Reno, NV — The academic and scientific communities are mourning the profound loss of Dr. Jeanne Zeh, a pioneering biologist and beloved professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, who passed away on July 6, 2025, at the age of 67. Her death marks the end of a remarkable 23-year career dedicated to advancing knowledge, inspiring students, and reshaping the way we understand the natural world.
Dr. Zeh was widely respected for her groundbreaking research in evolutionary biology, behavioral genetics, and epigenetics — fields where her work left a lasting mark. Her dedication to both science and education made her not just a brilliant researcher, but a cherished mentor and advocate for academic excellence.
Among her most celebrated contributions was the development of the first-ever epigenetics course within the Nevada System of Higher Education, a course that expanded understanding of how gene expression is shaped by environmental factors. Her ability to bring complex concepts to life and her passion for discovery ignited the curiosity of countless students, many of whom have gone on to pursue careers in science inspired by her example.
“Jeanne had an unmatched gift for making science meaningful,” said a former student. “She didn’t just teach biology — she showed us why it mattered, and how we could be part of something bigger.”
Colleagues remember her as a tenacious scholar, an empathetic leader, and someone who brought both rigor and compassion into the laboratory and the classroom. She was deeply committed to fostering diversity in science, championing young women and underrepresented students in STEM fields, and challenging the status quo with both intellect and integrity.
Research interests
Investigation of genomic conflict-based genetic incompatibility in the processes of sexual selection and speciation, particularly in live-bearing organisms.
Ecological and evolutionary epigenetics, an emerging field that can address long-standing issues involving the origin and maintenance of biological diversity.
The epi-transposon hypothesis, in which environmental stressors trigger disruption in epigenetic regulation, leading to increased transposable element activity that can generate the phenotypic changes required for punctuated equilibria and adaptive radiation.
The role of epigenetics in speciation, particularly in flowering plants and mammals, with disruption of parent-of-origin gene expression contributing disproportionately to post-zygotic reproductive isolation.
Whether intergenerational/transgenerational inheritance of environmentally-induced epigenetic changes can ameliorate or exacerbate the impacts of global warming, particularly in tropical ectotherms.
The harlequin beetle riding pseudoscorpion, Cordylochernes scorpioides, as a model tropical arthropod species for simulated climate warming studies of the role of epigenetic and transposable element dysregulation in temperature-induced reproductive dysfunction.
Courses taught
BIOL 191 – Introduction to Organismal Biology
BIOL 454/654 – Genomic Conflict, Epigenetics and Human Disease
EECB 752 – Divided Selves: Genomic Conflicts and Behavioral Ecology
EECB 752 – Ecological and Evolutionary Epigenetics
Education
Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Rice University, 1996
B.A. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, 1986
Dr. Zeh’s impact extended far beyond the walls of the university. Her research was published in leading scientific journals, and she was a respected voice in national and international discussions on evolutionary biology and reproductive behavior.
In honor of her enduring contributions, the University of Nevada, Reno has established a scholarship fund in her name, dedicated to supporting future generations of biology students. The university invites friends, former students, colleagues, and members of the wider scientific community to contribute to this fund as a tribute to Dr. Zeh’s life and legacy.
Jeanne Zeh’s passing is a tremendous loss, not only to the university she called home, but to the broader scientific world that benefited from her insights and innovations. Her work lives on in the research she pioneered, the students she mentored, and the future she helped shape.
She is survived by loved ones, friends, and an academic family that will forever remember her brilliance, her generosity, and her unwavering belief in the power of science to make the world a better place
