THOMAS J. SANGER
Curriculum Vitae
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Department of Biology
Loyola University in Chicago
1032 W. Sheridan Rd.
Chicago, IL 60660
P: 773.508.3631 E: tsanger@luc.edu W: www.anolisevodevo.space
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
2016 - present Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Loyola University in Chicago, Chicago, IL.
2013-2015 Postdoctoral research fellow, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Supervisor: Dr. Martin Cohn
2008-2013 Postdoctoral research fellow, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum
of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Supervisors: Drs. Arkhat Abzhanov and Jonathan Losos
EDUCATION
2007 Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
Advisor: Dr. James Cheverud
Thesis Title: The Evolution and Development of Tetrapod Long Bones
2001 B.S. (honors) Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
1998 A.A.S. Environmental Chemistry, Paul Smith’s College, Paul Smiths, NY
PUBLICATIONS
(* undergraduate coauthor)
Griffing AH, Sanger TJ, Daza JD, Nielsen SV, Pinto BJ, Stanley EL, Gamble T. (2019). Embryonic development of a parthenogenetic vertebrate, the mourning gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris). Dev Dyn. 248:1070-1090.
Stewart, TA, Liang C, Cotney JL, Noonan JP, Sanger TJ, and Wagner GP. (2019). Evidence against tetrapod-wide digital identities and for a limited frame shift in bird wings. Nature Comm. 3244.
Sanger TJ and Rajakumar R. (2019) How a Growing Organismal Perspective is Adding New Depth to Integrative Studies of Morphological Evolution. Biol. Rev. 94: 184-198.
Sanger TJ, Kyrkos J*, Lachance D*, Czesny B, Stroud JT. (2018). The effects of thermal stress on the early development of the lizard Anolis sagrei. J. Exp. Zool A. 329:244-251.
Griffing AH, Sanger TJ, Matamoros IC, Nielsen SV, Gamble T. (2018). Protocols for husbandry and embryo collection of a parthenogenetic gecko, Lepidodactylus lugubris (Squamata: Gekkonidae). Herp. Rev. 49:230–235.
Sanger, TJ and Kircher BK. (2017) Model Clades Versus Model Species: Anolis Lizards as an Integrative Model of Anatomical Evolution. In: Avian and Reptilian Developmental Biology, Editor Guojun Sheng.
Sanger, TJ, Gredler, M,, and Cohn, MJ. (2015) Resurrecting embryos of the tuatara, Sphenodon punctatus, to resolve vertebrate phallus evolution. Biol. Lett. 11: 20150694.
Sherratt, E, Castañeda, MdR, Garwood, RJ, Mahler, DL, Sanger, TJ, Herrel, A, de Queiroz, K, Losos, JB. (2015) Amber fossils demonstrate deep-time stability of Caribbean lizard communities. PNAS 112: 9961-9966.
Moczek A, Sears K, Stollewerk A, Wittkopp P, Diggle P, Dworkin I, Ledon-Rettig C, Matus D, Roth S, Abouheif E, Brown F, Chiu C, Cohen S, de Tomaso A, gilbert S, Hall B, Love A, Lyons D, Sanger TJ, Smith J, Specht C, Vallejo-Marin M, Extavour C. (2015) The significance and scope of evolutionary developmental biology: a vision for the 21st century. Evol. Dev. 17: 198-219.
Tschopp P, Sherratt E, Sanger TJ, Groner AC, Aspiras AC, Hu JK, Pourquié O, Gros J, and Tabin CJ. (2014) A shift in the relative location of the cloaca repositions the external genitalia during amniote evolution. Nature 516:391-394.
Gredler, ML, Larkins, CE, Leal, F, Lewis, AK, Herrera, AM, Perriton, CL, Sanger, TJ, and Cohn, MJ. (2014). Evolution of External Genitalia: Insights from Reptilian Development. Sexual Development 8:311–326.
Gredler ML, Sanger TJ, and Cohn MJ. (2014) Development of the cloaca, hemipenes, and hemiclitores in the green anole, Anolis carolinesis. Sex. Dev. 9: 21-33.
Sanger TJ, Seav S*, Tokita M, Langerhans B, Sims LM*, Losos JB, Abzhanov A. (2014) The oestrogen pathway underlies the evolution of exaggerated male cranial shapes in Anolis lizards. Proc. R. Soc. B. 20140329.
Ord, T, Collar D, Sanger TJ. (2013) The biomechanical basis of evolutionary change in a territorial display. Funct. Ecol. 27: 1186-1200.
Sanger, TJ, Sheratt E, McGlothlin JW, Brodie, ED, III, Losos JB, Abzhanov A. (2013) Convergent evolution of sexual dimorphism in skull shape using distinct developmental strategies. Evolution. 67: 2180–2193.
Dill, AK*, Sanger TJ, Johnson MJ. (2013) Sexually dimorphic habitat specialization in the green anole lizard, Anolis carolinensis. J. Zoology 290: 135-142.
Sanger, TJ. (2012) The emergence of squamates as model systems of integrative biology. Evol. Dev. 14: 231-233.
