Heath MacMillan
Associate Professor
- B.Sc., Ph.D. (Western)
- 251 Nesbitt Biology Building, 杏吧原创 University
- 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6
- Email Heath MacMillan
Current Research
Environmental stressors set limits to animal performance (e.g. movement, growth, and reproduction) and thereby limit fitness. These effects of stressors are all mediated through molecular biology, biochemistry, and physiology. If we want to fully understand the impacts of stressors on animal distribution and abundance, or plan for the best ways to mass rear animals, we need to understand the mechanisms of stress tolerance.
In the MacMillan Lab, we study how and why different variables in an animal鈥檚 environment, like extreme temperatures, plastic pollution, or diet, set limits to individual performance and survival, and how differences in tolerance to these stressors among individuals, populations, and species arise. To do this, we use several insects as models, like crickets, fruit flies, and mosquitos.
By integrating observations at the molecular, cellular, tissue, organ, and whole animal levels we build and test conceptual models that can explain performance. Using these models as a backbone for new questions, we study the mechanisms that allow for the wide variation in performance and fitness we observe among individuals, populations, or species in nature.
Heath welcomes inquiries from talented and motivated scientists looking to start a project on insect physiology, biochemistry, and/or molecular biology. See the for details on .
Selected Publications
Cheslock, A., Provencher, J., Campeau, W., MacMillan, H.A. (2025) . Environmental Pollution 381: 126475.
Kong, J.D., Vadboncoeur, E. Bertram, S.M., MacMillan, H.A. (2025) Current Research in Insect Science 7, 100109.
Kasdorf, S.Y., Muzzatti, M.J., Haider, F., Bertram, S.M., MacMillan H.A. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 11(8): 1417-1429.
Andersen, M.K., Roe, A.D., Liu, Y., Musso, A.E., Fudlosid, S., Haider, F., Evenden, M.L, MacMillan, H.A. (2024).. The Journal of Experimental Biology 227, jeb247498.
Ritchie, M.W., Provencher, J.F., Allison, J.E., Muzzatti, M.J., MacMillan, H.A. (2024) . Environmental Pollution 343: 123168.
Carrington, J., Andersen, M.K., Brzezinski, K., MacMillan, H.A. (2020) Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 287: 20201663.