Education Resource 

Development Committee

I am an associate professor at Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona, and I teach medical biochemistry to students in the programs of osteopathic medicine, physician assistant, nurse anesthetists, optometry, dentistry, and podiatry. I believe that when we teach biochemistry, students not only learn scientific knowledge, but they are also trained how to think logically and analytically especially through the understanding of biological pathways. I would like to continue to get students curious about biological processes so that they continue studying science beyond their college years. To be an effective educator, it is crucial for us to understand how the current generation of students learn and process information. With the fast-paced advancement of technological teaching and learning tools, it will be even more important to share teaching resources with each other amongst the ABE members. As an ERDC member, I would like to continue to help the committee to grow the shared files and disseminate the latest information as well as increase my own knowledge of available resources and teaching methodologies.

I have been a faculty member in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) for over 20 years. I became a member of the Association of Biochemistry Educators in 2016. I love proteins and it is therefore natural that I also love biochemistry as a subject centered on the molecular workings of living cells and organisms. I am the Course Director and instructor for Biochemistry, which is a required course in our Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum. I have served in this capacity since 2017 when we re-introduced Biochemistry into our curriculum. I would be honored to serve on the Professional Development Committee (PDC). At our College, as the long-term chair of the faculty enrichment committee I organize various types of faculty development events and activities, including programming at our annual faculty and staff retreats. Current areas of emphasis for faculty development encompass use of evidence-based active learning strategies to enhance student engagement and improve student learning; inclusive teaching practices; approaches to curriculum and course design that aim to reduce curricular overload; assessment and grading; and academic support to optimize success for all students. I am excited at the prospect of bringing my experience to the PDC and joining forces with other dedicated individuals to support professional development of biochemistry educators and to advance the mission of ABE.

My name is Renee Chosed and I am an Associate Professor of Biochemistry at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville. I am also the Vice Chair of the school’s Department of Biomedical Sciences. I have been a biochemistry medical educator for seven years and taught undergraduate students for five years prior to joining the medical school. In my role as Vice Chair, I work to facilitate faculty development opportunities for the basic science faculty that include standardizing and improving a peer teaching observation program in the department, developing a faculty mentoring program in the department, and hosting a joint seminar series on various faculty development topics with our sister school in Columbia, SC. I also maintain a research program in molecular embryology where my work focuses on identifying molecular markers that may predict successful implantation of IVF-embryos. This research involves medical students and undergraduate students. I have attended two in-person ABE meetings (2017 and 2023) and one virtual meeting in 2021. I was able to present posters at these meetings on various educational projects focused on improving student comprehension of biochemistry content in the pre-clerkship years of medical school. I am also currently in the AAMC LEAD Fellowship program. This program allowed for self-exploration of my own leadership style, but more importantly how to engage, motivate and support those I lead and/or manage. One unique experience I can bring to the committee is my role as an Ubuntu group facilitator at my institution. One goal of this program was to promote belonging at the medical school for faculty, students and staff through group sessions using prompts that allowed participants to share stories of personal experiences. This experience has helped me to be a better listener, have greater empathy for my students and colleagues, and recognize when others might be struggling. This was a unique type of professional development activity, and it has made me want to seek out other out-of-the-box type of trainings. I am very interested in joining ABE’s Professional Development Committee to help find, organize and develop resources for biochemistry educators in the organization. I am always looking for ways to be a better teacher for my students and be a better colleague, and therefore support efforts of this committee to continue to provide the most current and relevant resources to members of ABE.

Marcie Cole, Ph.D., Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Louisville. Dr. Cole received her Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky and completed her postdoctoral studies at UAB, Birmingham and the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Cole's primary effort focus on professional education for first year dental and medical students. She directs and teaches in two first year biomedical sciences dental courses (21 credits), integrating anatomy, biochemistry, histology, and physiology. In addition, she enjoys teaching and mentoring high school, undergraduate, graduate, and medical students. She teaches carbohydrate and lipid biochemistry, with a focus on nutritional metabolism. Dr. Cole’s research interests have centered on the role of redox signaling in oxidative cardiac injury and heart disease. Her research focused on the cell signaling and pathogenesis of NO and NOx, including consumption of NO via ROS, as well as how nitrated fatty acid precursors mediate the resolution of cardiac injury. Dr. Cole has more than 40 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals and received a Hartwell Foundation Fellowship, as well as an NIH K99/R00 career award. She has been a member of Association of Biochemistry Educators (ABE) for 1 year and was selected for a short talk, “Simulation in Education Using a Virtual World (Metaverse): Supplemental Educational Platform Students Using Gather®” at the May 2023 meeting in Kiawah Island. In addition, Dr. Cole has been an active member of the Society for Redox Biology and Medicine (SfRBM) for 25 years. During that time, she has held Chair positions for the Website, Junior Awards, and Sunrise Free Radical School Committees, served on Council for the past 16 years, and been Vice President of Education and Professional Development for the last 12 years (now serving her final year). Based on her interests and experience, she would like serve and contribute to both the PDC and ERDC committees for ABE.

