Faculty Profile

Biography

Dr. Crisman received a B.S. in Biochemistry from SUNY Geneseo. Her studies included a Master’s degree in molecular virology and a Doctorate in molecular immunology from the Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Program at the Ohio State University. As an assistant professor at Penn State College of Medicine with joint appointments in the Department of Medicine and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, she performed research in renal diseases and in the intersection of biochemistry, immunology, and metalloproteases. Her work showing a link to leukocyte dissemination in Inflammatory Bowel Disease was featured on the cover of the Journal of Immunology in 2004. After returning home to Western New York and with National Science Foundation support, she developed a nationally recognized biotechnology program for Jamestown Community College using undergraduate research as a pillar for the curriculum. The National Science Foundation also supported the dissemination of this curriculum to 19 area high schools, including thousands of dollars in new equipment and supplies given to each affiliated school district. Her work led to a 31% increase in critical reasoning among first-year students taking the JCC Biotech curriculum. To date, one-third of graduates from JCC Biotech have graduated from or been accepted to medical, pharmacy, and masters or doctoral-level programs in the U.S., Europe, and Australia. And as a founding member of the Community College Undergraduate Research Initiative, her work was featured in Science Magazine and she has led workshops at Cold Spring Harbor and for other organizations across the country. Currently, her research includes the study of atypical forms of Lyme Disease bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) and the role of meprin metalloproteases in cancer metastasis and chemokine processing.