Melanie C MacNicol
High Impact
Associate Professor
faculty
Neurobiology & Developmental Science, College of Medicine
23 h-index
76 pubs
1,537 cited
Research Areas
Links
Biography and Research Information
OverviewAI-generated summary
Melanie C MacNicol, an Associate Professor in Neurobiology & Developmental Science at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, investigates the molecular mechanisms regulating gene expression and cellular function, particularly within the pituitary gland. Her research focuses on post-transcriptional regulation, specifically how RNA-binding proteins like Musashi control mRNA translation to influence cell identity and function in response to physiological cues such as diet and metabolic state.
Her laboratory has received significant federal funding from the NIH, totaling over $1.7 million, to study pituitary cell plasticity, the molecular mechanisms of pituitary plasticity, and the impact of obesity on somatotrope function. These grants support investigations into how regulated mRNA translation contributes to the adaptability of pituitary cells. Collaborations within the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, including with Angus M. MacNicol, Gwen V. Childs, Angela K. Odle, and Anessa Haney, have resulted in numerous shared publications, indicating a strong network of research synergy.
MacNicol's work has been recognized with a high-impact researcher designation, supported by a citation count of 1,523 and an h-index of 23 across 75 publications. Her recent publications explore the role of Musashi proteins in controlling gonadotrope target mRNA translation during the mouse estrous cycle, the impact of oxidative stress on anterior pituitary cell metabolism following a high-fat diet, and how leptin receptor signaling ablation alters somatotrope transcriptome maturation. She also investigates potential therapeutic targets, as seen in her work on salinomycin analogs for breast cancer stem cells.
Metrics
- h-index: 23
- Publications: 76
- Citations: 1,537
Selected Publications
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Secretogranin II-Derived Peptide Secretoneurin Differentially Stimulates Luteinizing Hormone Secretion by Age and Sex in Ex Vivo Murine Pituitaries (2026)
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OR13-08 Secretoneurin Modulates Gonadotrope Function Cyclically to Regulate LH Secretion (2025)
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SAT-001 Impact of VCD-induced Menopause on Gonadotrope Transcriptomics Reveals Estrogen-dependent Genes in the GnRH Signaling Pathway (2025)
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SAT-016 Musashi Contributes to the Specification and Maintenance of Distinct Pituitary Cell Lineages. (2025)
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Evaluation of the Activity of Monensin and Its Analogs for Modulation of Stem-like Cell Functionality in 2D and 3D Breast Cancer Models (2025)
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High fat diet-induced loss of pituitary plasticity in aging female mice with ablated leptin signaling in somatotropes (2025)
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Monensin and Its Analogs Exhibit Activity Against Breast Cancer Stem-Like Cells in an Organoid Model (2025)
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Musashi-dependent mRNA translational activation is mediated through association with the Scd6/Like-sm family member, LSM14B (2025)
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Ablation of Leptin Receptor Signaling Alters Somatotrope Transcriptome Maturation in Female Mice (2025)
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8572 A 30% Maternal Caloric Restriction Alters Expression of Musashi Targets in the Neonatal and Adult Pituitary Proteomes of FVB Mice (2024)
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8649 Ablation of Leptin Receptors in Somatotropes Impacts Transcriptomic Plasticity in the Pou1f1 Lineage of Female Pituitary Cells (2024)
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The Musashi RNA binding proteins direct the translational activation of key pituitary mRNAs (2024)
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Maternal undernutrition results in transcript changes in male offspring that may promote resistance to high fat diet induced weight gain (2024)
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Anterior Pituitary Transcriptomics Following a High-Fat Diet: Impact of Oxidative Stress on Cell Metabolism (2023)
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FRI291 Musashi1 And Musashi2 Mark Distinct Pituitary Stem Cell Populations (2023)
Federal Grants 3 $1,788,568 total
NIH/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Co-PI
Sep 2024 - May 2029
NIH/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Co-PI
Jul 2021 - Jun 2026
NIH/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Co-PI
Sep 2018 - Jun 2025
Control of pituitary cell plasticity through regulated mRNA translation
Grants & Funding
- Center for Translational Neuroscience NIH Co-Investigator
- Control of pituitary cell plasticity through regulated mRNA translation NIH Principal Investigator
- Molecular mechanisms of pituitary plasticity NIH/Nat. Inst. of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases Principal Investigator