Service to my profession, institution, and the community is vital to me as a medical educator, biochemist, and human being. It allows me to make meaningful contributions to my professional family and give back to my peers, helping them develop their own professional identity and achieve their professional goals. My journey in medical education began eight years ago at the Kentucky Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine and Optometry, where I taught medical biochemistry, genetics, and biochemical nutrition, followed by a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become one of the founding faculty at the first medical school in the state of Idaho, ICOM. In the past seven years, I have led the endeavor of integrating biochemistry content into different system-based courses and built a new medical school curriculum. In addition, I spent a significant amount of time in service to the institution and my profession. I have served on multiple committees, task forces, and workgroups across my institution and helped design and develop several policies, procedures, and guidelines that help improve the workflow of institutional committees or help my junior faculty fellows navigate the tasks and challenges of being a new faculty member. I've been an ABE member since 2017 and served on the Professional Development Committee (PDC) for the past two years as secretary and chair, working collaboratively with my peer committee members to plan, organize, and deliver engaging monthly webinar series to our colleagues. I've also been actively involved in other ABE initiatives focused on creating educational recourses for my biochemistry educator peers. The opportunity to continue serving on ABE committees is a privilege that will allow me to continue my active role in advancing the Society's mission, vision, and future growth through promoting current initiatives, helping create new professional development opportunities in response to our membership's various interests, and expanding the scope of ABE initiatives to address the current needs of my colleagues.

Hello! With humility I submit my interest to continue to serve on the ABE JEDI committee. I have served on the JEDI committee since its inception in 2022, chairing the committee for its first year. We have accomplished a lot in our first two years of work, which you will soon be able to read about in a report released to members, including conducting a needs assessment with members at our biennial conference, compiling social demographic data about our membership, and partnering with PDC to provide a JEDI-focused webinar series. Yet it feels like we’ve only scratched the surface in terms of the impact our committee might ultimately have on our members and future membership, on the students they teach, and on the health of their future patients. I am passionate about continuing to support the ABE’s mission as it relates to JEDI, which now requires that we build on what we have learned about who our members are, and what they need by, for example, partnering with Membership on recruitment and outreach, and partnering with the Board to ensure diversity in the speakers at our conferences. I have more to give and am excited to maintain momentum and institutional wisdom within the group, while recruiting in additional new members. As a cisgendered white woman, I bring awareness of not having lived experience of racism, transphobia, disability, or other aspects of oppression in our curricula and health care systems that we as a powerful organization can combat. I also wish to note formally that I would not wish to serve at the exclusion of the voices of folks from historically minoritized communities who would like to serve in this group. Should there continue to be room for me, I bring the willingness to take on the “majority tax” – bringing staunch allyship, the privilege that I know accompanies some of my identities, and the learning that came from the investments of students, faculty, JEDI committee members, and others in my community who have taught me. I am excited about the possibility of leveraging what the JEDI committee has learned so far to further guide the organization.

Thank you for the opportunity for ABE committee service. I have an interest in serving on the ERDC and PDC. I have 27-years of experience in undergraduate medical education and am just beginning service at my fourth college of medicine. I have taught in numerous curricular models including traditional, clinical presentation, single pass organ systems and now a dual pass systems approach. I have been a member of the ABE since 2012 and have attended multiple ABE meetings in that time. I have also worked extensively with the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners and currently serve as the national chair for genetics for the NBOME. I have a passion for developing resources for students, especially in the realm of board style questions and explanations.I have also served as a committee member for the APHMG Medical School Genetics Course Directors Special Interest Group (CD-SIG). During my tenure, we published new core competencies for undergraduate medical education in genetics and genomics (Massingham LJ, Nuñez S, Bernstein JA, Gardner DP, Parikh AS, Strovel ET, Quintero-Rivera F. Genet Med. 2022. Oct: 2167-2179). I am confident that my skill set can benefit the ABE Education Resource Development Committee. In addition, I have worked extensively with new faculty in biochemistry as well as other biomedical science specialties to enhance their teaching and assessment effectiveness. I have presented numerous faculty development workshops on effective teaching methods and have a strong interest in the utilization of learning objectives in medical education and assessment. Thank you and I look forward to the opportunity to serve.

