Her long-term teaching goal within the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (SVMBS) is to identify innovative and evidence-based strategies to enhance deep learning and knowledge retention to better educate future veterinary professionals and biomedical scientists.
Education
- Ph.D. in Reproductive Physiology, University of Nebraska, 2018
- M.S. in Reproductive Physiology, University of Nebraska, 2013
- B.S. in Animal Science, University of Missouri-Columbia, 2010
Professional Responsibilities and Activities
- Judge for Poster Competition at NPOD Spring Retreat (2022)
- Judge for Greenwald Symposium Trainee Flask Talks (Fall 2020 and Fall 2021)
- Abstract reviewer for annual meeting of the IETS (2019 – Present)
- SSR Outreach Committee (2020 – 2021)
- Ad Hoc Reviewer, Cell and Tissue Research (2020 – Present)
- Ad Hoc Reviewer, Scientific Reports (2020 – Present)
- Ad Hoc Reviewer, Animal Reproduction Science (2015 – Present)
- Reproductive Biology at UNL Lectures/Demos (2011 – 2018)
- Midwest Boar Stud Mangers Conference Volunteer (2016)
- UNL Animal Science Academic Quadrathalon Physiology Practicum Coordinator (2016)
- Enviropig Online Learning Resource interviewee and reviewer (2016)
- NCERA-57 Regional Swine Reproduction Research Meeting Symposium Volunteer (2014)
- Nutrition, Obesity and Fertility Session Co-Chair, IETS (2012)
- Nebraska Women in Science Conference Volunteer (2011)
Publications
View complete list of published work
White, B.R., R.A. Cederberg, D.H. Elsken, C.E. Ross, C.A. Lents and A.T. Desaulniers. 2022. Role of gonadotropin-releasing hormone II and its receptor in swine reproduction. Mol Reprod Dev 1–11.
Desaulniers, A.T., R.A. Cederberg, E.P. Carreiro, C.B. Gurumurthy and B.R. White. 2020. A transgenic pig model expressing a CMV-ZsGreen1 reporter across an extensive array of tissues. J Biomed Res, 35(2): 163–173.
S. Manca, B. Upadhyaya, E. Mutai, A.T. Desaulniers, R.A. Cederberg, B.R. White and J. Zempleni. 2018. Milk exosomes are bioavailable and distinct microRNA cargos have unique distribution patterns. Sci Rep. 8(1): 11321.
Desaulniers, A.T., R.A. Cederberg, C.A. Lents and B.R. White. 2017. Expression and role of gonadotropin-releasing hormone 2 and its receptor in mammals. Front Endocrinol. 8:269. Invited review.
Lents, C.A., J.F. Thorson, A.T. Desaulniers and B.R. White. 2017. RFamide-Related Peptide 3 and Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone-II are Autocrine-Paracrine Regulators of Testis Function in the Boar. Mol Reprod Develop. 84:994 – 1003.
Desaulniers, A.T., R.A. Cederberg and B.R. White. 2017. Production of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone II receptor knockdown swine line. Transgenic Res. 26(4):567 – 575.
Desaulniers, A.T., W.R. Lamberson and T.J. Safranski. 2016. Prenatal heat stress reduces male anogenital distance at birth and adult testis size, which are rescued by concurrent maternal Artemisia absinthium consumption. J Therm Biol. 57:84 – 91.
Brauer, V.M., J.R. Wiarda Bell, A.T. Desaulniers, R.A. Cederberg and B.R. White. 2016. Functional activity of the porcine Gnrhr2 gene promoter in testis-derived cells is partially conferred by nuclear factor-κB, specificity protein 1 and 3 (SP1/3) and overlapping early growth response 1/SP1/3 binding sites. Gene. 587: 137 – 146.
Desaulniers, A.T., R.A. Cederberg, G.A. Mills, J.J. Ford, C.A. Lents and B.R. White. 2015. LH-independent testosterone secretion is mediated by the interaction between GNRH2 and its receptor within porcine testes. Biol Reprod. 93:45.
Thorson, J.F., A. T. Desaulniers, C. Lee, B. R. White, J. J. Ford and C. A. Lents. 2015. The role of RFamide-related peptide 3 (RFRP3) in regulation of the neuroendocrine reproductive and growth axes of the boar. Anim Reprod Sci. 159:60 – 65.