Sanger, TJ, Mahler, DL, Abzhanov A, Losos JB. (2012) Roles for modularity and constraint in the evolution of cranial diversity among Anolis lizards. Evolution. 66: 1525-1545.
Sanger, TJ, Revell LJ, Gibson-Brown JJ, Losos JB. (2012) Repeated modification of early limb morphogenesis programs underlies the evolution of relative long bone length variation among Anolis lizards. Proc. R. Soc. B 279: 739-748. **Cover illustration,
Kusumi K, Kulathinal RJ, Abzhanov A, Boissinot S, Crawford NG, Faircloth BC, Glenn TC, Janes DE, Losos JB, Menke DB, Poe S, Sanger TJ, Schneider C, Stapley J, Wilson-Rawls J. (2011) Developing a community-based genetic nomenclature for anole lizards. BMC Genomics. 12: 554.
Alföldi, J, Di Palma F, Grabherr, M, Williams C, Kong L, Mauceli E, Russell P, Lowe CB, Glor, RE, Jaffe JD, Ray DA, Boissinot S, Shedlock AM, Botka C, Castoe TA, Colbourne JK, Fujita MK, Moreno, RG, Hallers BFT, Haussler D, Heger A, Heiman D, Janes DE, Johnson J, de Jong, PJ, Koriabine MY, Sanger TJ, Searle S, Smith JD, Smith Z, Swofford R, Turner-Maier J, Wade J, Young S, Zadissa A, Edwards SV, Glenn TC, Schneider CJ, Losos JB, Lander ES, Breen M, Pontig CP, Lindblad-Toh, K. (2011). The genome of the green anole lizard and a comparative analysis with birds and mammals. Nature 477: 587-591.
Sanger TJ, Norgard EA, Pletscher LS, Bevilacqua M, Brooks VR and Cheverud JM. (2011) Developmental and genetic origins of murine long bone length variation. J. Exp. Zoo. B. 316B: 146-161.
Herrel A, Cottam MD, Godbeer K, Sanger TJ, and Losos JB. (2011) An ecomorphological analysis of native and introduced populations of the endemic lizard Anolis maynardi of the Cayman Islands: implications for conservation. Breviora 522: 1-10.
Storz JF, Hoffmann FG, Opazo JC, Sanger TJ, Moriyama H. (2011) Developmental regulation of hemoglobin synthesis in the anole lizard, Anolis carolinensis. J. Exp. Biol. 214: 575-581.
Clabaut C, Herrel A, Sanger TJ, Smith TB, Abzhanov AA. (2009) Development of beak polymorphism in the African seedcracker, Pyrenestes ostrinus. Evol. Dev. 11: 636-646.
Sanger TJ, Losos JB, Gibson-Brown JJ. (2008) A developmental staging series for the lizard genus Anolis: a reptilian model system for the integration of evolution, development, and ecology. J. Morph. 269: 129 - 137 (cover illustration, highlighted by NewScientist 12/1/11)
Sanger TJ, Hime PJ, Johnson MJ, Diani J, Losos JB. (2008) Laboratory protocols for husbandry and embryo collection of Anolis lizards. Herpetol. Rev. 39: 58-63.
Sanger, TJ. (2006) Tinkering: a metaphor uniting evolutionary and developmental biology. Bioessays 28: 1221-1223.
Sanger TJ and Gibson-Brown J. (2004) The developmental bases of limb reduction and body elongation in squamates. Evolution 58: 2103-2106.
Stager JC and Sanger TJ. (2003) An Adirondack “Heritage Lake.” Adirondack Journal of Environmental Studies. 10:6-10.
Sanger TJ and McCune AR. (2002) Comparative osteology of the Danio (Cyprinidae: Ostariophysi) axial skeleton with comments on Danio relationships based on molecules and morphology. Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 135:529-546.
NATURAL HISTORY NOTES
Stroud JT, Sanger TJ. (2018) Hemidactylus mabouia (African House Gecko). Predation by Anolis carolinensis (American Green Anole). Herpetological Review
DIDACTIC TEACHING AT LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO
2016-2020 Human Structure and Function I, Human Structure and Function II, Human Anatomy, The Diversity