Kearney Gunsalus has a passion for biochemistry and nutrition education and a longstanding commitment to increasing diversity in the biomedical sciences through evidence-based teaching, research, and advocacy.  She received postdoctoral training in pedagogical practices that support the success of students from diverse backgrounds, and has facilitated faculty professional development workshops to help others develop their skills.  She has taught biochemistry at the college and UME levels, during which time she has developed a variety of biochemistry educational materials, and has been using ABCE resources (such as the ABCD learning objectives) for many years.  She serves on her institution’s assessment committee and has contributed to the development/redesign of a variety of assessment tools.  She co-founded a non-profit organization to advocate for early career researchers, with an emphasis on fostering equity and inclusive excellence. Her recent scholarly interests have included how to mitigate weight stigma in medical nutrition education; the impact of weight bias and physician-patient communication on health outcomes; efforts to promote gender equity in academic medicine; enhancing accessibility of curricular materials for people with color vision deficiency; and how dietary guidelines on carbohydrate consumption contribute to student and physician misconceptions about carbohydrate metabolism, which can lead them to provide inaccurate and potentially harmful advice to patients.
She would be honored to have the opportunity to continue this work with the Education Resource Development Committee (ERDC), Professional Development Committee (PDC), or the Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee (JEDI).

As a member of the ABE, I have benefited from information available at the ABE website. Nonetheless, I wonder if some of the links to this information could be made more apparent and more accessible to members. Being on the ERDC committee, would provide an opportunity to evaluate the website to see whether or not some minor tweaks are warranted.

My desire to serve on an ABE committee is simple. I have been a member of ABE for several years but have not taken an active role in the association. I attended the meeting in Santa Fe and found it extremely rewarding. However, I was given the responsibility of the nutrition portion of our curriculum. I then attended nutrition conferences rather than ABE meetings due to my limited professional development funds. Now that our curriculum is changing, I am released from those responsibilities, and am looking forward to reconnecting and taking a more active role in the ABE. Therefore, I am willing to serve on whatever committee the association leadership feels is best for me.

Dr. Peter Huwe is an Associate Professor of Biochemistry and the Director of Case-Based Learning at the Frist College of Medicine at Belmont University. Peter is passionate about medical biochemistry teaching, assessment, and curriculum design, and he enjoys developing educational resources. He currently serves on the ERDC, where he has been an integral part of launching the ABE ScholarRX Bricks initiative. Peter is excited to continue serving on the ERDC to help grow the fledgling ABE ScholarRX Bricks initiative into a robust free case-based educational resource used by medical, pharmacy, and pre-professional schools worldwide.

The Association of Biochemistry Educators Committee holds a special significance to me because it aligns closely with my core values and beliefs surrounding the ever-evolving landscape of biochemistry education. This committee, which focuses on enhancing the skills and competencies of educators, plays a pivotal role in ensuring that we, as a community, are at the forefront of pedagogical methodologies, research, and content knowledge. As the Chair of the Association of Biochemistry Educators-Professional Development Committee (2019-2023), we spearheaded numerous initiatives that saw increased educator participation in professional development programs. My experience encompasses designing and implementing webinars, fostering collaboration between mentors and mentees from different institutions, and introducing new technological tools to modernize and enhance teaching methods. My past role has equipped me with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities that biochemistry educators face today. Furthermore, my experience in the education track faculty has given me an in-depth insight into the evolving demands of modern biochemistry curricula and the importance of aligning our teaching strategies with the latest research and methodologies. This perspective will be invaluable in identifying the areas where our educators need the most support and guidance.

I currently serve as a Foundations in Medicine block director and the Biochemistry content expert at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey. Attending the ABE conference at Kiawah Island last year was an enriching experience for me, and I am eager to extend my involvement in ABE by serving on one of the ABE standing committees. While I would be happy to be considered to serve on any of the committees, I feel I would be best suited for either the ECDC or JEDI committees.  In my role as a Diversity Champion at my institution, I have devoted significant efforts towards enhancing health equity content within our curriculum, as well as facilitated faculty development workshops and retreats aimed at aligning our training and education programs with our DEI goals. I feel strongly that it is important to foster an inclusive and diverse culture at our schools and in our communities to the benefit of all.  
My vision for the JEDI committee is that it plays a value-added role in informing ABE members of resources and best practices in the DEI space, with the long-term goal of driving positive change in the health care education system. I recognize the critical importance of incorporating diverse perspectives, voices, and experiences at our institutes. During the ABE conference last April, I had the opportunity to interact with Biochemistry educators from all over the nation and was able to appreciate the significant challenges faced by ABE members based on regional contexts. My aim would be to collaborate with fellow committee members to explore strategies for providing tangible solutions and practices that can amplify efforts toward advancing DEI goals on a broader scale.
By bridging connections among educators, the ERDC serves an important function in nurturing partnerships and collaborations between ABE members through sharing of ideas and materials. As a member on this committee, I would endeavor to seek strategies to foster knowledge and curriculum idea exchange that address educational challenges common across our institutes.  In conclusion, I am confident that I am well-suited to contribute effectively to either committee. I am genuinely excited about the prospect of collaborating with fellow committee members to support the ABE mission and stimulate meaningful progress. Thank you for considering my nomination.