Presentations
Oral Presentation:
*Denotes current or former trainees
Desaulniers, A.T. Developmental programming of testis dysfunction by in utero heat stress. Veteran Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System Seminar Series. Online. September 30, 2022.
Desaulniers, A.T. Impacts of dietary milk exosome consumption on the testicular transcriptome. Nebraska Center for the Prevention of Obesity Diseases through Dietary Molecules (NPOD) External Advisory Committee Site Visit. Lincoln, NE. September 8, 2022.
McFee, R.M. and A.T. Desaulniers. 2022. Lecture notes, online quizzes, in-class review sessions, and in-class assignments were perceived as more beneficial for student learning compared with lecture recordings for a flipped version of an animal physiology course. Veterinary Educator Collaborative Meeting.
Ross, C.E., G.A. Mills, A.T. Desaulniers, C.A. Lents, and B.R. White. 2022. GnRH-II and its receptor influence sperm morphology and kinematics. Society for the Study of Reproduction Annual Meeting.
Clifton*, L.K., A.M. Petty*, M.L. Burns* and A.T. Desaulniers. 2022. Early weaning impairs reproductive development and fertility of the male. ASAS Midwestern Section Annual Meeting.
Desaulniers, A.T., H.R. Wijesena, R.A. Cederberg, A.K. Lindholm-Perry, B.N. Keel, C.E. Ross, D.H. Elsken, C.A. Lents and B.R. White. 2021. The testicular transcriptome of GnRHR-II knockdown boars. Society for the Study of Reproduction Annual Meeting. Virtual.
Burns*, M.L., A.M. Petty*, L.K. Clifton*, K.W. Lovercamp and A.T. Desaulniers. 2021. Corn-cob bedding impairs the development and long-term function of murine testes. Gilbert S. Greenwald Symposium on Reproduction and Regenerative Medicine. Virtual Flash Talk.
Burns*, M.L., A.M. Petty*, L.K. Clifton*, K.W. Lovercamp and A.T. Desaulniers. 2021. Exposure to corn-cob bedding during pubertal development impairs testosterone secretion and seminal vesicle development in male mice. 25th Annual MKN McNair Heartland Research Conference. Kansas City, MO.
Burns*, M.L., A.M. Petty*, L.K. Clifton*, K.W. Lovercamp and A.T. Desaulniers. 2021. Effects of corn-cob bedding on murine testis development and function. UCM McNair Symposium. Warrensburg, MO.
Petty*, A.M., K.W. Lovercamp and A.T. Desaulniers. 2020. Elucidating steroidogenesis in the neonatal boar. Gilbert S. Greenwald Symposium on Reproduction and Regenerative Medicine. Virtual Flash Talk.
Petty*, A.M., and A.T. Desaulniers. 2020. Bioavailability of seminal plasma-derived exosomes in the female reproductive tract. 24th Annual MKN Heartland McNair Conference. Virtual Oral Presentation.
Petty*, A.M., and A.T. Desaulniers. 2020. Isolation of ZsGreen1-Labeled Exosomes from Seminal Plasma of Transgenic Boars. UCM Undergraduate Research Fair. Warrensburg, MO.*Abstract accepted but presentation canceled due to COVID-19
Ebrecht*, M.A., B.R. White, K.W. Lovercamp and A.T. Desaulniers. 2020. Effects of Exogenous GnRH-II Treatment on Motility of Porcine Spermatozoa. UCM Undergraduate Research Fair. Warrensburg, MO. Oral Presentation. *Abstract accepted but presentation canceled due to COVID-19
Ebrecht*, M.A., A.T. Desaulniers and K.W. Lovercamp. 2019. Effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone-II (GnRH-II) on boar sperm quality when stored in a long-term semen extender. 23rd Annual MKN Heartland McNair Research Conference. Kansas City, MO. Oral Presentation.
Ebrecht*, M.A., A.T. Desaulniers and K.W. Lovercamp. 2019. Effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone-II (GnRH-II) on boar sperm quality when stored in a long-term semen extender. UCM McNair Scholars Research Symposium. Warrensburg, MO. Oral Presentation.
