BioSynthesis

Dr. Judith Kipe-Nolt, professor The Department of Biological and Allied Health Sciences is grateful to Dr. Judith Kipe-Nolt , professor, for her dedicated and enthusiastic service as Allied Health Coordinator for 17 years. Dr. Kipe-Nolt has guided our programs in medical imaging, pre-physical therapy, pre-physician assistant, pre-accelerated nursing, and pre-pharmacy.  She was instrumental in developing our new option in genetic counseling and medical genomics.  Under Dr. Kipe-Nolt's leadership, our allied health programs have experienced great growth. As Allied Health Coordinator, Dr. Kipe-Nolt developed and maintained affiliations with clinical programs, coordinated orientation and scheduling activities, met with families and prospective students, and worked with admissions, academic departments, and external agencies. Dr. Kipe-Nolt earned her B.A. from Messiah College and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Microbiology from Penn State University. She teaches microbio...

Dr. Jennifer Venditti, BAHS Allied Health Coordinator Dr. Jennifer Venditti, associate professor,  has been named the new Allied Health Coordinator in the Department of Biological and Allied Health Sciences.  She earned her B.S. in Biology from Shippensburg University and her M.S. in Biology from Bloomsburg University. Dr. Venditti earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Lehigh University, where she specialized in reproductive biology and cell biology.  Her research focuses on sperm cell biology. She has mentored over 15 students in research and has acquired nine internal grants to support her work. Dr. Venditti and her students have presented their research results at local, regional, and national meetings. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals including FEBS Open Bio, Biology of Reproduction, International Journal of Andrology, and Molecular Reporduction and Development.  In addition to her new role as Allied Healt...

Dr. Kevin Williams shares information on BAHS currcula . Dr. Lauri Green and Oriana  Balascio meets with visitors to discuss BAHS  programs at Fall Open House. BAHS faculty, staff, and students rolled out the red carpet in September and October to welcome high  school seniors and their families. Information sessions were offered on our majors in biology and allied health sciences featuring our options in general biology; pre-medical sciences; natural history; ecology, conservation, and field studies; pre-physician assistant, pre-physical therapy, pre-pharmacy, pre-accelerated nursing, medical laboratory science, and medical imaging. In addition to information sessions, visitors toured various laboratories and met with BAHS students and faculty.   

Professionals representing a variety of  careers shared their perspectives on their jobs during  presentations to BAHS majors this fall semester. BAHS welcomed the following professionals: BAHS alumnus, Dominic Policare (BS. Health Sciences, 2016) shares information with BAHS students on careers in Physical Therapy. Dom is a 2019 DPT graduate of the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. Ms. Kristen Douglass and Ms Monisa Wagner, Physician Assistants, Geisinger Medical Center Dr. Abby Hare-Harris, Medical Genomics, Bloomsburg University Mr. Kenneth Roszel, Director of Radiography Program, Geisinger Medical Center Mr. Kevin Zajac, Admissions, Ostepathic Medicine and Physician Assistant programs, Philadelphia College of Ostepathic Medicine Ms. Emily Palen, Genetic Counseling, Geisinger Medical Center Mr. Richard Fritsky, Wildlife Diversity Biologist, PA Game Commission Ms. Morgan and Ms. McDaniels, Sonography, Lackawanna College Bloomsburg University ...

Dr. Abby Hare-Harris Dr. Abby Hare-Harris , assistant professor of Biological and Allied Health Sciences, published a paper, "Within-task variability on standardized language tests predicts autism spectrum disorder: a pilot study of the Response Dispersion index" in the  Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders .  This was a collaboration with Geisinger Medical Center, Bucknell University, and Rutgers University.

BAHS students Keara Drummer, Jackie Formosa, Jessica Paoletti, Victoria Roper, Matt Srednicki, and Dr. Clay Corbin visited the Shady Valley saw-whet owl banding station near Halifax, PA in mid-October. Working at this station are Sandy and Gary Lockerman (Sandy is a federally permitted bird bander) and Kerri Milliken (a MLIS student at Penn State - Harrisburg). Saw-whets are currently migrating to (and through) PA. In the late Winter and early Spring, they will return North for breeding.  Capturing, measuring, and banding these birds are crucial activities for learning their biology and conservation. Sandy Lockerman is one bander who helps run the station.  She has been banding birds (including thousands of owls and hummingbirds) for over 20 years.  The Shady Valley station is part of the Northern Saw-whet owl research program supported by the Ned Smith Center for Art and Nature in Millersburg, PA. Since 1997, the Center has been a leader in Northern Saw-whet Owl re...

Three BAHS faculty and  five BAHS students traveled to Kutztown University in early November to attend the 6th Annual PASSHE STEM Conference. Students from across the state presented research in the fields of  science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.  The conference included both oral presentations and poster sessions.   The following BAHS students gave poster presentations:  "Comparison of Sublethal Effects of Neonicotinoid and Pyrethroid Pesticides on Motor Responses in Honeybees" by Rachel Nenstiel and Taylor Bozza ; mentors: Dr. Cynthia Surmacz and Dr. John Hranitz  "Fishing for alpha-L-fucosidase: Evaluating Enzyme Activity in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)" by MacKenzie McDowell ; mentor: Dr. Jennifer Venditti "Examining the Effects of BORIS on Telomere Regulation and Stability" by Ian Whiteside ; mentor: Dr. Kate Beishline "Analysis of Within-Task Variability on Standardized Reading Assessments in Autism Spectrum Disorder" by Kyle Fla...

Dr. Gonzalez from the University of Kansas with host Dr. John Hranitz