- Molecular mechanisms of pituitary plasticity NIH/Nat. Inst. of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases Principal Investigator
- Maternal gene regulation in early vertebrate development NIH Co-Investigator
- Molecular mechanisms of pituitary plasticity NIH/Nat. Inst. of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases Principal Investigator
- TEST OF THE RECEPTOR DOMAIN OF CAM KINASE IN VIVO NIH/NIGMS Principal Investigator
- The Impact of Obesity on Somatotrope Function NIH Co-Principal Investigator
Collaboration Network
Top Collaborators
Angus M. MacNicol
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
30 shared publications
In database
- Single and double modified salinomycin analogs target stem-like cells in 2D and 3D breast cancer models
- Anterior Pituitary Transcriptomics Following a High-Fat Diet: Impact of Oxidative Stress on Cell Metabolism
- Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Gnrhr: A Checkpoint for Metabolic Control of Female Reproduction
- Musashi Exerts Control of Gonadotrope Target mRNA Translation During the Mouse Estrous Cycle
- The Musashi RNA binding proteins direct the translational activation of key pituitary mRNAs
Showing 5 of 30 shared publications
Gwen V. Childs
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
26 shared publications
In database
- Anterior Pituitary Transcriptomics Following a High-Fat Diet: Impact of Oxidative Stress on Cell Metabolism
- Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Gnrhr: A Checkpoint for Metabolic Control of Female Reproduction
- Musashi Exerts Control of Gonadotrope Target mRNA Translation During the Mouse Estrous Cycle
- The Musashi RNA binding proteins direct the translational activation of key pituitary mRNAs
- Musashi-dependent mRNA translational activation is mediated through association with the Scd6/Like-sm family member, LSM14B
Showing 5 of 26 shared publications
Angela K. Odle
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
20 shared publications
In database
- Anterior Pituitary Transcriptomics Following a High-Fat Diet: Impact of Oxidative Stress on Cell Metabolism
- Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Gnrhr: A Checkpoint for Metabolic Control of Female Reproduction
- Musashi Exerts Control of Gonadotrope Target mRNA Translation During the Mouse Estrous Cycle
- The Musashi RNA binding proteins direct the translational activation of key pituitary mRNAs
- Maternal undernutrition results in transcript changes in male offspring that may promote resistance to high fat diet induced weight gain
Showing 5 of 20 shared publications
Anessa Haney
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
14 shared publications
In database
- Anterior Pituitary Transcriptomics Following a High-Fat Diet: Impact of Oxidative Stress on Cell Metabolism
- Musashi Exerts Control of Gonadotrope Target mRNA Translation During the Mouse Estrous Cycle
- The Musashi RNA binding proteins direct the translational activation of key pituitary mRNAs
- Maternal undernutrition results in transcript changes in male offspring that may promote resistance to high fat diet induced weight gain
- Ablation of Leptin Receptor Signaling Alters Somatotrope Transcriptome Maturation in Female Mice
Showing 5 of 14 shared publications
Alex Lagasse
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
14 shared publications
In database
- Anterior Pituitary Transcriptomics Following a High-Fat Diet: Impact of Oxidative Stress on Cell Metabolism
- Musashi Exerts Control of Gonadotrope Target mRNA Translation During the Mouse Estrous Cycle
- The Musashi RNA binding proteins direct the translational activation of key pituitary mRNAs
- Maternal undernutrition results in transcript changes in male offspring that may promote resistance to high fat diet induced weight gain
- Ablation of Leptin Receptor Signaling Alters Somatotrope Transcriptome Maturation in Female Mice
Showing 5 of 14 shared publications
Jewel Banik
Stanford University
12 shared publications
In database
- Anterior Pituitary Transcriptomics Following a High-Fat Diet: Impact of Oxidative Stress on Cell Metabolism
- Musashi Exerts Control of Gonadotrope Target mRNA Translation During the Mouse Estrous Cycle
- The Musashi RNA binding proteins direct the translational activation of key pituitary mRNAs
- Musashi-dependent mRNA translational activation is mediated through association with the Scd6/Like-sm family member, LSM14B
- The Musashi1 RNA-Binding Protein Functions as a Leptin-Regulated Enforcer of Pituitary Cell Fate and Hormone Production
Showing 5 of 12 shared publications
Tiffany K. Miles
Arkansas Children's Hospital
12 shared publications
In database
- Anterior Pituitary Transcriptomics Following a High-Fat Diet: Impact of Oxidative Stress on Cell Metabolism
- Musashi Exerts Control of Gonadotrope Target mRNA Translation During the Mouse Estrous Cycle
- Maternal undernutrition results in transcript changes in male offspring that may promote resistance to high fat diet induced weight gain
- Ablation of Leptin Receptor Signaling Alters Somatotrope Transcriptome Maturation in Female Mice
- Leptin: A Metabolic Signal for the Differentiation of Pituitary Cells
Showing 5 of 12 shared publications
Linda Hardy
