Andrew Gall joined the Department of Psychology faculty in fall 2015. He is a behavioral neuroscientist and teaches in the fields of psychology and neuroscience. His research interests primarily focus on understanding the neural mechanisms and functions of sleep and circadian rhythms.

Andrew loves educating students about psychology, inspiring students to become enthusiastic about neuroscience and researching the complex relationship between the brain and behavior. He is also thrilled to be a part of a growing neuroscience program at Hope and hopes to instill the love of science in all of his students.

AREAS OF INTEREST

Andrew specializes in behavioral neuroscience by studying the biological bases of behavior. His expertise is focused on understanding the influence of light on circadian rhythms, and he is especially interested in species-differences in the brain between animals that are diurnal (day-active) and those that are nocturnal (night-active).

EDUCATION

• Postdoctoral Fellow, Psychology & Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, 2015
• Ph. D., psychology, University of Iowa, 2011
• M.A., psychology, University of Iowa, 2006
• BS, psychology, University of Iowa,  2003

honors and awards

• Towsley Research Scholar, Hope College, 2018–2021
• Co-PI, Evaluation of Sleep Quantity and Quality on Behavioral Measures in Preschoolers, Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood
• NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32) from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2013–2015
• NRSA Institutional Research Training Grant (T32) from the National Institutes of Health, 2012
• Research Merit Award, Society for Research on Biological Rhythms, 13th Biennial Meeting, 2012.

selected publications

• “The effects of ambient temperature and lighting intensity on wheel-running behavior in a diurnal rodent, the Nile grass rat (Arvicanthis niloticus),” Journal of Comparative Psychology, 2018
• “Normal behavioral responses to light and darkness and the pupillary light reflex are dependent upon the olivary pretectal nucleus in the diurnal Nile grass rat,” Neuroscience, 2017
• “Suprachiasmatic nucleus and subparaventricular zone lesions disrupt circadian rhythmicity but not light-induced masking behavior in Nile grass rats,” Journal of Biological Rhythms, 31(2), 2016
• “Intergeniculate leaflet lesions result in differential activation of brain regions following the presentation of photic stimuli in Nile grass rats,” Neuroscience Letters 579, 2014
• “The development of sleep-wake rhythms and the search for elemental circuits in the infant brain,” Behavioral Neuroscience 128(3), 2014.  
• “Lesions of the intergeniculate leaflet lead to a reorganization in circadian regulation and a reversal in masking responses to photic stimuli in the Nile grass rat,” PLoS One 8(6), 2013

View all of Dr. Gall's publications. 

outside the college

Andrew is married to Heather and has three children, Addilyn, Stella and Oliver. He enjoys spending time with his family, exploring the outdoors, hiking, biking and going to the beach.