About

Tara Harrison is associated with the College of Veterinary Medicine at NC State University, where she is involved in fostering a vibrant student community and supporting their academic and personal growth. She serves as the Director of Student Engagement, emphasizing the importance of a caring, collaborative culture within the college. Her role includes overseeing student programs, engagement activities, and initiatives that enrich the student experience, such as study abroad opportunities, research projects, and extracurricular activities. Harrison's focus is on creating an environment that promotes student achievement, well-being, and lifelong friendships, contributing to the college's mission of shaping the future of veterinary medicine.

Research topics

• Ecology
• Genetics
• Evolutionary biology
• Biology
• Internal medicine
• Computational biology
• Pathology
• Zoology
• Medicine

Selected publications

• Survey of Factors Affecting Torpor in Lesser Hedgehog Tenrecs (Echinops telfairi)

  Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens · 2026-03-18

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Lesser hedgehog tenrecs (Echinops telfairi) are small, nocturnal insectivores from Madagascar that exhibit hibernation and brief torpor bouts. While multiple studies have investigated torpor physiology, no studies have focused on torpor in tenrecs maintained under human care or their recommended husbandry. We surveyed 96 institutions (71.9% response rate) housing 172 tenrecs to assess husbandry, torpor, handling, and associated weight changes. Most institutions reported that torpor occurred annually, typically between October and April, and lasted approximately 5–6 months. Weight distributions differed significantly pre- versus post-torpor, with females and males losing 34.4 g and 20.9 g on average, respectively. Females were heavier than males before and after torpor, the first report of a sex-based weight difference in this species. Most institutions used tenrecs as ambassador animals, and approximately half continued educational programming during torpor. Tenrecs handled more frequently during torpor tended to gain more weight, likely due to increased energy expenditure and compensatory feeding. Tenrecs entered torpor regardless of daylight, temperature, or humidity, with no significant husbandry differences between torpor- and non-torpor-reporting institutions. Torpor is a critical physiological adaptation supporting energy conservation and species survival. Its expression should be supported through appropriate environmental conditions, diet, minimal disturbance, and monitoring.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Wildlife Movement Models Can Inform Large, Ground-Mounted Photovoltaic Solar Energy Siting and Design: A Case Study and Research Agenda

  Case Studies in the Environment · 2026-01-01

  article

  The capacity and footprint of large, ground-mounted photovoltaic solar facilities (GPVs) in the United States (U.S.) has grown rapidly in the early twenty-first century, introducing the potential for conflict with other place-based considerations such as biodiversity conservation. One critical gap in our understanding of the relationship between GPVs and biodiversity is how their infrastructure may affect animal movement. Here, we present a case study demonstrating the value of movement data for the simulation of animal responses to GPVs. We tracked a free-ranging bobcat through a landscape with GPVs, developed an integrated step selection function to quantify its response to solar facility infrastructure and other landscape factors, and used model results to create an agent-based model that simulates bobcat responses to different GPV siting and design scenarios. This bobcat was slightly less likely to select for locations closer to the GPV in her home range, and the facility fencing appeared to be a meaningful barrier to her movement. Our simulations indicated that (1) decreasing the barrier effect of GPV fencing could increase bobcat usage of the area within a GPV; (2) the presence of a corridor within a GPV likely facilitates bobcat movement around the facility; and (3) different GPV spatial arrangements can produce different patterns of habitat use. As GPV development in the U.S. expands and the GPV footprint burgeons nationwide, models such as these will be critical for meaningful consideration of biodiversity concerns in GPV siting and design.

