Research Faculty

Shinichi Asano, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Biomedical Sciences

Office: A333
Lab: J101
Phone: 304-647-6361

Education and Training

Ph.D. Biomedical Sciences
West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia

Postdoctoral Training

West Virginia University, School of Medicine
Marshall University, School of Pharmacy
University Colorado Boulder, Integrative Physiology

Garrett Clemons
Assistant Professor
Biomedical Sciences

Phone: 304-793-6839

Education and Training

B.S. Exercise Physiology, WVU

Ph.D. Cellular Biology and Anatomy, LSU-Health Shreveport

Industry Postdoc, Atrium Health Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute, Charlotte, NC

Jill Cochran PhD, APRN, CFNP
Associate Professor
Clinical Sciences
Practicing NP at Robert C. Byrd Clinic
Privileges at Greenbrier Valley Medical Center
Specialties: General Pediatrics

Office: 304-793-6801 
Fax: 304-647-6379

Joseph Cross, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Biomedical Sciences

Office: A333
Lab: J101
Phone: 304-647-6361

Research Interests

Dr. Joseph Cross is an Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Genetics. His research focuses on DNA metabarcoding and the intersection of AI and medical education. Dr. Cross has collaborated on international biodiversity projects, as well as a number of projects exploring AI in medical education.

Marina Diioia, Ph.D., FNAOME
Vice Chair and Associate Professor of Microbiology & Immunology
Biomedical Sciences 

Office: A315 Main Building
Lab: J105
Phone: 304-647-6370
Fax: 304-793-6884
 

Education and Training

Postdoctoral Research Associate
University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, Madison, WI
Field: Zoonotic Disease Vaccine Design and Development

Courtney D. Eleazer, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anatomy
Biomedical Sciences

304-647-6281
304-793-6884 - fax
Lab: B307

Education /Training

Ph.D., University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
M.A., University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
B.S., Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida

Cameron Felty, D.O.
Assistant Professor
Clinical Sciences

Office: C329
Phone: 304-647-6326
 

Education and Training

BA, Chemistry,Morehead State University, Morehead KY

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
Lincoln Memorial University DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, Harrogate TN

Anatomic and Clinical Pathology Residency
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon NH

Forensic Pathology Fellowship
Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office, Cleveland OH

Brian Nelson Griffith, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Biomedical Sciences
 

Teaching: Biochemistry and Nutrition
Mentor: Lisa M. Salati, Ph.D.

Office: A-314
Phone: 304-647-6225
Fax: 304-645-4859
Cell Phone: 304-661-4993

Education and Training

Ph.D from West Virginia University School of Medicine

M.S. from West Virginia University; Morgantown, WV

B.S. in biology and B.A. in chemistry from Alderson-Broaddus College; Philippi, WV

Kristy Henson
Anatomy Postdoctoral Fellow
Biomedical Sciences

Office: A321
Lab: B307
Phone: 304-793-6860

Education and Training

B.A. Political Science, Ohio University
B.A. Anthropology, Marshall University
M.S. Biological Sciences, Marshall University
Ph.D. Archaeology, University of Leicester
Thesis: Biocultural effects on recent historic vitamin D deficiency in the United States and their role in spinal pathology.

Hari Kotturi, Ph.D.
Professor of Microbiology
Biomedical Sciences

Phone: 304-793-6592
Lab: J104

Education and Training

Ph.D., Clemson University, Microbiology

M.Sc., DSM, Microbiology

B.Sc., Avanti College, Microbiology

John H. Leonard, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience
Biomedical Sciences 

Office: A329
Phone: 304-647-6274
 

Education and Training

Postdoctoral Research Associate
Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine

Ph.D. Neurology and Behavior
University of Virginia

B.S. Psychology
Virginia Tech

Tuoen Liu, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Biomedical Sciences

Office: 304-647-6427
Fax: 304-793-6884

Education and Training

M.D.: Central South University Xiangya School of Medicine, China

Ph.D.: Idaho State University

Postdoctoral training: Washington University in St Louis

Research Interests

Overall, the research area in our lab includes pharmacology, genetics, hematology and oncology.

