Jessie Morrill

Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, Univ. of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center/UTHealth, 2022
M.S., Animal Science, Texas A&M University, 2015
B.S., Animal Science, Texas A&M University, 2013

Dr. Jessie Morrill joined the Department of Animal Science as an Assistant Professor of Meat Biochemistry in 2022. Dr. Morrill is the faculty coordinator for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Meat Judging Team and she currently teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in meat science including, Principles of Meat Evaluation, Grading, and Judging (ASCI 300A) Advanced Meat Grading and Evaluation (ASCI 400A), Meat Investigations (ASCI 819), and Advanced Meat Science (ASCI 917).

The primary research focus of her laboratory is understanding how nutritional, environmental, and genetic factors contribute to expansion of adipose tissue either in the context of meat production or human obesity development. Her team investigates the biological mechanisms that impact adipose tissue expansion and quality and nutritional value of meat by utilizing traditional methods used in animal and meat science research as well as cutting-edge techniques such as computer vision technology, shotgun lipidomics, confocal microscopy, laser capture microdissection, infra-red thermography, tissue culture, DNA cloning, and genetic engineering.

Her team is also working to determine how animal behavior and metabolism is impacted during exposure to changes in environmental temperature to better understand how livestock producers can combat challenges associated with climate change.

Selected Publications

Journal Publications

1. Morrill, J.C. and Q. Tong. You are what you eat: feeding neurons in nutrient regulation of behavior. 2023. Life Metab. 2:1-2.
2. Li, H., Y. Xu, Z. Jiang, J. Ortiz-Guzman, J.C. Morrill, J. Cai, Z. Mao, Y. Xu, B.R. Arenkiel, C. Huang, and Q. Tong. 2023. The melanocortin pathway is biased toward protection from weight loss in mice. Nat. Commun.14:2200.
3. Fan, S., Y. Xu, Y. Lu, Z. Jiang, H. Li, J.C. Morrill, J. Cai, Q. Wu, Y. Xu, M. Xue, B.R. Arenkiel, C. Huang, and Q. Tong. 2021. A neural basis for brain leptin action on reducing type 1 diabetic hyperglycemia. Nat. Commun. 12:2662.
4. Trubenbach, L.A., T.A. Wickersham, L.N. Bierschwale, J.C. Morrill, J.R. Baber, and J.E. Sawyer. 2019. Limit feeding as a strategy to increase energy efficiency in intensified cow-calf production systems. Transl. Anim. Sci. 3:796-810.
5. Smith, S.B., T.L. Blackmon, J.E. Sawyer, R.K. Miller, J.R. Baber, J.C. Morrill, A.R. Cabral, and T.A. Wickersham. 2018. Glucose and acetate metabolism in bovine intramuscular and subcutaneous adipose tissues from steers infused with glucose, propionate, or acetate. J. Anim. Sci. 96:921-929.
6. Morrill, J.C., J.E. Sawyer, S.B., Smith, R.K. Miller, J.R. Baber, and T.A. Wickersham. 2017. Post-extraction algal residue in beef steer finishing diets: I. Nutrient utilization and carcass characteristics. Algal Res. 25:584-588.
7. Morrill, J.C., J.E. Sawyer, S.B., Smith, R.K. Miller, M.D. Johnson, and T.A. Wickersham. 2017. Post-extraction algal residue in beef steer finishing diets: II. Beef flavor, fatty acid composition, and tenderness. Algal Res. 25:578-583.
8. Johnson, M.D., R.K. Miller, J.C. Morrill, D.P. Anderson, T.A. Wickersham, J.E. Sawyer, J.W. Richardson, and M.A. Palma. 2016. The influence of taste in willingness-to-pay valuations of sirloin steaks from postextraction algal residue-fed cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 94:1-13.

Books and Book Chapters

1. Cai, J., R. Cassidy, J. Morrill, and Q. Tong. 2021. Neurotransmitter co-transmission in brain control of feeding and body weight. In: Q. Tong, editor, Neuron signaling in metabolic regulation. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. Chapter 3.