Meet The Faculty

Dr. Ashley Lough

Associate Professor of Biology

Education:

Biography:

Dr. Lough’s teaching responsibilities include: General Biology I lecture and lab, Genetics lecture and lab, Molecular and Cellular Biology lecture and lab, Intro to Infectious Diseases lecture, and Undergraduate Research courses. In addition to teaching, she advises students in the biology program, and she is the advisor for pre-physical therapy and pre-chiropractic students in the Division of Science, Math, and Computer Science. Dr. Lough made a coloring book for her General Biology I class, and it is free for anyone to download: https://oercommons.org/courseware/lesson/107768

Research Interests:

Dr. Lough’s background is in plant genetics research, but CMU students have broadened her interests. If a student comes to her with an idea, she is happy to work with them to develop a capstone research project. For students who are interested in genetics, Dr. Lough has mentored students doing projects involving fish, dogs, bananas, and corn. She has also worked with students on projects that did not focus on genetics, including the antimicrobial properties of honey, the decomposition of animal tissue in winter conditions, a survey of working nurses to examine their stress levels, and surveying people to identify common misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccinations.

Professional Organizations:

Missouri Academy of Science
National Science Teachers Association
National Association of Biology Teachers

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Dr. Paul A. Porneluzi

Professor of Biology

Education:

Ph.D., Biology, 1996, University of Missouri

B.S., Biology, 1991, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown

Biography:

Dr. Porneluzi's interests revolve around the outdoor environment. He enjoys teaching courses in conservation biology, ecology, environmental science, and an introductory course in exploring geology. He teaches wildlife specific courses like ornithology, as his research focuses on understanding how birds are affected by human land-use changes. Dr. Porneluzi also teaches courses in GIS (geographical information systems) that are used to measure and understand land-use change and a research methods course that teaches students about conducting scientific research. Outside of work, Dr. Porneluzi enjoys observing birds and spending time with his family while kayaking, canoeing, packrafting, trail running, mountain biking, and hiking.

Dr. Porneluzi maintains an active research program focusing on understanding neotropical migrant birds on their breeding grounds. This research is specifically aimed at understanding how land use affects breeding success. His research is conducted in association with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the University of Missouri. The collaborative research project is named MOFEP (Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project) and is a long term (100+ year) collaborative ecosystem experiment. He has been part of the Forest Songbird Research Project since it started in 1991. Dr. Porneluzi has published the results of his work in collaboration with many other scientists working at MDC, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service and other Universities. Over the years of the study, he has trained and worked with almost 400 undergraduate interns, including dozens from CMU to conduct the forest bird field research.

Professional Memberships:

American Ornithologists’ Union
Society for Conservation Biology
Association of Field Ornithologists
Wilson Ornithological Society
Cooper Ornithological Society
Ecological Society of America

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Dr. Anna Slusarz

Associate Professor of Biology

Education:

2009 Ph.D. in Biochemistry – University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA

2003 M.A. in German Studies - University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA

2001 Mag.Phil. in Interpreting and Translation - University of Vienna, Austria

Relevant Publications:

