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Johnelle Sparks

TitleProfessor
InstitutionUniversity of Texas at San Antonio
DepartmentDemography
Address1 UTSA Cir
San Antonio TX 78249
Phone(210) 458-6544
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    My research interests largely focus on disparities or inequalities inherent in several population processes. A disparities-based theoretical framework guides all of my research, and the use of a diverse set of theories borrowing from a critical perspective to examine potential disparities based on race/ethnicity, income, place, and rural-urban residence has evolved within my different areas of scholarship. Substantively, I have examined disparities in three topical domains: (1) maternal and child health; (2) mortality and morbidity; and (3) early childhood and higher education.

    Collapse Bibliographic 
    Collapse selected publications
    Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.
    Newest   |   Oldest   |   Most Cited   |   Most Discussed   |   Timeline   |   Field Summary   |   Plain Text
    PMC Citations indicate the number of times the publication was cited by articles in PubMed Central, and the Altmetric score represents citations in news articles and social media. (Note that publications are often cited in additional ways that are not shown here.) Fields are based on how the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classifies the publication's journal and might not represent the specific topic of the publication. Translation tags are based on the publication type and the MeSH terms NLM assigns to the publication. Some publications (especially newer ones and publications not in PubMed) might not yet be assigned Field or Translation tags.) Click a Field or Translation tag to filter the publications.
    1. Ghedotti MJ, Valdez JJ, Martin RP, Carr EM, Sparks JS. Morphology of the light-organ system and bioluminescent blinking in the ponyfish tribe Equulitini (Teleostei: Leiognathidae). PLoS One. 2026; 21(4):e0347687. PMID: 42060663.
      Citations:    
    2. Carr EM, Martin RP, Ghedotti MJ, Sparks JS. A shot in the dark: Comparative morphology of the bioluminescent tube organs in tubeshoulders (Platytroctidae). PLoS One. 2026; 21(1):e0332016. PMID: 41533707.
      Citations:    
    3. Carr EM, Thurman MA, Martin RP, Sparks TS, Sparks JS. Marine fishes exhibit exceptional variation in biofluorescent emission spectra. PLoS One. 2025; 20(6):e0316789. PMID: 40522985.
      Citations:    
    4. Carr EM, Martin RP, Thurman MA, Cohen KE, Huie JM, Gruber DF, Sparks JS. Repeated and widespread evolution of biofluorescence in marine fishes. Nat Commun. 2025 May 24; 16(1):4826. PMID: 40413187.
      Citations:    
    5. Soares DMM, Galeazzo GA, Sgro GG, de Moraes GV, Kronenberg L, Borukh E, Migotto AE, Gruber DF, Sparks JS, Pieribone VA, Stevani CV, Oliveira AG. Velamins: green-light-emitting calcium-regulated photoproteins isolated from the ctenophore Velamen parallelum. FEBS J. 2025 Aug; 292(16):4183-4199. PMID: 40251846.
      Citations:    
    6. Martin RP, Carr EM, Sparks JS. Does biofluorescence enhance visual signals in birds-of-paradise? R Soc Open Sci. 2025 Feb; 12(2):241905. PMID: 39944292.
      Citations:    
    7. Martin RP, Carr EM, Sparks JS. Variation in lanternfish (Myctophidae) photophore structure: A comprehensive comparative analysis. PLoS One. 2024; 19(11):e0310976. PMID: 39536017.
      Citations:    
    8. Huang Y, Sparks PJ. Longitudinal exposure to neighborhood poverty and obesity risk in emerging adulthood. Soc Sci Res. 2023 03; 111:102796. PMID: 36898786.
      Citations: 4     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    9. Burns JA, Gruber DF, Gaffney JP, Sparks JS, Brugler MR. Transcriptomics of a Greenlandic Snailfish Reveals Exceptionally High Expression of Antifreeze Protein Transcripts. Evol Bioinform Online. 2022; 18:11769343221118347. PMID: 35991949.
      Citations:    
    10. Masum M, Sparks J. Labor force status as a buffer against mortality risks associated with alcohol consumption: A study of adult U.S. women, 2001-2015. Prev Med. 2022 08; 161:107139. PMID: 35809823.
      Citations:    Fields:    Translation:Humans
    11. Tessler M, Gaffney JP, Oliveira AG, Guarnaccia A, Dobi KC, Gujarati NA, Galbraith M, Mirza JD, Sparks JS, Pieribone VA, Wood RJ, Gruber DF. A putative chordate luciferase from a cosmopolitan tunicate indicates convergent bioluminescence evolution across phyla. Sci Rep. 2020 10 20; 10(1):17724. PMID: 33082360.
      Citations:    
    12. Gruber DF, Phillips BT, O'Brien R, Boominathan V, Veeraraghavan A, Vasan G, O'Brien P, Pieribone VA, Sparks JS. Bioluminescent flashes drive nighttime schooling behavior and synchronized swimming dynamics in flashlight fish. PLoS One. 2019; 14(8):e0219852. PMID: 31412054.
