Dr. Nick Barts

Dr. Nick Barts recently joined the UCM community as an assistant professor of biology. Originally from the St. Louis Metro East area, Dr. Barts earned a B.S. degree in integrative biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where they began investigating the ability of fish and mammals to survive in extreme environments, including the frozen waters of Antarctica and high elevation habitats with little oxygen. They went on to complete their Ph.D. in biology at Kansas State University, where they explored the predictability of evolution and the ability of fishes to adapt to environments high in naturally occurring toxins in southern Mexico. Upon receiving their doctorate, Dr. Barts completed a postdoctoral research position at the University of Pittsburgh, where they explored how the interactions between animals and their microbes shape the ability of animals to respond to changes in their environment.

Dr. Barts takes an integrative approach to understand how animals survive in environments that push life to its limits. In pursuit of answers, Dr. Barts often uses computational, molecular, and organismal techniques in both the lab and field to answer questions regarding physiological adaptations to stressful conditions. Their current research explores 1.) how an animal’s physiology and behavior interact to shape tolerance to low oxygen environments and 2.) what traits contribute to an animal’s ability to survive highly variable environmental conditions. Dr. Barts favorite animals to study are fish (they’re the best!), but they are open to pursuing questions regarding the evolution and physiology of amphibians and mammals as well. Students interested in gaining experience in bioinformatics, laboratory bench skills, and scientific writing are encouraged to contact Dr. Barts via email.

Alongside research, Dr. Barts is interested in integrating biological knowledge with other academic disciplines to 1.) highlight the historical perspective that shaped our current understanding of biology and explore how that influences the way society functions today and 2.) diversify the ways that science is communicated with both students in the classroom and members of the public. In the classroom, Dr. Barts aims to include discussions of science and society through conversations regarding public perception of
science and the ethical considerations of research. Outside of the academic environment, Dr. Barts is interested in creating opportunities for both faculty and students to share their work with the community at large. Anyone interested in pursuing projects regarding science communication or biology-society relations should also reach out via email!