Gretchen Lovett, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Clinical Sciences

Office: C304
​Phone: 304-520-2586

Education and Training

PhD: Clinical Psychology, University of Virginia
MA: Clinical Psychology, University of Virginia
BA: English and Psychology, University of Virginia

Postdoctoral Training

Clinical Psychology Internship
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Intern in Pediatric Neuropsychology

Lori McGrew, Ph.D.
Professor of Pharmacology
Biomedical Sciences 

Office: A327
Lab: J101
Phone: 304-647-6366
 

Education and Training

Doctor of Pharmacology
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN

Bachelor of Biology
Guilford College, Greensboro, NC
Field: Biology

Bachelor of Chemistry
Guilford College, Greensboro, NC
Field: Chemistry

Aaron McGuffin, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Clinical Sciences

Office: TC-142
​Phone: 304-647-6202

Education and Training

Medical Doctor - Marshal University School of Medicine, Huntington, WV
Pediatrics
Bachelor of Science - Chemistry - Marshall University, Huntington, WV

Research Interest

Case Reports - Pediatrics
Medical Education

Awards and Honors

WVSOM Student Government Association Appreciation Award 2019-2020

Jake Neumann, Ph.D.
Department Chair
Biomedical Sciences

Office: A315
Lab: 217 Science Building
Phone: 304-793-6236
Fax: 304-793-6884

Education and Training

Ph.D., Pharmacology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine

Postdoctoral training, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

Christopher L Pankey, Ph.D. 
Associate Professor
Department of Biomedical Sciences

Office: A326
Lab: J215
Phone: 304-793-6576

Education/Research Training

Postdoctoral Training
United States Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service – Grand Forks Human Nutrition Center
Grand Forks, ND
Field: Exercise Science

Doctor of Philosophy
University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
Field: Obesity, Reproductive Biology

Dovenia Ponnoth, Ph.D.
Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Pharmacology
Biomedical Sciences 
 

Office: A311 Main Building
Phone: 304-647-6297
Fax: 304-793-6884
 

Education and Training

Postdoctoral Research Associate
West Virginia University, School of Medicine, Morgantown WV
Field: Vascular Pharmacology

ORISE Fellow, National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH), Morgantown WV
Field: Lung Toxicology

Deborah Schmidt, D.O.
Associate Professor
Department of Osteopathic Principles & Practice 

Practicing OMM and Medical Acupuncture at Robert C. Byrd Clinic
Consult privileges for NMM/OMM at Greenbrier Valley Medical Center

Phone: 304-647-6247

Specialties

• Board Certified – Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine/Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
• Board Certified – Family Practice, ACOFP
• Physician Acupuncturist
• Cranial Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine

Rebecca Scopa Kelso, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anatomy
Biomedical Sciences

Phone: 304-647-6319
Fax: 304-793-6884
Lab: B307
Office: A323

Education and Training

B.A., University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas

M.A., University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Ph.D., University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee

Amanda E. Slotter, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Biomedical Sciences

Office: A328
Lab: B307
Phone: 304-647-6214

Education and Training

Ph.D., Anthropology, Arizona State University - Thesis: Dental Morphological Variation in Eastern African Hominins from 4.2-3.0 Ma: Implications for Pliocene Hominin Diversity and Speciation
M.A., Anthropology, Arizona State University
B.A., Anthropology and B.A., Evolutionary Biology, Case Western Reserve University

Irene Smail, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Anatomy
Biomedical Sciences

Office Number: A-332
Phone: 304-793-6598
Lab: B-307

Education and Training

Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow, Anatomy – University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine

Ph.D., Anthropology, Arizona State University

Thesis: Environmental Correlates of Community Structure in Living and Fossil Cercopithecid Primates

M.A., Anthropology, Arizona State University

Peter J. Ward, Ph.D.
Professor of Neuroscience
Biomedical Sciences

Phone: 304-647-6371
Fax: 304-645-4859
Office: A331

Education and Training

Ph.D. Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana. U.S.A. Awarded May 2005

M.S. Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana. U.S.A. Awarded May 2002

B.S. Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. U.S.A. Awarded May 1996