Desaulniers, A.T., R.A. Cederberg, G.A. Mills and B.R. White. Use of genetically engineered pigs to elucidate the reproductive physiology of the boar. 2019. Missouri Physiological Society. Columbia, MO.
Desaulniers, A.T., R.A. Cederberg, G.A. Mills and B.R. White. A transgenic swine model to elucidate ovarian steroidogenesis in gilts. 2018. Large Animal Genetic Engineering Summit. Park City, UT.
Desaulniers, A.T., R.A. Cederberg, G.A. Mills and B.R. White. 2018. Aberrant corpus luteum development and function in GnRH-II receptor knockdown gilts. Society for the Study of Reproduction Annual Meeting. New Orleans, LA. Flash talk.
Desaulniers, A.T., R.A. Cederberg, G.A. Mills and B.R. White. Knockdown of GnRH-II receptor alters corpus luteum development and function in gilts. 2018. Rocky Mountain Reproductive Sciences Symposium. Fort Collins, CO.
Desaulniers, A.T., R.A. Cederberg, C.A. Lents and B.R. White. 2017. Knockdown of the GnRH-II receptor in the porcine testis impairs the biosynthesis of 10 gonadal steroids. Society for the Study of Reproduction Annual Meeting. Washington, D.C.
Desaulniers, A.T., E.P. Carreiro, R.A. Cederberg, C.A. Lents and B.R. White. 2017. Testis composition and steroidogenic protein abundance in GnRH-II receptor knockdown boars. ASAS-SSR Triannual Reproduction Symposium and Society for the Study of Reproduction Annual Meeting. Washington, D.C. Flash talk.
Desaulniers, A.T., R.A. Cederberg, R.V. Knox, C.A. Lents and B.R. White. 2017. GnRHR-II knockdown swine have constitutively lower serum testosterone concentrations, impaired sensitivity to GnRH analogues and reduced semen quality. International Conference on Pig Reproduction. Columbia, MO.
Desaulniers, A.T., R.A. Cederberg, C.A. Lents and B.R. White. 2017. Testicular GnRH-II receptor knockdown impairs diurnal testosterone secretion in the boar. International Embryo Technology Society (IETS) Annual Meeting. Austin, TX.
Desaulniers, A.T., R.A. Cederberg, C.A. Lents and B.R. White. 2016. Use of genetically engineered swine to elucidate testis function in the boar. Large Animal Genetic Engineering Summit. Bethesda, MD.
Desaulniers, A.T., R.A. Cederberg, G.A. Mills, C.A. Lents and B.R. White. 2016. Effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone II receptor (GnRHR-II) knockdown on testosterone secretion in the boar. Society for the Study of Reproduction Meeting. San Diego, CA.
Desaulniers, A.T., R.A. Cederberg, G.A. Mills, C.A. Lents and B.R. White. 2016. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone II receptor (GnRHR-II) knockdown reduces testis size and decreases testosterone secretion during pubertal development in swine. ASAS/ADSA Midwestern Section Annual Meeting. Des Moines, IA.
Desaulniers, A.T., R.M. McFee and B.R. White. 2016. Evaluation of case-based reasoning to promote learning and swine industry interest in an undergraduate reproductive physiology course. ASAS/ADSA Midwestern Section Annual Meeting. Des Moines, IA.
Desaulniers, A.T., R.A. Cederberg, G.A. Mills, C.A. Lents and B.R. White. 2014. LH-independent testosterone secretion is mediated by the interaction between GnRH2 and its receptor within the testis. Society for the Study of Reproduction Annual Meeting. Grand Rapids, MI.
Desaulniers, A. T., A. M. Voss, R.A. Cederberg, C. Lee, G. A. Mills, M. D. Snyder, and B.R. White. 2012. Production of GnRH-II receptor knockdown swine. International Embryo Transfer Society (IETS) Annual Meeting. Phoenix, AZ.
Desaulniers, A. T., and T. J. Safranski. 2010. Retrospective analysis of factors affecting sperm production/quality measures in a boar stud. ASAS/ADSA Midwestern Section Annual Meeting. Des Moines, IA.
