# Alison Mercer

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{{Short description|New Zealand zoologist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name              = Alison Mercer
| honorific_suffix  = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZM|size=100%}}
| image             = Otago University Zoology Dept • Alison Mercer 1987 (cropped).jpg 
| alt               = 
| caption           = Mercer in 1987
| birth_date        = {{Birth year and age|1954}}
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| fields            = Zoology
| workplaces        = University of Otago
| patrons           =
| alma_mater        = [University of Otago](/source/University_of_Otago)
| thesis1_title      = Visceral innervation in molluscs.
| thesis1_url        = http://otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/DUNEDIN:All:OTAGO_ALMA21116006390001891
| thesis1_year       = 1979
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'''Alison Ruth Mercer''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZM|size=85%}} (born 1954) is a New Zealand zoologist based at the [University of Otago](/source/University_of_Otago),<ref name="bio">{{cite web|url=http://www.otago.ac.nz/zoology/staff/otago008927.html |title=Professor Alison Mercer, Our People, Department of Zoology, University of Otago, New Zealand |publisher=Otago.ac.nz |date=16 February 2016 |access-date=20 October 2017}}</ref> with a particular interest in the brain physiology of bees.<ref>{{Cite journal |author-link7=Alison Mercer |author1=Elodie Urlacher |author2=Laurent Soustelle |author3=Marie-Laure Parmentier |author4=Heleen Verlinden |author5=Marie-Julie Gherardi |author6=Daniel Fourmy |author7=Alison R. Mercer |author8=Jean-Marc Devaud |author9=Isabelle Massou |bibcode=2016PLoSO..1146248U |display-authors=3 |doi=10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0146248 |doi-access=free |issn=1932-6203 |issue=1 |journal=[PLOS One](/source/PLOS_One) |language=en |article-number=e0146248 |pmc=4704819 |pmid=26741132 |date=7 January 2016 |title=Honey Bee Allatostatins Target Galanin/Somatostatin-Like Receptors and Modulate Learning: A Conserved Function? |volume=11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |author-link2=Alison Mercer |author1=Malgorzata Lagisz |author2=Alison R. Mercer |author3=Charlotte de Mouzon |author4=Luana L S Santos |author5=Shinichi Nakagawa |doi=10.1007/S10519-015-9749-Z |issn=0001-8244 |issue=2 |journal=[Behavior Genetics](/source/Behavior_Genetics_(journal)) |language=en |pages=242–251 |pmid=26410688 |date=26 September 2015 |title=Association of Amine-Receptor DNA Sequence Variants with Associative Learning in the Honeybee |volume=46}}</ref> She was elected a member of the [National Academy of Sciences](/source/National_Academy_of_Sciences) in 2022.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nasonline.org/news-and-multimedia/news/2022-nas-election.html | title=2022 NAS Election }}</ref>

== Education ==
Mercer received her PhD in zoology in 1979 from the University of Otago. Her thesis ''Visceral innervation in molluscs'' was concerned with molluscs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/DUNEDIN:All:OTAGO_ALMA21116006390001891|title=Visceral innervation in molluscs. – Dunedin Campus|date=|publisher=Otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com|access-date=20 October 2017}}</ref>