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
9 shared publications
In database
- Musashi Exerts Control of Gonadotrope Target mRNA Translation During the Mouse Estrous Cycle
- The Musashi RNA binding proteins direct the translational activation of key pituitary mRNAs
- Musashi-dependent mRNA translational activation is mediated through association with the Scd6/Like-sm family member, LSM14B
- The Cell Fate Determinant Musashi Is Controlled Through Dynamic Protein:Protein Interactions
- PMON29 A Comparative Analysis of Musashi-Dependent Control of Mouse and Human Pituitary mRNA Translation
Showing 5 of 9 shared publications
Ashley Herdman
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
9 shared publications
In database
- Anterior Pituitary Transcriptomics Following a High-Fat Diet: Impact of Oxidative Stress on Cell Metabolism
- Ablation of Leptin Receptor Signaling Alters Somatotrope Transcriptome Maturation in Female Mice
- PMON55 Calcium Imaging in the Intact Mouse Pituitary: A Novel Design for Understanding the Formation and Modulation of the Gonadotrope Network
- FRI290 Proteomic Identification Of Secretoneurin-Stimulated Proteins In Purified Mouse Gonadotropes
- 8649 Ablation of Leptin Receptors in Somatotropes Impacts Transcriptomic Plasticity in the Pou1f1 Lineage of Female Pituitary Cells
Showing 5 of 9 shared publications
Stephanie D. Byrum
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
9 shared publications
In database
- Anterior Pituitary Transcriptomics Following a High-Fat Diet: Impact of Oxidative Stress on Cell Metabolism
- Musashi Exerts Control of Gonadotrope Target mRNA Translation During the Mouse Estrous Cycle
- Maternal undernutrition results in transcript changes in male offspring that may promote resistance to high fat diet induced weight gain
- RF25 | PMON50 Insight into Integrated Control of Pituitary Function Revealed Through Analysis of Musashi Target mRNAs
- OR20-03 Leptin-mediated Regulation Of Gene Regulatory Networks In Gonadotropes
Showing 5 of 9 shared publications
Juchan Lim
Symbiosis International University
8 shared publications
In database
- Musashi Exerts Control of Gonadotrope Target mRNA Translation During the Mouse Estrous Cycle
- The Musashi RNA binding proteins direct the translational activation of key pituitary mRNAs
- Musashi-dependent mRNA translational activation is mediated through association with the Scd6/Like-sm family member, LSM14B
- The Musashi1 RNA-Binding Protein Functions as a Leptin-Regulated Enforcer of Pituitary Cell Fate and Hormone Production
- OR08-2 Functional Association of the Stem Cell Protein Musashi With LSM14B in Control of mRNA Translation
Showing 5 of 8 shared publications
Alicja Urbaniak
Cancer Institute (WIA)
7 shared publications
In database
- Single and double modified salinomycin analogs target stem-like cells in 2D and 3D breast cancer models
- Musashi Exerts Control of Gonadotrope Target mRNA Translation During the Mouse Estrous Cycle
- Abstract PS18-46: Inhibition of breast cancer stem cells in 2- and 3-dimensional culture by novel salinomycin analogs
- RF01 | PMON46 Regulation of the Pituitary Cell Lineage Regulator Prop1 by the Stem Cell Determinant Musashi
- RF25 | PMON50 Insight into Integrated Control of Pituitary Function Revealed Through Analysis of Musashi Target mRNAs
Showing 5 of 7 shared publications
Ulrich Boehm
Saarland University (DE)
6 shared publications
- Musashi Exerts Control of Gonadotrope Target mRNA Translation During the Mouse Estrous Cycle
- The Musashi RNA binding proteins direct the translational activation of key pituitary mRNAs
- Musashi as a Regulator of the Follicle-Stimulating Hormone in the Gonadotropes
- OR20-03 Leptin-mediated Regulation Of Gene Regulatory Networks In Gonadotropes
- OR13-08 Secretoneurin Modulates Gonadotrope Function Cyclically to Regulate LH Secretion
Showing 5 of 6 shared publications
Katherine Bronson
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
6 shared publications
In database
- Musashi Exerts Control of Gonadotrope Target mRNA Translation During the Mouse Estrous Cycle
- Musashi-dependent mRNA translational activation is mediated through association with the Scd6/Like-sm family member, LSM14B
- The Cell Fate Determinant Musashi Is Controlled Through Dynamic Protein:Protein Interactions
- OR08-2 Functional Association of the Stem Cell Protein Musashi With LSM14B in Control of mRNA Translation
- RF25 | PMON50 Insight into Integrated Control of Pituitary Function Revealed Through Analysis of Musashi Target mRNAs
Showing 5 of 6 shared publications
Victoria G Ortega
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
5 shared publications
In database
- Anterior Pituitary Transcriptomics Following a High-Fat Diet: Impact of Oxidative Stress on Cell Metabolism
- Ablation of Leptin Receptor Signaling Alters Somatotrope Transcriptome Maturation in Female Mice
- 8649 Ablation of Leptin Receptors in Somatotropes Impacts Transcriptomic Plasticity in the Pou1f1 Lineage of Female Pituitary Cells
- 8572 A 30% Maternal Caloric Restriction Alters Expression of Musashi Targets in the Neonatal and Adult Pituitary Proteomes of FVB Mice
- High fat diet-induced loss of pituitary plasticity in aging female mice with ablated leptin signaling in somatotropes
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