Education

Ph.D., Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1997
M.S., Animal Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1992
B.S., Animal Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1989

Teaching

ASCI 341: Physiology and Management of Reproduction
Summary: Comparative anatomy and physiology of reproduction in domestic animals. Endocrine regulation of reproductive function, patterns of reproduction, economic consequences of sub-optimal reproductive performance, environmental influences on reproductive efficiency, application of selected techniques for controlling reproduction. Laboratory provides application of techniques used in reproductive management.

ASCI 441/841: Independent Study - New Techniques in Reproductive Biology
Summary: Hands-on skill development in emerging technologies, both molecular and applied, that are important to investigation and manipulation of reproductive function.

Research

My research is focused on the role of gonadotropin-releasing hormone-II (GnRH-II) and GnRH-II receptor (GnRHR-II) in the reproductive function of both male and female pigs. To investigate these important questions, we utilize a transgenic swine line developed in our laboratory that exhibits ubiquitous knockdown of the porcine GnRHR-II gene (GnRHR-II KD), as well as over-expression of the fluorescent protein, Zs-Green1. Interestingly, mature GnRHR-II KD males have an 82% reduction in circulating testosterone concentrations compared to littermate control boars. In addition, peak estrogen levels in the bloodstream of GnRHR-II KD females are 20% lower than their littermate counterparts.

Selected Publications

• Desaulniers, A.T., R.A. Cederberg, C.A. Lents, and B.R. White. 2024. Knockdown of gonadotropin-releasing hormone II receptor impairs ovulation rate, corpus luteum development, and progesterone production in gilts. Animals (Basel) 14:2350. doi: 10.3390/ani14162350. 
• Desaulniers, A.T., and B.R. White. 2024. Role of GnRH2 in human reproductive cancers. Front. Endocrinol. 14:1341162. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1341162. 
• White, B.R., R.A. Cederberg, D.H. Elsken, C.E. Ross, C.A. Lents, and A.T. Desaulniers. 2023. Role of gonadotropin-releasing hormone-II and its receptor in swine reproduction. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 90:469-479. doi: 10.1002/mrd.23662. 
• Desaulniers, A.T., R.A. Cederberg, E.A. Carreiro, C.B. Gurumurthy and B.R. White. 2021. A transgenic pig model expressing a CMV-ZsGreen1 reporter across an extensive array of tissues. J. Biomed. Res. 35:163-173. doi: 10.7555/JBR.34.20200111. 
• Desaulniers, A.T., R.A. Cederberg, C.A. Lents, and B.R. White. 2017. Expression and role of gonadotropin-releasing hormone 2 and its receptor in mammals. Front. Endocrinol. 8:269. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2017.00269. 
• Desaulniers, A.T., R.A. Cederberg, G.A. Mills, C.A. Lents, and B.R. White. 2017. Production of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone 2 receptor knockdown (GnRHR2 KD) swine line. Transgenic Res. 26:567-575. doi: 10.1007/s11248-017-0023-4.