==Academic career==
She has been an emeritus professor at the University of Otago since 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018|title=University of Otago Annual Report 2018|url=https://www.otago.ac.nz/about/official-documents/otago710847.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=2021-09-25|website=University of Otago|page=19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919222906/https://www.otago.ac.nz/about/official-documents/otago710847.pdf |archive-date=19 September 2020 }}</ref> Her research interests span from understanding the brain<ref>{{Cite journal |author-link1=Alison Mercer |author1=A R Mercer |author2=P G Mobbs |author3=Anthony P Davenport |author4=P D Evans |doi=10.1007/BF00218658 |issn=0302-766X |issue=3 |journal=[Cell and Tissue Research](/source/Cell_and_Tissue_Research) |language=en |pages=655–677 |pmid=6420063 |date=1 January 1983 |title=Biogenic amines in the brain of the honeybee, Apis mellifera |volume=234}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |author-link4=Alison Mercer |author1=Merideth A Humphries |author2=Julie A Mustard |author3=Stacey J Hunter |author4=Alison R. Mercer |author5=Vernon Ward |author6=Paul R Ebert |doi=10.1002/NEU.10209 |id=[Wikidata](/source/WDQ_(identifier))&nbsp;[Q45895371](/source/%3Ad%3AQ45895371) |issn=1932-8451 |issue=3 |journal=[Developmental Neurobiology](/source/Developmental_Neurobiology) |language=en |pages=315–330 |pmid=12717701 |date=1 June 2003 |title=Invertebrate D2 type dopamine receptor exhibits age-based plasticity of expression in the mushroom bodies of the honeybee brain |volume=55}}</ref> and behaviour of [honey bee](/source/honey_bee)s, development genetics, as well as learning and memory.<ref>{{Cite journal |author-link2=Alison Mercer |author1=Malgorzata Lagisz |author2=Alison R. Mercer |author3=Charlotte de Mouzon |author4=Luana L S Santos |author5=Shinichi Nakagawa |doi=10.1007/S10519-015-9749-Z |issn=0001-8244 |issue=2 |journal=[Behavior Genetics](/source/Behavior_Genetics_(journal)) |language=en |pages=242–251 |pmid=26410688 |date=26 September 2015 |title=Association of Amine-Receptor DNA Sequence Variants with Associative Learning in the Honeybee |volume=46}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |author-link8=Alison Mercer |author1=Elodie Urlacher |author2=Coline Monchanin |author3=Coraline Rivière |author4=Freddie-Jeanne Richard |author5=Christie Lombardi |author6=Sue Michelsen-Heath |author7=Kimberly J Hageman |author8=Alison R. Mercer |doi=10.1007/S10886-016-0672-4 |issn=0098-0331 |issue=2 |journal=[Journal of Chemical Ecology](/source/Journal_of_Chemical_Ecology) |language=en |pages=127–138 |pmid=26872472 |date=12 February 2016 |title=Measurements of Chlorpyrifos Levels in Forager Bees and Comparison with Levels that Disrupt Honey Bee Odor-Mediated Learning Under Laboratory Conditions |volume=42}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.otago.ac.nz/zoology/staff/otago008927.html|title=Professor Alison Mercer|website=www.otago.ac.nz|language=en-nz|access-date=2018-07-26}}</ref>

She has repeatedly made headlines in the popular press with her studies of the effects of chemicals on bees.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/07/070719-bee-control.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070822163858/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/07/070719-bee-control.html |archive-date=22 August 2007 |title=Queen Bees "Brainwash" Workers With Chemicals |publisher=News.nationalgeographic.com |date= |access-date=20 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Amber Dance| newspaper=[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times) |url=http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Queen-bees-use-mind-control-to-keep-young-workers-2580400.php |title=Queen bees use mind control to keep young workers in line |via=[San Francisco Chronicle](/source/San_Francisco_Chronicle) |date=21 July 2007 |access-date=20 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.techtimes.com/articles/138002/20160303/pesticide-dumbs-down-bees-causes-deficits-in-memory-and-learning.htm |title=Pesticide 'Dumbs Down' Bees, Causes Deficits In Memory And Learning: SCIENCE |publisher=Tech Times |date=3 March 2016 |access-date=20 October 2017}}</ref> She was nicknamed the "Queen of all pheromones" by ''[Otago Daily Times](/source/Otago_Daily_Times)'' for her work in discovering that exposing a young bee to the pheromone of a queen bee actually alters the composition of the young bee's brain.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/queen-all-pheromones|title=The queen of all pheromones|date=2008-12-08|newspaper=[Otago Daily Times](/source/Otago_Daily_Times)|access-date=2018-07-26|language=en}}</ref> She has also published on the [varroa mite](/source/varroa_mite) a problematic parasite of honeybees.<ref>{{cite web|author=Rachel Graham |url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/296034/researchers-hope-for-varroa-bee-mite-breakthrough |title=Researchers hope for varroa bee mite breakthrough |website=[Radio New Zealand News](/source/Radio_New_Zealand_News) |date=8 February 2016  |access-date=20 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=On the Front Line: Quantitative Virus Dynamics in Honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) Colonies along a New Expansion Front of the Parasite Varroa destructor |journal=PLOS Pathogens |volume=10 |issue=8 |article-number=e1004323 |date=21 August 2014 |doi=10.1371/journal.ppat.1004323 |pmid=25144447 |pmc=4140857 |last1=Mondet |first1=Fanny |last2=De Miranda |first2=Joachim R. |last3=Kretzschmar |first3=Andre |last4=Le Conte |first4=Yves |last5=Mercer |first5=Alison R. |doi-access=free }}</ref>