I am inspired by the Mission and Purpose of the JEDI Standing Committee, and I am grateful for the opportunity to express my interest in contributing my commitment and passion to this vital work. As an educator and advocate for inclusive education, I firmly believe that fostering and modeling JEDI principles is essential for creating an environment where all students can thrive, grow and reach their full potential. As a fundamental discipline in the life sciences, biochemistry has the power to shape our understanding of the natural world and drive innovative solutions to complex challenges. However, this potential can only be actualized when we embrace diverse perspectives and create equitable opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds to contribute their unique insights and experiences. If selected for the JEDI Committee, my vision would be to actively collaborate with fellow committee members and the broader ABE community to develop and implement strategies that promote inclusive excellence in biochemistry education. This includes: 1. Advocating for the integration of diverse perspectives and contributions across biochemistry curricula, ensuring that course materials and teaching methodologies reflect and celebrate the rich diversity of our communities. 2. Identifying and addressing systemic barriers that may hinder the full participation and success of groups underrepresented in health professions education, such as unconscious biases, lack of mentors, or inadequate support systems. 3. Developing and facilitating professional development opportunities for ABE members to enhance their understanding of JEDI principles and best practices, empowering them to create inclusive and equitable learning environments. 4. Fostering partnerships and collaborations with organizations and institutions committed to advancing JEDI initiatives, leveraging collective expertise and resources to drive meaningful change. I am a passionate advocate for promoting JEDI principles across the continuum of osteopathic medical education. I have actively engaged in initiatives that address cultural humility in the curriculum and in the development of teaching materials, mentored students from historically marginalized groups, and advocated for the representation of diverse perspectives in academic discourse. Serving on the JEDI Committee would allow me to amplify these efforts and contribute to the ABE's vision of creating an inclusive and equitable environment. Together, we can continue to build a community of biochemistry educators who champion diversity, foster belonging, and shape a more just and inclusive future.

Steven King comes with a vested interest in developing educational resources for biochemistry education.  He directs a large (18 units, 3 terms) interdisciplinary course that includes a biochemistry component. Across years he has developed for in-house use a number of resources.  Dr. King envisions that by assisting with ongoing ERDC projects, the path forward for his own projects would be revealed.  Dr. King is generally interested in projects that link biochemical principles to health and disease, and particularly projects that may lie at interfaces between medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy.  These would be the kind of projects that would be of broadest interest and greatest value to the ABE membership.

Renee LeClair, is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Basic Science Education at VTCSOM, where she is engaged in the departmental mission of developing an integrated medical experience using evidence-based delivery grounded in the science of learning. She currently oversees the organization of biochemistry and genetics content in the pre-clinical years at VTCSOM and developed an open-education resource to support this content. The majority of her direct teaching is in biochemistry, but she is also actively engaged in APHMG and her partnership with this group may help diversify resources across several disciplines. She strives to continually innovate and inspire the development of active learning amongst peers and recently completed an M.A.Ed in Instructional Technology.

I am honored to introduce myself, Sireesha Mamillapalli, an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Physiology at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, as a dedicated candidate for the Association of Biochemistry Educators (ABE)-Education Resource Development Committee (ERDC). My journey as an educator has been deeply rooted in the field of biochemistry education. Currently, I serve as a course director for our Integrated Science course which is one of three required basic science courses for all medical students. In this role, I am responsible for planning, implementing, managing, and evaluating all the integrated discipline content and learning resources in one-third of our pre-clinical curriculum along with fostering collaboration with clinical/basic science faculty. I also serve as Longitudinal Content Lead (LCL) for biochemistry teaching in our curriculum where I am responsible for developing, tracking, analyzing, evaluating, and organizing all biochemistry content across the entire four-year curriculum. In this role, I also supervise all biochemistry faculty teaching efforts and determine individual teaching responsibilities while ensuring the quality of all biochemistry teaching material/student resources. Part of this role includes ensuring biochemistry teaching material is consistent with best practices in the education literature and I work in collaboration with basic science and clinical faculty to ensure the same. Both leadership roles have given me experience in instructional material development, assessment, and scholarship in biochemistry and other disciplines and I believe this enhances my application for this nomination. ABE has significantly influenced my career development. I actively contributed to the following ERDC projects that enriched my comprehensive approach to biochemistry instruction and delivery. • Member of Dr. Yodh's multi-institutional initiative to create an innovative educational tool emphasizing biochemistry in clinical presentations. • Member of Dr. Spicer's community of practice, focusing on crafting adaptable biochemistry learning objectives seamlessly integrating basic and clinical science concepts. My commitment to advancing biochemistry education aligns with the ERDC's mission and I am passionate about promoting collaboration and contributing to the ERDC's efforts at augmenting members’ teaching experiences. Thanks in advance for considering my candidacy.