      Citations:    
    13. Martinez CM, Kao BH, Sparks JS, Wainwright PC. Pectoral Dimorphism Is a Pervasive Feature of Skate Diversity and Offers Insight into their Evolution. Integr Org Biol. 2019; 1(1):obz012. PMID: 33791527.
      Citations:    
    14. Kuang T, Tornabene L, Li J, Jiang J, Chakrabarty P, Sparks JS, Naylor GJP, Li C. Phylogenomic analysis on the exceptionally diverse fish clade Gobioidei (Actinopterygii: Gobiiformes) and data-filtering based on molecular clocklikeness. Mol Phylogenet Evol. 2018 11; 128:192-202. PMID: 30036699.
      Citations:    
    15. Martinez CM, Sparks JS. Malagasy cichlids differentially limit impacts of body shape evolution on oral jaw functional morphology. Evolution. 2017 Sep; 71(9):2219-2229. PMID: 28640393.
      Citations: 1     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    16. Davis MP, Sparks JS, Smith WL. Repeated and Widespread Evolution of Bioluminescence in Marine Fishes. PLoS One. 2016; 11(6):e0155154. PMID: 27276229.
      Citations: 7     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    17. Gruber DF, Loew ER, Deheyn DD, Akkaynak D, Gaffney JP, Smith WL, Davis MP, Stern JH, Pieribone VA, Sparks JS. Biofluorescence in Catsharks (Scyliorhinidae): Fundamental Description and Relevance for Elasmobranch Visual Ecology. Sci Rep. 2016 04 25; 6:24751. PMID: 27109385.
      Citations: 7     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    18. Howard JT, Sparks PJ. Does allostatic load calculation method matter? Evaluation of different methods and individual biomarkers functioning by race/ethnicity and educational level. Am J Hum Biol. 2016 09 10; 28(5):627-35. PMID: 26877153.
      Citations: 24     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    19. Martinez CM, Arroyave J, Sparks JS. A new species of Ptychochromis from southeastern Madagascar (Teleostei: Cichlidae). Zootaxa. 2015 Nov 17; 4044(1):79-92. PMID: 26624703.
      Citations:    
    20. Gruber DF, Gaffney JP, Mehr S, DeSalle R, Sparks JS, Platisa J, Pieribone VA. Adaptive Evolution of Eel Fluorescent Proteins from Fatty Acid Binding Proteins Produces Bright Fluorescence in the Marine Environment. PLoS One. 2015; 10(11):e0140972. PMID: 26561348.
      Citations:    
    21. Chakrabarty P, Sparks JS. Formalizing the names of subfamilies and tribes of ponyfishes (Leiognathidae Gill 1893). Zootaxa. 2015 Jun 02; 3964(2):298-9. PMID: 26249439.
      Citations:    
    22. Sparks JS, Chakrabarty P. Description of a new genus of ponyfishes (Teleostei: Leiognathidae), with a review of the current generic-level composition of the family. Zootaxa. 2015 Apr 15; 3947(2):181-90. PMID: 25947728.
      Citations:    Fields:    Translation:Animals
    23. Davis MP, Holcroft NI, Wiley EO, Sparks JS, Leo Smith W. Species-specific bioluminescence facilitates speciation in the deep sea. Mar Biol. 2014; 161(5):1139-1148. PMID: 24771948.
      Citations:    
    24. Sparks JS, Schelly RC, Smith WL, Davis MP, Tchernov D, Pieribone VA, Gruber DF. The covert world of fish biofluorescence: a phylogenetically widespread and phenotypically variable phenomenon. PLoS One. 2014; 9(1):e83259. PMID: 24421880.
      Citations: 21     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    25. Kapadia VS, Chalak LF, Sparks JE, Allen JR, Savani RC, Wyckoff MH. Resuscitation of preterm neonates with limited versus high oxygen strategy. Pediatrics. 2013 Dec; 132(6):e1488-96. PMID: 24218465.
      Citations: 59     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    26. McMahan CD, Chakrabarty P, Sparks JS, Smith WM, Davis MP. Temporal patterns of diversification across global cichlid biodiversity (Acanthomorpha: Cichlidae). PLoS One. 2013; 8(8):e71162. PMID: 23990936.
      Citations:    
    27. de Carvalho MR, Ebach MC, Williams DM, Nihei SS, Trefaut Rodrigues M, Grant T, Silveira LF, Zaher H, Gill AC, Schelly RC, Sparks JS, Bockmann FA, S?ret B, Ho HC, Grande L, Rieppel O, Dubois A, Ohler A, Faivovich J, Assis LCS, Wheeler QD, Goldstein PZ, de Almeida EAB, Valdecasas AG, Nelson G. Does counting species count as taxonomy? On misrepresenting systematics, yet again. Cladistics. 2014 Jun; 30(3):322-329. PMID: 34788970.