Grants
- 2023 – 2026 USDA-NIFA-AFRI
Role: Project Director (Co-PDs: Lents, White, Brito, Johnson)
Enhancing boar fertility in the face of climate change through the mitigation of in utero heat stress
- 2022 – 2026 ARD/USDA Hatch Multistate Enhanced Program
Role: Principal investigator
Biological mechanisms mediating testicular steroidogenesis after in utero heat stress
- 2022 – 2024 University of Nebraska Collaboration Initiative
Role: Principal investigator (Co-Is: Bartelt-Hunt, Rogan, Sillman, Zahid)
Effects of prenatal herbicide exposure on health and fertility outcomes in a swine model
- 2022 – 2024 Great Plains IDeA-CTR - Early Career Investigator Program
Role: Principal investigator
Biological mechanisms that connect nursing with enhanced testicular function
- 2022 Nebraska Center for the Prevention of Obesity Diseases through Dietary Molecules
Role: Principal investigator
Impacts of dietary milk exosome consumption on the testicular transcriptome
- 2022 UNL Research Council Interdisciplinary Grant
Role: Principal investigator (D.T. Yates, Co-PI)
Effects of milk exosome consumption on testicular development in a neonatal swine model
Awards and Honors
Research
2022 NU 2 NIH Faculty Development Program, UNL ORED
2022 UNL Faculty Slammer
2021 Research Development Faculty Fellowship Program, UNL ORED
2018 Midwest American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) Young Scholar Award
2017 Gamma Sigma Delta Outstanding Graduate Student Award
2016 Widaman Distinguished Graduate Fellowship
2014 & 2017 USDA-NIFA-AFRI Research Merit Award
2017 ASAS-SSR Triannual Reproduction Symposium Flash Talk Competition Finalist
2012 & 2017 IETS Society Graduate Student Oral Competition Finalist
2011 & 2015 Gilbert S. Greenwald Symposium on Reproduction Pre-Doctoral Poster Award
2015 NPOD/NGN Graduate Student & Postdoctoral Fellow Poster Competition Award
2011 & 2015 Gilbert S. Greenwald Symposium on Reproduction Pre-Doctoral Poster Award
2015 NPOD/NGN Graduate Student & Postdoctoral Fellow Poster Competition Award
2011 – 2012 Milton E. Mohr Biotechnology Fellowship
Teaching
2016 – 2017 Milton E. Mohr Teaching Fellowship
2016 National Pork Board Swine Innovation Award
2014 John Hallman Memorial Teaching Award
Travel Awards
2021 IANR Travel Grant
2018 UCM Scholarly Activity Fund
2016 & 2018 Large Animal Genetic Engineering Summit Trainee Travel Award
2017 Gilbert S. Greenwald on Reproduction Trainee Travel Award
2017 Graduate Travel Awards Program (GTAP) awardee
2012 & 2016 David H. & Anne E. Larrick Memorial Student Travel Award
2016 Cayman Chemical Travel Grant
2014 William G. Whitmore Memorial Student Travel Fund
Other
Teaching and Training
Dr. Desaulniers team teaches Animal Physiology I and II (VMED 645 and 646) for veterinary and graduate students within the SVMBS. These courses provide foundational physiology content for first year veterinary students in the Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Desaulniers also participates in pedagogy research to enhance learning and knowledge retention. Information about previous pedagogy projects is available here and here. Regarding research training, Dr. Desaulniers supervises graduate and undergraduate students (e.g., UCARE, FYRE) in her laboratory.
Biological Research Topics
(1) Lactocrine programming of testis development
Conception rate, farrowing rate, and litter size govern the productivity of pork production. Due to the nearly exclusive use of artificial insemination in the swine industry, a single boar affects the fertility of thousands of females. Thus, the boar has the greatest cumulative impact on reproductive outcomes and drives genetic progress in the herd. Yet boar fertility is often overlooked, representing an untapped avenue to rapidly improve swine production efficiency. New evidence demonstrates that nursing promotes the growth and development of the swine testis leading to greater reproductive function in the boar. Our objective is to identify early nutritional interventions that improve reproductive development and fertility of boars. In addition, we are also working to identify the specific components of milk that confer these benefits. This knowledge is critical because extensive testicular growth and development occurs during the neonatal period, yet replacement boars may not have adequate colostrum access due to growing litter sizes and climate change. Simple interventions (e.g., targeted supplementation) could be rapidly implemented to improve testis function in neonatal boars currently being developed, leading to advancements in both swine fertility and genetic progress which will enhance the profitability of pork production. In addition, this research has biomedical applications because nursed human infants have improved testis growth compared to formula-fed controls but only 25% of babies exclusively receive breast milk through 6 months of age. Interventions (e.g., targeted supplementation) could improve nutrition for 1.9 million male infants annually leading to population-level fertility and health benefits for men.