  PublisherDOI

• Comparative Oncology

  Veterinary Clinics of North America Exotic Animal Practice · 2026-01-02

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Insectivores

  2026-03-27

  other1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Comparative Oncology: Evaluation of Oncology Across Nondomestic Species

  2026-01-01

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Treating Neoplasia in Zoo Mammals

  2026-03-27

  other1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Abstract 7639: Primate comparative oncology reveal humans' unique cancer susceptibility

  Cancer Research · 2026-04-03

  article

  Abstract Studying cancer from an evolutionary perspective can yield important theoretical and applied insights; however, little is known about the prevalence of cancer among non-human primates. Non-human primates are our closest living relatives, yet the primate lineage is phenotypically diverse, exhibiting wide variation in evolutionary and life-history characteristics. By integrating comparative phenotypic data with prevalence records of neoplastic disease, we assembled a dataset of 2,095 individuals from 36 species across nine primate families to examine cross-species cancer risk. Additionally, functional in vitro studies using isolated and cultured primary fibroblast cell lines from representative species show that resistance to cellular death correlates with certain life-history traits. Comparative phylogenetic modeling of human cancer risk, situated within the broader primate phylogeny, demonstrates a drastic reduction in cancer risk even among primates most closely related to humans (e.g., the great apes). Together, large-scale cancer prevalence records and functional assays provide valuable insights into the ecological and cellular dynamics of cancer in our closest living relatives—and in ourselves. Citation Format: Zachary Taylor Compton, Walker Mellon, Lisa M. Abegglen, Tara Harrison, Joshua D. Schiffman, Amy M. Boddy, Carlo C. Maley. Primate comparative oncology reveal humans' unique cancer susceptibility [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2026 Apr 17-22; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 7639.

  PublisherDOI

• Amino acid profiles for red wolves (Canis rufus) managed under human care are significantly different compared to the profiles of domestic dogs (Canis familiaris)

  American Journal of Veterinary Research · 2025-01-21

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  OBJECTIVE: To establish a reference interval for amino acid profiles for healthy red wolves (Canis rufus). METHODS: Heparinized plasma of 48 red wolves was collected between August 2023 and April 2024 and sent to the University of California-Davis Amino Acid Laboratory for analysis. Reference intervals were created using the published American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology reference interval guidelines. Data were analyzed via Gaussian data distribution, and parametric statistical methods were used to produce a 90% CI of reference limits. The means of the red wolf intervals created were compared to those of the domestic dog using a z test. RESULTS: Reference intervals were created for red wolves (n = 48). Upon completion of the z test, 11 of 21 amino acids were found to be statistically significantly different compared to those of the domestic dog. CONCLUSIONS: A reference interval was created for red wolves. The red wolf amino acid profiles are different than those of the domestic dog, with 52% (11/21) of the profiles being statistically different. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Red wolf amino acid profiles should not be compared to those of the domestic dog reference intervals due to the significant difference between profiles.

  PublisherDOI

• Supplementary Table S7 from Cancer Prevalence across Vertebrates

  2025-01-13

  supplementary-materialsOpen access

  <p>Results from the bootstrap analysis of different sample size cutoffs</p>

  PublisherDOI

• Supplementary Figure S71 from Cancer Prevalence across Vertebrates

  2025-01-13

  preprintOpen access

  <p>Analysis our of our regression results with various data transformation techniques</p>

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Lisa M. Abegglen

  Huntsman Cancer Institute

  54 shared

• Joshua D. Schiffman

  Huntsman Cancer Institute

  51 shared

• Amy M. Boddy

  Arizona State University

  47 shared

• Carlo C. Maley

  Arizona State University

  42 shared

• Stefania E. Kapsetaki

  Tufts University

  40 shared

• Zachary Compton

  38 shared

• Mathieu Giraudeau

  Arizona State University

  32 shared

• Shawn M. Rupp

  Biocom

  32 shared

Labs

• Exotic Animal Medicine ServicePI

Education

• Ph.D., Comparative Medicine

  North Carolina State University

  2009

• M.S., Comparative Medicine

  North Carolina State University

  2004

• B.S., Animal Science

  North Carolina State University

  2002

Awards & honors

• Board Certified in the American College of Zoological Medici…
• Board Certified in the American College of Veterinary Preven…