Dr. Melina Hale

Biography

Melina E. Hale is the William Rainey Harper Professor at the University of Chicago specializing in Integrative Biology. Her research focuses on the intersection of biomechanics and neurobiology, particularly how axial movements relate to the physical properties of an organism's environment. Her specific interests include the study of startle responses and rhythmic swimming behaviors in fishes, making use of these behaviors as model systems for examining motor control and mechanics. The startle response is a vital survival mechanism that engages large neurons and simple neural circuits, contributing to the understanding of muscle physiology and performance. Hale also explores the evolution of neural circuits in behaviors and uses zebrafish as a valuable genetic model for comparative work on actinopterygian fishes. Her work combines functional imaging techniques with high-speed video analysis to understand neuron activity in the context of movement, aiming to decipher the relationship between morphology, physiology, and the aquatic environment. Watershed topics in her research include scaling locomotor performance and how physics mediates movement, as well as the comparative anatomy of startle response circuits across species.

Research Interests

Experience

Awards