== Awards and honours ==
In the [2008 Queen's Birthday Honours](/source/2008_Birthday_Honours_(New_Zealand)), Mercer was appointed an [Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit](/source/Officer_of_the_New_Zealand_Order_of_Merit), for services to science.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/queens-birthday-honours-list-2008 |title=Queen's Birthday honours list 2008 |date=2 June 2008 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=28 December 2019}}</ref>

In 2022, Mercer was elected as a member of the [National Academy of Sciences](/source/National_Academy_of_Sciences).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-14 |title=US academy honour for Otago scientist |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/campus/us-academy-honour-otago-scientist |access-date=2022-05-13 |website=[Otago Daily Times](/source/Otago_Daily_Times) |language=en}}</ref>

== Selected works ==
{{scholia}}
*{{Cite journal |author-link5=Alison Mercer |author1=Fanny Mondet |author2=Joachim R de Miranda |author3=Andre Kretzschmar |author4=Yves Le Conte |author5=Alison R. Mercer |doi=10.1371/JOURNAL.PPAT.1004323 |doi-access=free |issn=1553-7366 |issue=8 |journal=[PLOS Pathogens](/source/PLOS_Pathogens) |language=en |article-number=e1004323 |pmc=4140857 |pmid=25144447 |date=21 August 2014 |title=On the front line: quantitative virus dynamics in honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies along a new expansion front of the parasite Varroa destructor |volume=10}}
*{{Cite journal |author-link1=Alison Mercer |author1=A.R. Mercer |author2=R. Menzel |doi=10.1007/BF00619340 |issn=0340-7594 |issue=3 |journal=[Journal of Comparative Physiology A](/source/Journal_of_Comparative_Physiology_A) |language=en |pages=363–368 |date=1982 |title=The effects of biogenic amines on conditioned and unconditioned responses to olfactory stimuli in the honeybeeApis mellifera |volume=145}}
*{{Cite journal |author-link2=Alison Mercer |author1=Daniel Flanagan |author2=Alison R. Mercer |doi=10.1016/0020-7322(89)90023-8 |issn=1467-8039 |issue=2-3 |journal=Arthropod Structure & Development |language=en |pages=145–159 |date=January 1989 |title=An atlas and 3-D reconstruction of the antennal lobes in the worker honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) |volume=18}}
*{{Cite journal |author-link7=Alison Mercer |author1=Kyle T Beggs |author2=Kelly A Glendining |author3=Nicola M Marechal |author4=Vanina Vergoz |author5=Ikumi Nakamura |author6=Keith N Slessor |author7=Alison R Mercer |bibcode=2007PNAS..104.2460B |doi=10.1073/PNAS.0608224104 |issn=0027-8424 |issue=7 |journal=[Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America](/source/Proceedings_of_the_National_Academy_of_Sciences_of_the_United_States_of_America) |language=en |pages=2460–2464 |pmc=1892986 |pmid=17287354 |date=7 February 2007 |title=Queen pheromone modulates brain dopamine function in worker honey bees |volume=104}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* "[http://www.otago.ac.nz/zoology/staff/otago008927.html Emeritus Professor Alison Mercer]", Department of Zoology, University of Otago

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mercer, Alison}}
Category:1954 births
Category:Living people
Category:20th-century New Zealand zoologists
Category:21st-century New Zealand women scientists
Category:New Zealand women academics
Category:University of Otago alumni
Category:Academic staff of the University of Otago
Category:Scientists from Dunedin
Category:New Zealand entomologists
Category:Women entomologists
Category:Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Category:Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences
Category:New Zealand women scientists
Category:Long stubs with short prose

{{NewZealand-academic-bio-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alison Mercer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alison_Mercer) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alison_Mercer?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.