Throughout my undergraduate education, I was exposed to excellent instruction and this initially sparked my interest in teaching. The encouragement and motivation I received from my undergraduate professors allowed me to thrive. I learned that compassion and genuine interest in students promotes a healthy, uplifting learning environment; in addition, reinforcing self-assurance supports academic achievement. The passion for science and devotion to research, along with the success of students, encouraged me to pursue a career in academia. The teamwork and collaboration reinforced my passion for helping others achieve success, taught me valuable communication skills and afforded me an opportunity to learn ample strategies that allow for more effective learning. In the course of my graduate education, I participated in a program that prepared students for a future faculty position. This course allowed me to obtain additional insight into academic instruction as well as provided me with the opportunity to construct my own lectures. During my post-doctoral fellowship, I had the opportunity to develop an advanced topics course aimed at understanding and evaluating peer-reviewed articles. Following my post-doctoral training, I accepted a faculty position at Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine. I have been teaching medical biochemistry for three years and I have been a member of the ABE since March 2022. I am interested in joining the ABE Professional Development Committee (PDC) and the ABE Education Resource Development Committee (ERDC). I admire the continuous learning process and value the attention and consideration devoted to education. I wish to discuss new resources, strategies, and educational tools to help better deliver course content. Together with instructing students in the classroom, I am excited to collaborate with other educators to cultivate a positive learning experience and promote innovative thinking.

As part of the Inaugural ACDC, I have served as the first committee chair the last two years. During my time on the committee, we have established a Featured Member and Share Your Accomplishments initiatives on the ABE website. We have also enhanced our social media presence and collaboration across committees to bring more awareness to ABE, its members, their accomplishments, and the awesome educator resources ABE has. I look forward to helping the new committee continue their work in the future

I would like to be considered for an appointment to the ABE Nominating Committee. I am a Professor of Biochemistry at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, have been teaching medical students for the past forty-one years, and have had a number of leadership positions in my institution. In addition, I am a charter member of the ABE, served on the Board as the Treasurer from 2011-2013, and Chaired the Association from 2013-2015. I feel deeply that for the ABE to be successful, the Association needs to have strong, committed, and high-quality leadership on the Board (and ultimately in the officer positions). Consequently, I believe that the Nominating Committee plays a pivotal role in supporting and strengthening ABE to help ensure a sustainable future for the Association. In my opinion, the Nominating Committee should play two important roles in helping to select Board members. First, it should evaluate potential nominees to provide ABE with a strong slate of individuals to run for leadership positions. Second, and more importantly, I believe that the members of the Nominating Committee should play a proactive role of seeking out future leaders and encouraging them to run for office. I feel that I am particularly well-suited for this latter role. I have had a direct mentoring role with several current and past leaders of ABE. In addition, through my work with other organizations, such as the International Association of Medical Science Educators, I understand the characteristics that are valued in leaders and very much enjoy helping faculty of all ranks to see and develop their potential.

I am eager to contribute to the Association of Biochemistry Educators (ABE) by serving on the Membership Committee, particularly in alignment with the overarching to promote a diverse membership of educators in the field of biochemistry, spanning schools of medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry. This commitment to diversity resonates strongly with my passion for biochemistry education, and I see the Membership Committee as a crucial avenue to actively contribute to the growth of ABE. As a current Biochemistry professor at an osteopathic medical school, I understand the pivotal role that organizations like ABE play in advancing the field and fostering a community of educators dedicated to excellence. By joining the Membership Committee, I aim to leverage my position to enhance the association's collective expertise and contribute to the amplification of ABE's outstanding work. Furthermore, the opportunity to share the wealth of knowledge and experiences gained through ABE with a broader audience excites me. As a Biochemistry professor, staying current with the latest advancements in the field is crucial, and ABE serves as a valuable resource for educators like myself. By actively participating in the Membership Committee, I aspire to serve as a liaison between ABE and the broader academic community, communicating the manifold benefits of ABE membership. My goal is to encourage colleagues and educators to join this dynamic network where they can not only enhance their own expertise but also contribute significantly to the advancement of biochemistry education. In line with ABE's mission to promote excellence in biochemistry education, my commitment to educational outreach perfectly aligns. I envision playing a pivotal role in developing initiatives within the Membership Committee that attract new members, create networking opportunities, and underscore the impactful role of ABE in shaping the future of biochemistry education. Through my involvement, I intend to foster a sense of community within ABE that extends beyond its current membership, ensuring that the exceptional work and insights shared within the association reach a broader and more diverse audience. In conclusion, my desire to serve on the Membership Committee for ABE stems from a genuine commitment to advancing biochemistry education, and I am enthusiastic about contributing my skills and experience to enhance ABE's reach, increase its membership, and ultimately facilitate the dissemination of knowledge for the benefit of biochemistry educators and students worldwide.