• • Obesity Contributes to Ovarian Cancer Metastatic Success through Increased Lipogenesis, Enhanced Vascularity, and Decreased Infiltration of M1 Macrophages. Yueying Liu, Matthew Metzinger, Kyle Lewellen, Stephanie Cripps, Kyle Carey, Elizabeth Harper, Zonggao Shi, Laura Tarwater, Annie Grisoli, Eric Lee, Anna Ślusarz, Jing Yang, Elizabeth Loughran, Kaitlyn Conley, Jeff Johhnson, Yuliya Klymenko, Lana Bruney, Zhong Liang, Norm Dovichi, Bentley Cheatham, W. Leevy, and M. Sharon Stack Cancer Research 2015 Dec 1;75(23):5046-57. PMID: 26573796
• • Antiproliferative and Antiestrogenic Activities of Bonediol an Alkyl Catechol from Bonellia macrocarpa. Moo-Puc R, Caamal-Fuentes E, Peraza-Sánchez SR, Ślusarz A, Jackson G, Drenkhahn SK, Lubahn DB. Biomed Res Int. 2015:847457. Epub 2015 Oct 18. PMID: 26557704
• • The two faces of miR-29. Anna Ślusarz, Lakshmi Pulakat Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine. 2015 Jul;16(7):480-90 PMID: 25689084
• • α(E)-Catenin Regulates BMP-7 Expression and Migration in Renal Epithelial Cells. LaNita A. Nichols, Anna Ślusarz, Elizabeth A. Grunz-Borgmann, Alan R. Parrish American Journal of Nephrology 39(5):409-417. May 2014 PMID: 24818804
• • Overexpression of MMP-7 Increases Collagen 1A2 in the Aging Kidney. Anna Ślusarz, LaNita A. Nichols, Elizabeth A. Grunz-Borgmann, Gang Chen, Adebayo D. Akintola, Jeffery M. Catania, Robert C. Burghart, Jerome P. Trzeciakowski, Alan R. Parrish. Physiological Reports 1(5) October 2013 PMID: 24273653
• • Inhibition of Hedgehog/Gli Signaling by Botanicals: A Review of Compounds with Potential Hedgehog Pathway Inhibitory Activities. Sara K Drenkhahn, Glenn A Jackson Anna Ślusarz, Nicholas J Starkey, Dennis B Lubahn Curr Cancer Drug Targets. June 2013 PMID: 23675897
• • Aggressive prostate cancer is prevented in ERαKO mice and stimulated in ERβKO TRAMP mice. Anna Ślusarz, Glenn Jackson, Kevin Day, Nader Shenouda, Jennifer Bogener, Jim Browning, Ruth S. MacDonald, Cynthia L. Besch-Williford, Dennis B. Lubahn Endocrinology. 153 (9): 4160-70. September 2012 PMID: 22753646
• • Abstract 1711: Regulation of hedgehog signaling by the estrogen receptors. Sara K. Drenkhahn, Anna Ślusarz , Lu Yuan, Rosa E. Moo Puc, Dennis B. Lubahn Cancer Research 70(8 Supplement):1711-1711. January 2011
• • Common Botanical Compounds Inhibit the Hedgehog Signaling Pathway in Prostate Cancer. Anna Ślusarz, Nader S Shenouda, Mary S Sakla, Sara K Drenkhahn, Acharan Narula, Ruth S. MacDonald, Cynthia L Besch-Williford, and Dennis B Lubahn Cancer Res. 70: 3382-3390. April 2010 PMID: 20395211
• • Effects of nanosecond pulsed electric fields on human prostate cancer cell line – LNCaP. Vinitha Donthula, Bruno Camps Raga, Naz E. Islam, Anna Ślusarz, Dennis B. Lubahn, Venkataseshu Ganjam IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation 16 (5): 1311-1316, October 2009Anna Ślusarz
• • Patent pending 12/106,993 and PCT/US2008/061055: PHYTOESTROGENS AS REGULATORS OF HEDGEHOG SIGNALING AND METHODS OF THEIR USE IN CANCER TREATMENT; initial submission April 20, 2007

Campus Activities:

• Faculty Advisor for Alpha Epsilon Delta – Missouri Alpha Chapter
  AED is the national pre-health honor society at CMU. Full membership is open to students who have completed at least 3 semesters of health preprofessional studies work with an overall cumulative GPA of at least 3.20, as well as 3.20 in the sciences – biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics. Any student interested in medical ethics questions, a trip to the cadaver lab, or science-themed games, among other fun activities, is welcome to attend the weekly meetings.

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Gregory L. Thurmon

Associate Professor of Biology

Education:

M.S. in Biology, 1985, Truman State University, Kirksville, MO

B.A. in Biology, 1977, Central Methodist University, Fayette, MO

Biography:

Professor Thurmon’s teaching responsibilities include General Biology II lecture and lab, Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology lecture and lab, Early Vertebrates lecture and lab, Toxicology and Environmental Medicine lecture, Marine Biology lecture and lab, Dauphin Island Biodiversity Toxicology lecture, Field Study in Coral Reef Restoration, and Undergraduate Research courses. In addition to teaching, he advises students in the biology program who are pursuing a science education degree, and he also advises marine biology majors. He is the advisor for the Marine Biology club. Each year, he takes groups of marine biology students on three trips to study marine life in different habitats: Dauphin Island, Alabama; Panama City, Florida; and Roatán, Honduras. He is an Instructor Trainer for SCUBA and certifies CMU students in open water SCUBA.

