Heather Driscoll received her B.S. and M.S. in Botany from the University of Vermont, where she completed research on the origin and evolution of two fern lineages using molecular data: beech ferns (genus Thelypteris) in Vermont and sword ferns (genus Polystichum) on the Hawaiian Islands. Her work with plants continued as a research associate at the UC Herbarium as well as in the Plant and Microbial Biology Department at University of California, Berkeley, where she researched the molecular phylogenetics of non-model plants.

Heather arrived at Norwich University in 2011 and is a bioinformatics analyst with the Vermont Biomedical Research Network (VBRN). Currently, she provides bioinformatics support and hands-on training in genomic and transcriptomic data analysis for faculty and students at VBRN baccalaureate partner institutions, including Norwich University, Castleton University, Middlebury College, Saint Michael’s College, Northern Vermont University, and the University of Vermont. Heather has also taught short courses on introductory data mining and gene expression analysis and has co-advised Norwich University students whose research involves bioinformatics.

Contact Information
U044
1 (802) 485-2602
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Linkedin and ResearchGate profiles
VGN Bioinformatics Core website

Publications

Chakraborty, S., H.E. Driscoll, J.E. Abrahante Llorénsc, F. Zhang, and J.M. Harris. 2021. Salt stress primes early symbiotic gene expression in Medicago truncatula and induces a stress-specific set of rhizobium-responsive genes. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions. Published Online:5 Apr 2021. doi: 10.1094/MPMI-01-21-0019-R.

Fairfield H., Dudakovic A., Khatib C.M., Farrell M., Costa S., Falank C., Hinge M., Murphy C.S., DeMambro V., Pettitt J.A., Lary C.W., Driscoll H.E., McDonald M.M., Kassem M., Rosen C., Andersen T.L., van Wijnen A.J., Jafari A. and Reagan M.R. 2020. Myeloma-modified adipocytes exhibit metabolic dysfunction and a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). (November 20, 2020) Cancer Res, 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-20-1088.

Giddings L.A., Chlipala G., Driscoll H., Bhave K., Kunstman K., Green S., Morillo K., Peterson H., & Maienschein-Cline M. 2020. Seasonal Ely Copper Mine Superfund Site Shotgun Metagenomic and Metatranscriptomic Data Analysis. Data Brief, 32, 106282. doi:10.1016/j.dib.2020.106282.

Giddings L.A., Chlipala G., Kunstman K., Green S., Morillo K., Bhave K., Peterson H., Driscoll H., & Maienschein-Cline M. (2020). Characterization of an acid rock drainage microbiome and transcriptome at the Ely Copper Mine Superfund site. PLoS One, 15(8), e0237599. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0237599.

Nott, M.A., H.E. Driscoll, M. Takeda, M. Vangala, S.R. Corsi, and S.W. Tighe. 2020. Advanced biofilm analysis in streams receiving organic deicer runoff. PLoS ONE: 15(1), e0227567. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0227567.

Preston J.C., Powers B., Kostyun J.L., Driscoll, H., Zhang, F. and and Zhong, J. Regional Control of Partially Fused Petunia Corollas. The Plant Journal. Epub ahead of print, June 10, 2019.

Fairfield H., Falank C., Farrell M., Vary C., Boucher J.M., Driscoll H., Liaw L., Rosen C.J., & Reagan M.R. 2019. Development of a 3D bone marrow adipose tissue model. Bone 118, 77-88.

Schmoker, A. M., H.E. Driscoll, S.R. Geiger, J.J. Vincent, A.M. Ebert & B.A. Ballif. 2018. An in silico proteomics screen to predict and prioritize protein-protein interactions dependent on post-translationally modified motifs. Bioinformatics 34(22): 3898–3906.

Murray, J., Driscoll, H. E., and Pivarski, K. 2018. Connecting human disease phenotype to genetic mutation and protein function: A modular data mining short course with an independent project sequence for lecture or lab. Genetics Society of America Peer-Reviewed Education Portal (GSA PREP); 2018. 005.

Driscoll H., J. Murray, E. English, T. Hunter, K. Pivarski, and E. Dolci. 2017. Microarray data and gene expression statistics for Saccharomyces cerevisiae exposed to simulated asbestos mine drainage. Data in Brief 13: 37-45. Available online 14 May 2017.

Emerson S.E., R. St. Clair, A. Waldron, S. Bruno, A. Duong, H. Driscoll, B. Ballif, S. McFarlane, and A. Ebert. 2017. Identification of target genes downstream of Semaphorin6A/PlexinA2 signaling in zebrafish. Developmental Dynamics. Available online 25 May 2017.

Iles W.J., C. Sass, L. Lagomarsino, G. Benson-Martin, H. Driscoll and C.D. Specht. 2016. The phylogeny of Heliconia (Heliconiaceae) and the evolution of floral presentation. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. Available online 18 Dec 2016.

Driscoll H., J. Vincent, E. English and E. Dolci. 2016. Metagenomic investigation of the microbial diversity in a chrysotile asbestos mine pit pond, Lowell, Vermont, USA. Genomics Data 10: 67551.

Balcom I. N., H. Driscoll, J. Vincent and Megan LeDuc. 2016. Metagenomic analysis of an ecological wastewater treatment plant’s microbial communities and their potential to metabolize pharmaceuticals. F1000Research 5: 1881.

Salzman S., H.E. Driscoll, T. Renner, T. Andre, S. Shen, and C.D. Specht. 2015. Spiraling into history: A molecular phylogeny and pollination ancestral state reconstruction of Costus Nakai (Costaceae). Systematic Botany 40(1): 104-115.

Long P.M., S.W. Tighe, H.E. Driscoll, K.A. Fortner, M.S. Viapiano, and D.M. Jaworski. 2015. Acetate supplementation as a means of inducing glioblastoma stem-like cell growth arrest. Journal of Cellular Physiology 230(8): 1929-43.

Ufkin M.L., S. Peterson, X. Yang, H. Driscoll, C. Duarte, and P. Sathyanarayana. 2014. miR-125a regulates cell cycle, proliferation, and apoptosis by targeting ErbB pathway in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Leukemia Research 38: 420-410.

Tsen A.R., P.M. Long, H.E. Driscoll, M.T. Davies, B.A. Teasdale, P.L. Penar, W.W. Pendlebury, J.L. Spees, S.E. Lawler, M.S. Viapiano, and D.M. Jaworski. 2014. Triacetin-based acetate supplementation as a chemotherapeutic adjuvant therapy in glioma. Int. J. Cancer 134: 1300-1310.

Long P.M., S.W. Tighe, H.E. Driscoll, J.R. Moffett, A.M.A. Namboodiri, M.S. Viapiano, S.E. Lawler, and D.M. Jaworski. 2013. Acetate Supplementation Induces Growth Arrest of NG2/PDGFRα-Positive Oligodendroglioma-Derived Tumor-Initiating Cells. PLoS One 8(11): e80714.

Trissal M., H. Driscoll, C.W. Duarte, and D.C. Link. 2013. Dissecting the mechanism and functional role of silenced microRNA-125a In Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Blood, 122(21): 3803.