One in four persons in the US self-identify as having a disability.1 However, disability prevalence was reported as 4.6% of medical students in 2019,2 and 3.1% of physicians in 2021.3 Although many health leadership organizations have expressed a commitment to include learners with disabilities (LWD), many programs have not implemented best practices for curricular design and inclusive and accessible instruction to meet the heterogeneous needs of LWD.4,5 Accessibility best practices that need to be fully implemented include: captioning and providing transcripts of videos and lectures; providing alt text for images and diagrams; using proper color contrast in presentation materials; leaving blank space at the bottom of slides for captions; proactively posting materials in advance and recording didactic sessions for learners to access subsequently; and more.5 Common accessibility barriers in clinical settings include: incompatibility of dictation or speech-to-text software with EMR systems, reluctance to request excused absences for necessary medical appointments, needs for alterations in schedule or location, and more. As value is placed on accessibility, a welcoming message is sent to LWD that: their needs are important, they are expected to be part of the cohort, and they belong. This strong commitment to accessibility enhances an inclusive learning environment. I would like to provide opportunities for biochemistry faculty to learn basic and advanced principles associated with accessible curriculum and inclusive instruction through service on the ABE ERDC. I appreciate your consideration and look forward to continuing to learn from this incredible organization. References: 1. Okoro, C. A., Hollis, N. D., Cyrus, A. C., & Griffin-Blake, S. (2018). Prevalence of disabilities and health care access by disability status and type among adults—United States, 2016. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 67(32), 882.| 2. Meeks, L. M., Case, B., Herzer, K., Plegue, M., & Swenor, B. K. (2019). Change in prevalence of disabilities and accommodation practices among US medical schools, 2016 vs 2019. JAMA, 322(20), 2022-2024. 3. Nouri Z, Dill MJ, Conrad SS, Moreland CJ, Meeks LM. Estimated prevalence of US physicians with disabilities. JAMA network open. 2021 Mar 1;4(3):e211254-. 4. Petersen KH, Sheets, Z, Singh, S., Jawadi, Z, Michael, D, Meeks, LM. Inclusive medicine and medical education: increasing the number of clinicians with disabilities. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Global Public Health. Feb 2022. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190632366.013.290 5. Petersen KH. Increasing Accessibility Through Inclusive Instruction and Design. In Disability as Diversity 2020 (pp. 143-173). Springer, Cham.

Chanté Richardson, PhD, MBA currently serves as an Associate Dean of Health Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and Associate Professor of Biochemistry at the proposed Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine in Hagerstown, Maryland. She is an inaugural/current member of the JEDI committee and has been actively involved in initiatives that align with both JEDI and ABE goals. Moving forward, she is eager to continue contributing her leadership, time, and ideas to this committee. 

As an inaugural/current member of the JEDI committee, I have had the opportunity to work with the committee on initiatives to meet both JEDI and ABE goals. I would like to continue to contribute my ideas, time, and leadership.

I am interested in continuing to serve in the ABE Educational Resource Development Committee (ERDC). I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. I have been a part of the teaching team at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSU-COM) for over 13 years and I have been teaching first and second year medical students in many capacities within the college. My primary role is to develop and deliver content in biochemistry, genetics, and immunology. Currently, I function as the Co-Course Director of the Foundations of Biomedical Science for Osteopathic Medicine course and the Genitourinary System Course. This role involves coordinating the efforts of several basic science faculty in three different sites, as well as working with medical education administration and the curriculum committee. I also serve as the Biochemistry thread director for COM. I am based at the Macomb University Center, one of three sites of MSU-COM. I am also involved in pedagogical development and research. I am interested in developing curricular exercises and in increasing student engagement in classroom-based lectures in a large class, multi-site learning environment. I have been a member of ABE since 2012 and I have attended and presented in the biennial meetings. As an ABE member I have been participating in two projects that started during the 2021 ABE meeting and are still ongoing efforts: the ABE Clinical LO project and the ABE Thread Mapping Initiative. I have found working on these projects very rewarding and I have learned a lot from interacting with my fellow ABE colleagues. During my term in the ERDC I have served as vice-chair and then chair. In my time serving the ERDC I have been working on launching the ABE Bricks project. I would like to continue to serve in this committee to continue to support and advance this project. I would be honored to continue to serve the ABE membership in this capacity.

