Phone: (509)-313-5594 Fax: (509)-313-5804 email: Office#: HU 205

I'm a Jesuit regent, which means that I'm in formation to become a Jesuit priest. Part of this formation entails living and working in a Jesuit community. Specifically, I've been assigned to teach and do research in biology at Gonzaga University from 2008 through 2010.

My research interests lie in two areas of Parasitology. First, I am interested in parasite-altered behavior of hosts. Parasites that require multiple hosts often employ strategies to increase the probability of transmission to their next host, including altering host behavior. An infected host may also alter its behavior to mitigate parasite damage. I studied the tapeworm, Hymenolepis diminuta and the interaction with its intermediate beetle host, Tenebrio molitor. The beetle becomes infected after ingesting rat feces containing tapeworm eggs. Previous studies suggest the presence of a beetle attractant present in rat feces containing tapeworm eggs, which increases the probability of tapeworm transmission to the beetle. I am interested in how factors such as host sex, nutrition status, infection status and presence of con-specifics influence tapeworm transmission to the beetle. To investigate this, I conducted behavioral experiments in which beetles under varying conditions were exposed to rat feces containing tapeworm eggs and feces without tapeworm eggs. I hope to answer similar questions using the trematode-snail system.

Second, I am interested in using parasites as indicators of ecosystem health. Some parasites such as trematodes have complicated life cycles involving multiple hosts. Thus, the presence of the parasite in an ecosystem suggests the presence of its hosts. Since larval trematodes can be easily and quickly collected from their snail intermediate hosts this research holds promise for a cheap and accurate way to assess ecosystems. I recently completed a survey of larval trematodes, snails and invertebrates in three Peruvian coastal wetlands.

Education

• B.S. 1997. John Carroll University, Cleveland, OH; Biology

• Ph.D. 2003. The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH; Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology. Thesis Advisors: Doctors Peter Pappas and Jerry Downhower. Thesis: "Gender in Factors Influencing the Infection of the Beetle, Tenebrio molitor with the Tapeworm, Hymenolepis diminuta"

• M.A. 2005 - present. Loyola University, Chicago, IL; Social Philosophy. Thesis: "Recognizing the Intrinsic Value of Nature Using Whitehead and Christianity"

Professional Experience

• Assistant Professor of Biology, Gonzaga University, 2008-present.

Teaching Responsibilities

Parasitology (Bio 331); Science and Religion (Bio 134); Intro to Ecology (Bio 102)

Publications

• Shea, J.F. 2007. Lack of preference for infective faeces in Hymenolepis diminuta-infected beetles (Tenebrio molitor). Journal of Helminthology. 81: 293-99.
• Shea, J.F. 2005. Sex differences in frass production and weight change in Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera) infected with cysticercoids of the tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta (Cestoda). Journal of Insect Science. 5:31, available online: insectscience.org/5.31.
• Shea, J.F. 2005. The effect of Hymenolepis diminuta (Cestoda) cysticercoids on the weight change, frass production, and food intake of the intermediate host, Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera). Parasitology Research. 98(1): 1-4.
• Shea, J.F. 2005. A survey of the Coleoptera associated with carrion at sites with varying disturbances in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Ohio Journal of Science. 105(2): 17-20.
• Conroy, J.D., Edwards, W.J., Pontius, R.A., Kane, D.D., Zhang, H., Shea, J.F., Richey, J.N. and Culver, D.A. 2005. Soluble nitrogen and phosphorus excretion of exotic freshwater mussels (Dreissena spp.): potential impacts for nutrient remineralisation in western Lake Erie. Freshwater Biology. 50: 1146-62.