(2) Effects of in utero heat stress on testis development and function
Given the growing population and limited natural resources, enhancing the efficiency of food production is critical. Reproductive failure is a major limitation to swine production. Notably, summer heat stress reduces fertility in the male pig by reducing spermatogenesis and sperm motility as well as increasing sperm abnormalities. Due to climate change, heat stress is expected to be a major threat to the sustainability of livestock production. Notably, heat stress is also a rising concern for humans, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds or developing countries. While the effects of heat stress on male fertility have been well documented, the impact of prenatal heat stress is less clear. Stress during gestation increases plasma cortisol concentrations within the dam, which impairs fetal steroidogenesis and gonadogenesis. Given that over 6 million pregnant sows experience summer heat stress, the effect of prenatal heat stress on testis development demands further evaluation. Therefore, Dr. Desaulniers' early work at the University of Missouri-Columbia sought to examine the effects of prenatal heat stress on male fertility in a mouse model. Mild maternal heat stress demasculinized males for life. These effects were likely due to reduced fetal androgen production as indicated by a reduced anogenital distance in the male mice exposed to prenatal heat stress. Notably, the effects of prenatal heat stress were fully mitigated by concurrent maternal supplementation of an antipyretic herb (Artemisia absinthium), demonstrating a potential dietary agent to protect fetal testes from gestational heat stress. In pigs, we have recently discovered that prenatal heat stress impairs testis development and alters abundance of >600 proteins within the testicular proteome including proteins important for steroid hormone production (e.g., CYP19). Therefore, we are currently investigating the biological consequences of prenatal heat stress on boar fertility. The successful outcome of this work will result in new mechanistic knowledge about how in utero heat stress impacts reproductive physiology of boars on the endocrine, cellular, molecular, & whole-animal level. We will apply this new insight to explore practical approaches (e.g., genomic selection for heat tolerance) to mitigate IUHS & develop boars with greater fertility.
(3) Role of GnRH-II and its receptor in testis function of pigs
The second mammalian form of GnRH (GnRH-II) and its cognate receptor (GnRHR-II) are produced in only one livestock species, the pig. Dr. Desaulniers' graduate work demonstrated that the physiological interaction of GnRH-II with its receptor does not stimulate gonadotropin secretion in the pig. Instead, both are abundantly produced within the testis, where GnRH-II immunolocalizes to seminiferous tubules, and GnRHR-II is present on the plasma membrane on Leydig cells. Her M.S. work revealed that GnRH-II elicited testosterone secretion both in vivo and ex vivo without the classical androgen stimulator, luteinizing hormone. These data suggest that GnRH-II and GnRHR-II are local regulators of steroidogenesis within swine testes; however, the function and biological mechanisms of GnRH-II mediated steroidogenesis remained unclear. Utilizing genetically engineered pigs produced in the laboratory of Dr. Brett White, Dr. Desaulniers' USDA-funded doctoral work focused on: 1) evaluating the physiological consequences of GnRHR-II knockdown within the porcine testis; and 2) determining the molecular mechanisms that regulate GnRH-II mediated steroidogenesis within porcine Leydig cells. Notably, disruption of GnRHR-II expression within the porcine testis ablated synthesis of 10 gonadal steroids and reduced semen quality. Thus, GnRH-II and its receptor are critical regulators of porcine Leydig cell function and represent novel molecular targets to improve male fertility.
Location
1880 N 42nd St
East Campus Loop and Fair Street
Lincoln, NE 68583-0905
Appointment
Research Areas
- Physiology
Professional Society Memberships
- Society for the Study of Reproduction
- American Physiological Society
- American Society of Animal Science
- Association for Women in Sciences