Michael S. Tift

Dr. Michael Tift joined the Department of Biology and Marine Biology at UNCW in 2019. Trained as a comparative physiologist, the major research projects currently being pursued focus on tolerance to hypoxia, anoxia, and ischemia/reperfusion events. One specific area of interest in many of these projects is the heme oxygenase/carbon monoxide pathway. He also has projects focused on diving physiology, Antarctic biology, population ecology, and neurobiology. In addition, he is also the Director of the UNCW Marine Mammal Stranding Program (MMSP), a highly collaborative team of scientists and students that respond to sick, injured, or deceased marine mammals. This program is well established and known internationally for high-quality research projects studying the health and biology of marine mammals.

Education

- Ruth L. Kirschstein NIH Postdoctoral Fellow - UCSD School of Medicine, Division of Physiology (2018)
- Ph.D. in Marine Biology, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD (2016)
- M.S. in Biology, Sonoma State University (2011)
- B.S. in Biology (Physiology), Sonoma State University (2009)

Specialization in Teaching

- Graduate Level Physiology and Biochemistry (BIO 603)
- Comparative Physiology: Insights into Human & Veterinary Medicine from Animal Adaptations (BIO 495)
- Animal Physiology (BIO/L 345)

Research Interests

I am broadly trained as a comparative physiologist. My current research interests lie mainly in the comparative physiology of vertebrates. A major focus of my lab has focused on the role of endogenous carbon monoxide ( CO) in the health and function of wild animals. Considered by many to be strictly toxic, CO is now known to be naturally produced in the body and are being used in clinical studies to treat many diseases and injuries associated with hypoxia and ischemia-reperfusion events. We are teaming up with several different groups to understand the functional and evolutionary role of CO and other gasotransmitters in helping certain populations of animals and humans tolerate hypoxia and ischemia-reperfusion events. I also have projects investigating the physiological ecology of crabeater seals in Antarctica and the brain lymphatic system in wild animals.

Other broad research topics I'm interested in:
- Hypoxia tolerance
- Globin protein function and evolution
- Diving physiology
- Marine mammal biology
- Heme oxygenase/carbon monoxide pathway
- Gasotransmitters
- Antarctic marine mammal ecophysiology
- Brain lymphatic system
- Marine mammal stranding biology

Professional Service

- Societies: American Physiological Society, Society for Marine Mammalogy, The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
- Journal Review: American Journal of Physiology, Journal of Applied Physiology, General and Comparative Endocrinology, Frontiers in Physiology, Marine Mammal Science
- Review Editor: Frontiers in Physiology - Integrative Physiology, Frontiers in Physiology - Aquatic Physiology, Frontiers in Physiology - Physio-logging

Honors & Awards

2024 UNCW College of Science and Engineering Excellence in Research Scholarship
2023 James F. Merritt 1-Million Dollar Funding Club
2023 John B. West Award in High Altitude Physiology and Medicine at the International Hypoxia Symposia
2023 UNCW Research Collaboration Award (on behalf of UNCW Marine Mammal Stranding Program)
2022 UNCW Rising Research Excellence Award
2017 American Physiological Society Scholander Award
2016 NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award