Research Interests:

At Dauphin Island, Professor Thurmon and students survey marine life biodiversity and the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill that occurred in 2010. In Panama City, Professor Thurmon and students study the biodiversity present in the Gulf of Mexico in an area much less affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. In Roatán, Honduras, Professor Thurmon has partnered with the Bay Islands Reef Restoration project so that CMU students can study corals, help maintain coral nurseries, and research ways to treat corals that are fighting infectious diseases. On the CMU campus, he advises students on research in a wide range of marine biology topics as they complete their capstone research projects.

Professional Memberships:

Missouri Academy of Science
National Science Teachers Association

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Dr. Terese Zidon

Assistant Professor of Biology

Education:

Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology, 2018, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO

M.S. in Biomedical Sciences, 2008, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO

B.S. in Exercise Science, 2001, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

Biography:

Dr. Terese Zidon brings a wealth of knowledge and a fervent dedication to the study of the human body. She grew up in Bondurant, IA where she developed an early fascination with the intricacies of anatomy, sparking a lifelong commitment to understanding the complexities of the human body. She is particularly interested in exploring the adaptive responses of the cardiovascular and immune system to exercise, which led her to pursue her Ph.D. in exercise physiology focusing on immune cell populations in adipose tissue following loss of ovarian hormones.

Dr. Zidon has taught anatomy and physiology for a multitude of campus communities. She joined the faculty at Central Methodist University as an assistant professor of biology in 2019 and is committed to providing students with a comprehensive and engaging understanding of the human body. Her teaching style incorporates interactive lectures, hands-on laboratory experiences (e.g., dissection), and the integration of multimedia resources to cater to diverse learning styles. In fact, in her anatomy lab she utilizes the Anatomage Table, a digital cadaver, to aid student learning and understanding of anatomy. Students appreciate her enthusiasm for the subject matter and her ability to make complex concepts accessible.

Dr. Zidon is the primary advisor for pre-medicine transfer students and pre-pharmacy students in the Division of Science, Math, and Computer Science. She is also a co-advisor for Alpha Epsilon Delta, a national pre-health professions fraternity. She also enjoys traveling with students to Sanford Research Center in Sioux Falls, SD every year to give students the opportunity to tour and work in a large research facility for a day.

Outside of academia, Dr. Zidon enjoys spending time with her family, playing board games, and walking her dog. She is also passionate about promoting health and wellness, often incorporating many of her own experiences into her teaching.

Research Interests:

Dr. Terese Zidon’s research focus lies in the intricacies of exercise physiology, nutrition, and the immune system. She has a particular interest in helping undergraduate students develop a hypothesis-driven question to feasibly examine within her lab space. She is fortunate to have the iWorx system, which allows students to explore physiological questions.

Relevant Publications:

• • Zidon TM, Park YM, Welly RJ, Woodford ML, Scroggins RJ, Britton SL, Koch LG, Booth FW, Padilla J, Kanaley JA, and VJ Vieira-Potter. Adipose tissue immunometabolic characteristics and intrinsic aerobic capacity following ovariectomy in rodents. Adipocyte. 7(1):20-34, 2018. PMID: 29226756 
• • Cross TL, Zidon TM, Welly RJ, Park YM, Britton SL, Koch LG, Rottinghaus GE, de Godoy MRC, Padilla J, Swanson KS, and VJ Vieira-Potter. Soy improves cardiometabolic health and cecal microbiota in female low-fit rats. Sci Rep. 7(1): 9261, 2017. PMID: 28835674
• • Vieira-Potter VJ, Zidon TM, and J Padilla. Exercise and Estrogen Make Fat Cells “Fit”. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 43(3):172-78. 2015. PMID: 25906425
• • Zidon T and DD Sheriff. Diversion of blood flow from noncompliant to compliant vasculature in awake dogs: mechanical impact on right atrial pressure. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 290 (1): H217-23, 2006. PMID: 16373591

Professional Memberships:

Missouri Academy of Science

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