I am interested in serving in the ABE Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee. I am interested in continuing to serve in the ABE Educational Resource Development Committee (ERDC). I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. I have been a part of the teaching team at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSU-COM) for over 13 years and I have been teaching first and second year medical students in many capacities within the college. My primary role is to develop and deliver content in biochemistry, genetics, and immunology. Currently, I function as the Co-Course Director of the Foundations of Biomedical Science for Osteopathic Medicine course and the Genitourinary System Course. This role involves coordinating the efforts of several basic science faculty in three different sites, as well as working with medical education administration and the curriculum committee. I also serve as the Biochemistry thread director for COM. I am based at the Macomb University Center, one of three sites of MSU-COM. I am also involved in pedagogical development and research. I am interested in developing curricular exercises and in increasing student engagement in classroom-based lectures in a large class, multi-site learning environment. I am also involved in pedagogical development and research. I am interested in developing and implementing DEI curricular exercises. I have been a member of ABE since 2012 and I have attended and presented in the biennial meetings. I have served as a member of the International Association of Medical Science Educators (IAMSE) Equity and Advocacy Committee (EAC) for one year. Before that I served the former EnGAGE (Encouraging Growth and Advocacy in Gaining Equity) Committee for 3 years. I have provided numerous contributions to these committees. I would love the opportunity to participate and contribute to the ABE JEDI Committee.

I have been a course director for Biochemistry at Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine since 2006 and have taught students from 8 health professions programs in the foundational sciences. In addition to being a long-time member of ABE, AHMG and AMEE, I am a fellow of the National Academy of Osteopathic Medical Educators (NAOME) and the International Association of Medical Science Educators (IAMSE). I am an active creator of innovative educational content, have published on the efficiency of novel instructional methods and have received funding for educational projects from NIH, IAMSE and AACOM. I contributed to national medical biochemistry and genetics curricula as a member of the NBOME national faculty and as an author of the AACPM curricular guidelines. I am passionate about creating, sharing and assessing educational materials, and serving on the ABE Education Research Development Committee would present a great opportunity to give back to the community of biochemistry educators to which I owe so much.

I am writing to express my sincere interest in serving on the ABE Communications Development Committee (ACDC). As a relatively new member (having joined in 2023), I have quickly come to appreciate ABE’s mission. I have been fortunate enough to attend many of the workshops and TED talks offered by ABE in the past year and am now eager to offer my services to the community of biochemistry educators through the association As an educator, I believe that effective communication is a requirement at all levels, whether in the class environment or working directly with colleagues on a project. In addition to transmitting necessary information, effective communication also contributes to building bridges, fostering understanding and above all striving for a positive change. As I strongly believe in the power of teamwork, I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to collaborate with fellow colleagues as committee member and leveraging our collective strengths to develop and implement initiatives that would advance the ABE’s mission. I would bring to the table my energy and positive mindset combined with my content expertise & communication skills as I work towards crafting engaging content, to advertising ABE’s resources and events on both the website and/or on social media platforms to further ABE’s mission. In summary, I am altogether excited with the prospect of serving on the Communications Development Committee (ACDC) of ABE and ultimately contributing to its vital mission of improving biochemistry education by empowering educators. With my broad experience and depth of skillsets, passion and selfless dedication, I am confident that my candidacy for this role sits on a solid foundation.

I consider myself a passionate medical educator and have dedicated over 10 years of service to teaching medical biochemistry in osteopathic and MD curriculums within the United States. For countless medical students, the negative myths surrounding Medical biochemistry (largely perceived as a challenging investment of one’s precious time in a topic with little return) predisposes them to an obvious lack of enthusiasm towards learning. I consider myself a strong advocate committed to advancing the development of educational resources and teaching methods that can significantly contribute to the essential role played by medical biochemistry in human health and diseases. This enthusiasm to empower our educators with advanced teaching tools and up-to-date resources that can effectively coalesce and streamline their efforts toward better classroom performance, is the sole motivation for my application to join this esteemed body of educators. If selected, it would be my great honor to collaborate with fellow colleagues in the process of intellectual scrutiny and in the evaluation of ABE’s existing educational resources, in addition to contributing to the development of new resources using updated technology, inclusive design principles and third party resources (such as scholar Rx). On a more personal level, I would be open to sharing my expertise related to spiral integration of medical biochemistry in the pre-clerkship curriculum with interested fellow colleagues. I believe our combined resources would definitely help promote a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying physiological, pathological processes and pharmacological interventions, thus equipping students with the required competencies, knowledge and skillsets necessary to navigate the complexities of modern healthcare with greater confidence on a global scale. Assuredly together, our joint efforts would provide a more rewarding teaching experience for all our medical educators through the propagation of active learning experiences at the class room level. In the long run, through the ERDC committee, I believe we would definitely make positive contributions toward the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skillsets to benefit both the current batch of students and new recruits, empowering them to pursue fulfilling careers in medicine and research.

