Shana Geffeney
Biology
Associate Professor

Contact Information
Office Location: Vernal, BEERC 221LPhone: (435) 722-1784
Email: shana.geffeney@usu.edu
Educational Background
PhD, Biology, Utah State University, 2005 Dissertation
Physiological and molecular genetic mechanisms of tetrodotoxin resistance in the garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis.
Awards
Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2007
Helen Hay Whitney Foundation
Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2006
Stanford University School of Medicine
Dissertation Fellowship, 2003
Utah Stat University School of Graduate Studies
Publications | Abstracts
- Geffeney, S.L, Toledo, G., Hanifin, C.T, (2017). Tetrodotoxin resistance: natural experiments to understand voltage-gated sodium channel structure and function. Biophysical Journal *
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
- Geffeney, S.L, (2017). Sensory mechano transduction and thermotransduction in invertebrates: Neurobiology of TRP channels. CRC Press Taylor and Francis Group
Publications | Book Chapters
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Journal Articles
Academic Journal
- Geffeney, S.L, Williams, B.L, Robertson, M.R, Hanifin, C.T, (2025). Learning Gains Associated with a Novel Approach to Undergraduate Research: Benefits of a Course-Like Undergraduate Research Experience (CLURE). Journal of College Science Teaching/National Science Teaching Association, 1-9. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/0047231X.2025.2579568
- Geffeney, S.L, Cordingley, J.A, Mitchell, K.J, Hanifin, C.T, (2022). In silico analysis of tetrodotoxin binding in voltage-gated sodium ion channels from toxin resistant animal lineages. Marine Drugs, 20:11, 15. doi: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/20/11/723
- Geffeney, S.L, Williams, B.L, Rosenthal, J.J, Birk, M.A, Felkins, J., Wisell, C.M, Curry, E.R, Hanifin, C.T, (2019). Convergent and Parallel Evolution in a Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Underlies TTX-resistance in the Greater Blue-ringed Octopus: Hapalochlaena lunulata . Toxicon, 170, 77–84. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2019.09.013
- Toledo, G., Hanifin, C.T, Geffeney, S.L, Brodie, III, E.D, (2016). Convergent evolution of tetrodotoxin-resistant sodium channels in predators and prey: Current Topics in Membranes, Volume 78. Elsevier, 78:Submitted, Submitted. doi: Submitted
- McGlothlin, J.W, Kobiela, M.E, Feldman, C.R, Castoe, T.A, Geffeney, S.L, Hanifin, C.T, Toledo, G., Vonk, F.J, Richardson, M.K, Brodie, E.D, Pfrender, M.E, Brodie III, E.D, (2016). Historical Contingency in a Multigene Family Facilitates Adaptive Evolution of Toxin Resistance. Current Biology
- Geffeney, S.L, Goodman, M.B, (2012). How we feel: ion channel partnerships that detect mechanical inputs and give rise to touch and pain perception. Neuron, 74, 609-619.
- Geffeney, S.L, (2011). DEG/ENaC but not TRP channels are the major mechanoelectrical transduction channels in a C. elegans nociceptor. Neuron, 71, 845-857.
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Other
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Teaching
BIOL 1610 - Biology I, Fall 2025
BIOL 1615 - Biology I Laboratory, Fall 2025
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Spring 2024
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Spring 2024
BIOL 3050 - Organismal Biology with Physiology, Spring 2024
BIOL, BIOL 3050, 3050 - Organismal Biology with Physiology, Spring 2024
BIOL 3055 - Organismal Biology with Physiology Laboratory, Spring 2024
BIOL 1610 - Biology I, Fall 2023
BIOL 1615 - Biology I Laboratory, Fall 2023
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Spring 2023
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Spring 2023
BIOL, BIOL, BIOL, BIOL, BIOL, BIOL, BIOL 3090, 3090, 3090, 3090, 3090, 3090, 3090 - Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Spring 2023
BIOL 1610 - Biology I, Fall 2022
BIOL 1615 - Biology I Laboratory, Fall 2022
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Spring 2022
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Spring 2022
BIOL 3050 - Organismal Biology with Physiology, Spring 2022
BIOL 3055 - Organismal Biology with Physiology Laboratory, Spring 2022
BIOL 1610 - Biology I, Fall 2021
BIOL 1615 - Biology I Laboratory, Fall 2021
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Spring 2021
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Spring 2021
BIOL 1615 - Biology I Laboratory, Fall 2020
BIOL 5600 - Comparative Animal Physiology, Spring 2020
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Spring 2020
BIOL 1610 - Biology I, Fall 2019
BIOL 1615 - Biology I Laboratory, Fall 2019
BIOL 5210 - Cell Biology, Spring 2019
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Spring 2019
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Spring 2019
BIOL 1610 - Biology I, Fall 2018
BIOL 1615 - Biology I Laboratory, Fall 2018
BIOL 5610 - Animal Physiology Laboratory, Spring 2018
BIOL 5600 - Comparative Animal Physiology, Spring 2018
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Spring 2018
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Spring 2018
BIOL 1610 - Biology I, Fall 2017
BIOL 1615 - Biology I Laboratory, Fall 2017
BIOL 5210 - Cell Biology, Spring 2017
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Spring 2017
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Fall 2016
BIOL 5800 - Undergraduate Research, Fall 2016
BIOL 1010 - Biology and the Citizen, Spring 2016
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Spring 2016
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Spring 2016
BIOL 4450 - Neurobiology, Spring 2016
BIOL 5610 - Animal Physiology Laboratory, Fall 2015
BIOL 5600 - Comparative Animal Physiology, Fall 2015
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Fall 2015
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Fall 2015
BIOL 5210 - Cell Biology, Spring 2015
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Spring 2015
BIOL 1010 - Biology and the Citizen, Fall 2014
BIOL 1010 - Biology and the Citizen, Fall 2014
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Fall 2014
BIOL 1010 - Biology and the Citizen, Spring 2014
BIOL 5210 - Cell Biology, Spring 2014
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Spring 2014
BIOL 5610 - Animal Physiology Laboratory, Fall 2013
BIOL 5600 - Comparative Animal Physiology, Fall 2013
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Fall 2013
BIOL 5610 - Animal Physiology Laboratory, Spring 2013
BIOL 5600 - Comparative Animal Physiology, Spring 2013
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Spring 2013
BIOL 5210 - Cell Biology, Fall 2012
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Fall 2012
BIOL 2420 - Human Physiology, Fall 2012