Expertise Keywords
Chronic wasting disease, prion diseases, deer, elk, water quality, environmental contamination, pesticide toxicology, endocrine disruption

Taxonomic Groups of Interest
Cervids (deer, elk, moose), Anurans (frogs)

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Wasting Disease, Molecular Biology, Molecular Toxicology, Environmental Toxicology

Products/Techniques Developed or Tested
Evaluation of protein misfolding cyclic amplification for use on water and tissue samples

Current Research
Chronic wasting disease, environmental contamination, CWD prevention and therapies, CWD detection

Research Interests
Environmental toxicology, environmental contamination, endocrine disruption, Anuran decline

Education

• Ph.D., Colorado State University, Cell and Molecular Biology, "Chronic wasting disease and water contamination"
• M.S., Colorado State University, Cell and Molecular Biology, "Toxicology of DACT, a metabolite of atrazine"
• M.A., University of Northern Colorado, Biology, Herpetology, "Effects of minute amounts of pesticides on tapole growth and development"
• B.S., Kennesaw State University, Biology, "Frog abundance of the greater Atlanta area, using calling surveys"

Awards, Distinctions
APHIS Science Fellow

Previous Positions

• Post Doc., Colorado State University, Chronic Wasting Disease Research
• Graduate Research Assistant, Colorado State University
• Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Northern Colorado
• Head Veterinary Technician, Cat Clinic of Cobb, Marietta, Georgia

Contact Information

• Address: Wildlife Services, NWRC, 1401 LaPorte, Ave.,Fort Collins, CO, 80521
• Telephone: 970.266.6141
• Fax: 970.266.6157
• Email: Tracy.A.Nichols@aphis.usda.gov
• NWRC Research Area: Wildlife Disease