Jenna Monroy

Biography

Education

• BA from U Mass Amherst
• PhD from Northern Arizona University in Biology.

Research Interests

Sensory, mechanical, and neuromuscular factors that influence movement in a variety of animal species from frogs to humans. Specifically, her work investigates how muscles function, not only as motors but also as springs, brakes, and struts. Her recent work on the role of the elastic protein titin in active muscle has expanded traditional theories and fills in gaps in our understanding of muscle function. Jenna currently has a NSF RUI grant that funds a multidisciplinary collaborative project among biologists, chemists, and engineers at the Center for Bioengineering Innovation at Northern Arizona University. This work has led to many new and exciting ideas that build on the fundamental principles of muscle physiology and movement. She hopes to recruit students to work in her lab and travel to NAU to interact with faculty, postdocs, and students all working toward the collective goal of understanding titin function in muscle.