of Vertebrates, The Evolution of Animal Sex
TEACHER IN TRAINING
2004 Teaching assistant, Vertebrate Structure, Washington University. Instructor: Dr. J. Gibson-Brown
2003 Teaching assistant, Evolution of Earth, Life, and Cosmos, Washington University. Instructor: Dr. U.
Goodenough
2001 Head teaching assistant, Vertebrate structure, function, and evolution, Cornell University.
Instructor: Dr. K. Zamudio
2000 Undergraduate teaching assistant, Vertebrate structure, function, and evolution, Cornell
University. Instructor: Dr. K. Zamudio
SUPERVISED GRADUATE RESEARCH STUDENTS
Sylvia Nunez Lilian Arnaoudoff Robert Lauer
GRANTS
2020 NSF CAREER AWARD: The Developmental Bases of Amniote Skull Diversity
2019 Loyola University Chicago Research Support Grant
2012 Putnam Expedition Grant
2006 Sigma Xi
2005 NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant
2004 Sigma Xi
EXTERNAL FUNDING FOR UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHERS
2018 Michelle Hajduk, Mindlin Foundation ($4750)
HONORS, AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
2006 Novartis Foundation Bursar
2000 Howard Hughes Summer Research Scholar, Cornell University
INVITED DEPARTMENTAL SEMINARS
2019 The Developmental Bases of Replicated Adaptive Radiations, University of Wisconsin Parkside
2018 The Developmental Bases of Replicated Adaptive Radiations, University of Indiana
2018 Darwin Day Speaker: From the embryo to anatomy to the Caribbean forest: integrative analyses
of anatomical diversity in Anolis lizards, DePaul University
2017 The Developmental Bases of Anolis lizard Diversity, University of Georgia
2017 Island hopping the Caribbean in search of deeper understanding of anatomical diversification,
Columbia College, Chicago
2017 Integrative Approaches to the Study of the Anolis Adaptive Radiation, Marquette University
2017 Integrative Approaches to the Study of the Anolis Adaptive Radiation, University of Illinois
2015 The Developmental Bases of Anolis lizard Diversity, University of Florida
2014 What we have learned about evolution using the lizards in your backyard, Whitney Laboratory
for Marine Bioscience
2014 The Developmental Bases of Anolis lizard Diversity, University of Florida
2012 The Developmental Bases of an Adaptive Radiation, McGill University
2012 The Developmental Bases of an Adaptive Radiation, Temple University
2011 Parallel developmental mechanisms underlie morphological diversification of Anolis lizards,
Central Michigan University
2011 Modularity, Constraint, and the Evolution of Cranial Morphology among Anolis Lizards. Trinity
University
2008 Forays into the Evolution and Development of Anolis Lizards. University of Florida
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
Sigma Xi
SERVICE TO LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO
2019 Mentor, First Year Research Experience
2018 Guest speaker, AP Biology Workshop
2018 - present Trainer and service contact for Department of Biology micro-CT scanner
2018 Committee Member, Human anatomy lecturer track search
2018 Committee Member, Evolutionary biology tenure track search
2018 Committee Member, Department of Biology Undergraduate Program Committee
2018 Mentor, First Year Research Experience
2018 Guest speaker at Loyola University Chicago Premedical Society
2017 Committee Member, Research and Teaching Resources Committee
2017 Mentor, First Year Research Experience
2017 Advisor, Outreach and Leadership Society
2017 Loyola University Chicago Commencement
2017 Guest speaker at Loyola University Chicago Premedical Society
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
2020-present Program officer-elect, Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology
2018 - 2020 Chair of Public Affairs Committee, Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology
2016 - present Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology Social Media editor
2014 - 2018 Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology Public Affairs Committee
2013 Invited to NEScent meeting on the past, present, and future of Evo-devo
2012 Radcliff Institute for Advanced Study: Interdisciplinary Perspectives of the Evolution and
Development of the Vertebrate Head
2012 Meeting organizer: Development of community-based resources for Anolis evo-devo and
genomics
2009 - 2012 Anolis gene nomenclature working group
2011 Co-organizer: Geometric morphometrics reading group
2011 - 2012 Contributor: Anole Annals science blog (www.anoleannals.org)
2010 NESCENT EDEN working group participant
2010 Contributor: Anolis Newsletter
2005 Visiting scientist Discovery Bay Marine Station ECO Camp (Jamaica)
2004 Evolution teaching/outreach team
2003 Organizer: Morphological evolution reading group
SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY
2017-2020 Judge, Illinois State Science and Engineering Fair
2018 Skokie Public Library Science Café presentation
2018 Kickstart to Career Pathways & College, Niles North High School
2018 Guest speaker, Girls Empowered in Math and Science
2018 Animal presentation to Edison Elementary School, Skokie, IL
2018 Judge, Illinois State Science and Engineering Fair
2017 Animal presentation to Madison Elementary School, Skokie, IL
2017 Judge, Illinois State Science and Engineering Fair
2017 Guest speaker, Girls Empowered in Math and Science
2017 Animal presentation to Madison Elementary School, Skokie, IL
2016 Judge, Illinois State Science and Engineering Fair
2016 Guest speaker, Girls Empowered in Math and Science
2014 Alachua County Public Schools Science Fair Judge
2011 “Reptiles of Hispaniola” workshop for Dominican school children
2011 “Anoles of Hispaniola” presentation to Dominican scientists
DEVELOPED OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
2018 How to make a human
2017 The super sticky power of lizards
2016 Teaching kids how to dewlap
REVIEWER
National Science Foundation, Nature Communications, Nature, Science, Scientific Reports, Evolution, PeerJ, Methods in Ecology and Evolution, American Naturalist, Development, Genes and Evolution, Evolution and Development, Evo-Devo, Journal of Experimental Zoology B, Anatomical Record, Journal of Morphology, Journal of Zoology, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Amphibia Reptilia