Department of Biomedical Sciences

Overview

The Department of Biomedical Sciences in Duluth is a community of faculty, students, and staff who are committed to providing an enriching and supportive environment to pursue excellence in medical, graduate, and undergraduate education and generate new knowledge through research.

Academics

Faculty members span the disciplines of anatomy, cell biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, microbiology, immunology, pathology, physiology, pharmacology, and toxicology.  The department provides a stimulating environment for the training of post-doctoral fellows, helping to prepare them for careers in academia, government,  and industry.  The department offers undergraduate, MS, and PhD laboratory training opportunities as well as courses in several University of Minnesota programs on the Duluth and Twin Cities campuses, inclusive of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics (BMBB), Toxicology, and Integrated Biosciences (IBS).

Research emphasis

Department faculty members are internationally recognized experts in their respective areas of study.

They pursue investigator-initiated studies on molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying human disease. The diverse range of basic and translational research areas include blood brain barrier biology, copper biology, mechanisms of mitochondrial toxicity, asthma, breast cancer metabolism, colorectal cancer genetics, sensory and respiratory neurophysiology, breast cancer endocrinology, cardiovascular, renal, exercise and behavioral physiology and temperature regulation.  The evolving research emphasis of the department will focus on health issues relevant to rural and Native American communities.

They also carry out collaborative research with investigators in the Colleges of Science and Engineering and Pharmacy on the UMD campus and in the colleges of the Academic Health Center on the Twin Cities campus, as well as with numerous national and international scientists.

Faculty

Professor and Interim Head
Kendall B. Wallace, Ph.D.

Professors
Lester R. Drewes, Ph.D.
B. Göran Hellekant, Ph.D., D.V.M.
Lois J. Heller, Ph.D.
Joseph R. Prohaska, Ph.D.
Jean F. Regal, Ph.D.
Arlen R. Severson, Ph.D.
George J. Trachte, Ph.D.
Kendall B. Wallace, Ph.D.
Richard J. Ziegler, Ph.D.

Professors emeritus
Paul M. Anderson, Ph.D.
Arthur C. Aufderheide, M.D.
Arthur G. Johnson, Ph.D.
Patrick C. J. Ward, M.D.

Associate Professors
Benjamin L. Clarke, Ph.D.
Robert T. Cormier, Ph.D.
Stephen W. Downing, Ph.D.
Janet L. Fitzakerley, Ph.D.
Jon M. Holy, Ph.D.
Lillian A. Repesh, Ph.D.
Teresa Rose-Hellekant, Ph.D., D.V.M.
Lorentz E. Wittmers, Jr., M.D., Ph.D.

Associate Professors emeritus
Donna J. Forbes, Ph.D.
Thomas E. Huntley, Ph.D.
Donald M. Larson, M.D.
David E. Mohrman, Ph.D.
Wilmar Salo, Ph.D.
Edward K. Stauffer, Ph.D.

Assistant Professors
Kristine Krafts, M.D.
Amy J. Prunuske, Ph.D.
Andrew Skildum, Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professor
Patricia Scott, Ph.D.

Instructor
Therese E. Ach, M.S.

Adjunct Professor
Gilman Veith, Ph.D.

Adjunct Associate Professors
M. Kent Froberg, M.D., D.V.M.
John Keener, Ph.D.
John M. Streitz, Jr., M.D.
Geoffrey A. Witrak, M.D.

Adjunct Assistant Professors
Kenneth J. Dornfeld, M.D.
Irina Haller, Ph.D.
Donald W. Kundel, M.D.
John W. Nichols, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Research Associate
Kendra Nordgren, Ph.D.

Research Associate
Olga Zhdankin, Ph.D.

Scientist
Michael Madden

Assistant Scientists
Margaret Broderius
Barb Elmquist
Donna Parke
Mary Sneve

Junior Scientist
Annette Rod

Statistician
Mingqian Duan

Executive Office and Administrative Specialists
Barbara Maki
Wendy Schwartz
Julie Smith 218-726-7922

Office Support Assistant
Margaret Herbert

Department Accountant
Susan Seabury

Graduate (Research and Teaching) Assistants

• Eric Berens, Integrated Biosciences PhD program, Teresa Rose-Hellekant Lab
• Chase Gomez, Chemistry MS program, Lester R. Drewes Lab
• Kathryn Lillegard, Integrated Biosciences MS program, Jean F. Regal Lab
• Zejian (Frank) Liu, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics PhD program, Lester R. Drewes Lab
• Sally Mayasich, Integrated Biosciences PhD program, Benjamin L. Clarke Lab
• Veronica Nelson, Integrated Biosciences PhD program, Benjamin L. Clarke Lab
• Bich (Elaine) Ngoc, Toxicology PhD program, Patricia Scott Lab/Robert Cormier Lab
• Cecilia Rodriguez, Integrated Biosciences PhD program, Lester R. Drewes Lab
• Lei Zhao, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics PhD program, Patricia Scott Lab/Robert Cormier Lab

 Undergraduate Workers in Biomedical Sciences Labs

• Janae Anderson, Robert Cormier Lab
• Ashley Bauer, Jean F. Regal Lab
• Aaron Clarke, Teresa Rose-Hellekant Lab/George J. Trachte Lab
• Melissa Hanson, Teresa Rose-Hellekant Lab/George J. Trachte Lab
• Amy van Hecke, Patricia Scott Lab
• Darcy Herman, Ken Wallace Lab/Andrew Skildum Lab
• Nina Holz, Teresa Rose-Hellekant Lab/George J. Trachte Lab
• Courtney Hunter, Teresa Rose-Hellekant Lab/George J. Trachte Lab
• Alex Johnson, Jean F. Regal Lab
• Kristina Larson, Patricia Scott Lab
• Sarah Lojovich, Jean F. Regal Lab
• Tiana Luczak, Robert Cormier Lab
• Kham Moua, Robert Cormier Lab
• Nishad Rai, Patricia Scott Lab/Robert Cormier Lab
• Shelby Ryberg, Teresa Rose-Hellekant Lab/George J. Trachte Lab
• Will Walter, Ken Wallace Lab/Andrew Skildum Lab
• Cheryl Zehowski, Ken Wallace Lab/Andrew Skildum Lab