      Citations:    
    28. Chakrabarty P, Davis MP, Sparks JS. The first record of a trans-oceanic sister-group relationship between obligate vertebrate troglobites. PLoS One. 2012; 7(8):e44083. PMID: 22937155.
      Citations:    
    29. Wainwright PC, Smith WL, Price SA, Tang KL, Sparks JS, Ferry LA, Kuhn KL, Eytan RI, Near TJ. The evolution of pharyngognathy: a phylogenetic and functional appraisal of the pharyngeal jaw key innovation in labroid fishes and beyond. Syst Biol. 2012 Dec 01; 61(6):1001-27. PMID: 22744773.
      Citations: 28     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    30. Chakrabarty P, Davis MP, Smith WL, Baldwin ZH, Sparks JS. Is sexual selection driving diversification of the bioluminescent ponyfishes (Teleostei: Leiognathidae)? Mol Ecol. 2011 Jul; 20(13):2818-34. PMID: 21623980.
      Citations: 4     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    31. Sparks PJ. Racial/ethnic differences in breastfeeding duration among WIC-eligible families. Womens Health Issues. 2011 Sep-Oct; 21(5):374-82. PMID: 21565528.
      Citations: 20     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    32. Chakrabarty P, Davis MP, Smith WL, Berquist R, Gledhill KM, Frank LR, Sparks JS. Evolution of the light organ system in ponyfishes (Teleostei: Leiognathidae). J Morphol. 2011 Jun; 272(6):704-21. PMID: 21433053.
      Citations: 3     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    33. Ho HC, Chakrabarty P, Sparks JS. Review of the Halieutichthys aculeatus species complex (Lophiiformes: Ogcocephalidae), with descriptions of two new species. J Fish Biol. 2010 Sep; 77(4):841-69. PMID: 20840615.
      Citations:    
    34. Johnelle Sparks P. One size does not fit all: an examination of low birthweight disparities among a diverse set of racial/ethnic groups. Matern Child Health J. 2009 Nov; 13(6):769-79. PMID: 19495949.
      Citations: 13     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    35. Sparks PJ. Do biological, sociodemographic, and behavioral characteristics explain racial/ethnic disparities in preterm births? Soc Sci Med. 2009 May; 68(9):1667-75. PMID: 19285373.
      Citations: 29     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    36. Johnelle Sparks P. 'Mommy knows best': parents' perceptions of their infant's health. J Child Health Care. 2009 Mar; 13(1):63-74. PMID: 19240191.
      Citations: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    37. Sparks PJ, McLaughlin DK, Stokes CS. Differential neonatal and postneonatal infant mortality rates across US counties: the role of socioeconomic conditions and rurality. J Rural Health. 2009; 25(4):332-41. PMID: 19780912.
      Citations: 19     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    38. Smith WL, Sparks JS. Gobius lagocephalus: the world's most widespread nomen dubium. Mol Phylogenet Evol. 2007 May; 43(2):696-8. PMID: 17127081.
      Citations:    Fields:    Translation:Animals
    39. Sparks JS, Smith WL. Sicyopterus lagocephalus: widespread species, species complex, or neither? A critique on the use of molecular data for species identification. Mol Phylogenet Evol. 2006 Sep; 40(3):900-2. PMID: 16806991.
      Citations: 1     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    40. Sparks JS, Dunlap PV, Smith WL. Evolution and diversification of a sexually dimorphic luminescent system in ponyfishes (Teleostei: Leiognathidae), including diagnoses for two new genera. Cladistics. 2005 Aug; 21(4):305-327. PMID: 34892969.
      Citations:    
    41. Sparks JS, Smith WL. Phylogeny and biogeography of cichlid fishes (Teleostei: Perciformes: Cichlidae). Cladistics. 2004 Dec; 20(6):501-517. PMID: 34892958.
      Citations:    
    42. Caple J, Armentrout D, Huseby V, Halbardier B, Garcia J, Sparks JW, Moya FR. Randomized, controlled trial of slow versus rapid feeding volume advancement in preterm infants. Pediatrics. 2004 Dec; 114(6):1597-600. PMID: 15574620.
      Citations: 12     Fields:    Translation:HumansCTClinical Trials
    43. Sparks JS, Smith WL. Phylogeny and biogeography of the Malagasy and Australasian rainbowfishes (Teleostei: Melanotaenioidei): Gondwanan vicariance and evolution in freshwater. Mol Phylogenet Evol. 2004 Dec; 33(3):719-34. PMID: 15522799.
      Citations: 12     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    44. Sparks JS. Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of the Malagasy and South Asian cichlids (Teleostei: Perciformes: Cichlidae). Mol Phylogenet Evol. 2004 Mar; 30(3):599-614. PMID: 15012941.
      Citations:    
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