New additions to the Biology faculty

The addition of Ashland University's new College of Nursing has helped to fuel growth in our Department of Biology/Toxicology.  Our Department is responsible for teaching two semesters of anatomy and physiology (with cadavers) and one semester of microbiology for nursing students, and over the past year we have added four new faculty and one new staff member to the Department.  Here are some quick bios on our new colleagues, but come back for more detailed information on each later this semester.

Paul Hyman
Assistant Professor

Paul Hyman is a microbiologist that conducts his research on bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria.  By studying how these viruses form and attach to their host bacterial cell Dr. Hyman can help to produce phages that could as an antibiotic agents.  After receiving his BA in biochemistry from Northwestern University and PhD in Molecular Biology and Genetics from the University of Arizona, and spending time working in the biotechnology industry, he taught at the MedCentral College of Nursing prior to their merger with Ashland University.

Merill Tawse
Professional Instructor

Merrill Tawse is a field biologist and one of the State of Ohio's experts on bat ecology.  He also played a foundational role in developing the outdoor education program at the Gorman Nature Center in Mansfield, Ohio.  When not working with nursing students in our new human cadaver facility, Mr. Tawse can sometimes be seen flying live bats around the halls and classrooms of the Kettering Science Center to teach students about bat biology.  Mr. Tawse developed the human anatomy curriculum for the MedCentral College of Nursing and now begins his second year at Ashland University.  He received his BS from The Ohio State University and MS from the University of Nebraska.

Connie Fellmann
Visiting Assistant Professor

Connie Fellmann is an anthropologist who studies the evolution of primate locomotion, focusing on the interplay between growth, development and biomechanics.  Dr. Fellmann was most recently a post-doctoral fellow at the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy before joining our faculty for this coming year.  She will be teaching our nursing anatomy and physiology course.  Dr. Fellmann received her BA from the University of Iowa, MA from Rutgers University and PhD from New York University.

Cate Fenster
Visiting Assistant Professor

Cate Fenster is a neurobiologist and physiologist studying molecular connections between memory and the immune system, as well as the physiology of nicotine withdrawal.  She brings expertise in the use of rodents for studying brain function, the growth of brain cells in culture and the measurement of physiological activity in individual neurons.  Dr. Fenster received her BS from Furman University and PhD from the University of  Alabama at Birmingham.

Tricia Trimble
Laboratory technician

Tricia Trimble joins the Department as our new laboratory technician.  She has extensive experience in laboratory management and animal care, and will work with laboratory supervisor Matt Mitchell to maintain teaching and research facilities, prepare supplies for teaching laboratories, and help care for our large collection of plants and animals.  Mrs. Trimble earned her BS and MS from Southern Illinois University.