My name is Steve Sharkady and I am a biochemistry educator at Campbell University School of Pharmacy. I am currently serving on the Executive Board and cycling off the Educational and Resource Development Committee. When I first joined ABE, I was in osteopathic medical education, but have since shifted to pharmacy education. The majority of members in ABE are from medical education and I would like to help implement methods which would bolster the number of biochemistry educators in pharmacy programs in ABE. Diversity in our membership will hopefully create collaborations and sharing unique perspectives from the different programs will support the mission of ABE.

The first time I ventured into medical education, I was an enthusiastic protein biochemist thriving in the solitude and calm of my lab using rational and directed evolution methods to tinker and modify the scaffolds of different proteins to assess their affinities and properties for improved function. Little did I know I was giving up my comfort zone by adding medical education to my skillset. My first assignment was to create a podcast for medical students. I chose the subject of cystic fibrosis and packaged a 360-view including basic sciences and interactions with patients and clinicians. The welcome reception to that podcast was my first training on the job in recognizing two major challenges in medical education – lack of easily available resources to understand basic biochemical concepts – and in a form that was easily digestible. In the last four years working as an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Physiology at the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine in Scranton, Pennsylvania, I have been exposed to unique opportunities through curriculum integration and content development. I have observed first-hand how students can struggle with biochemical concepts owing to its complexity and lack of applicability to clinical scenarios. This can lead to lack of interest in biochemistry which is the third most tested discipline on the USMLE STEP1 exam when compared to other basic sciences disciplines. My goal as an early career medical educator is to increase the student engagement and improve medical biochemistry education by simplifying concepts, making it more interesting and clinically relevant. I envision working with the Educational Resource Development Committee (ERDC) as it aligns with my interest in improving learners’ experiences through creation of education resources. I also recognize that biochemical education is not limited to just medical schools so would be mindful towards creation of educational resources that are meaningful for all types of biochemistry educators and courses. I joined ABE only a couple of years ago and had a great time at the conference in South Carolina. The collegiality, interest in mentoring or working with early career faculty such as myself was impressive and reassuring. I have joined the collaborative group ABE-ScholarRx as one avenue to develop relevant case studies. I believe that joining the ERDC will provide me with an opportunity to collaborate with educators, identify areas of improvement, review existing resources, and possibly propose solutions to address gaps. 

I am an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Genetics at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, one of the few members of the Association of Biochemistry Educators (ABE) primarily affiliated with a dental school. I joined ABE in 2019 to connect with educators focused on maintaining the relevance of basic sciences in healthcare higher education. This decision has provided me with a wealth of resources and ideas for my classroom, a community of professionals, and valuable mentorship through the ABE Mentoring Initiative. With the upcoming committee elections, I aim to increase my involvement in ABE by joining the Educational Resources and Development (ERD) and Professional Development (PD) Committees. My educational interests include developing new tools for student engagement while integrating basic sciences into clinical curricula, and designing creative and valid assessment methods. I aspire to serve on the ABE Professional Development Committee (PDC) to help organize programs that expand members’ access to innovative educational tools, new technologies, and career advancement guidance. I also wish to join the Educational Resources Committee (ERC) to collaborate on developing shared teaching and assessment resources for biochemistry educators. During my tenure as an officer in the Section for Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Nutrition at the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), I created a secure repository for all ADEA members to contribute and share cases, patient boxes, and questions, and for the past three years, I have served as a test constructor for the dental board exam. I am eager to apply these experiences toward ABE’s mission to foster excellence in biochemistry education.

My name is Abigail (Abbey) Solitro, and I am an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Sciences at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine (WMed). I am the course director for our Fundamentals of Biomedical Sciences I course, as well as the discipline director for both biochemistry and nutrition content throughout our pre-clinical curriculum. I have been a member of ABE since January of 2023 and am eager to serve this community of biochemistry educators. I am passionate about developing new strategies for effective biochemistry education, particularly by using active learning strategies such as case-based and team-based learning. As member of the TBL Collaborative, I am excited to put my TBL Fundamentals certification to use in this role. As a member of the ERDC, my aims would be to provide free, innovative biochemistry content for use in medical, pharmacy, and dentistry schools to our members, and to lead in this effort by collaborating with others to develop novel active learning strategies.

I am an Associate Professor of Biochemistry at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS, Bethesda, MD), the only federally funded medical school in the country wherein the MD program is exclusively for United States Military. I am an RNA biologist by research background and I serve as the course director for both medical and graduate biochemistry at our institution. I am also the director of the interdisciplinary Molecular and Cell Biology (MCB) graduate program at USUHS. The subjects I teach the medical and graduate students span the entire spectrum of Biochemistry including, Metabolism, Bioenergetics, Enzyme Kinetics, Evolution and Bioinformatics, DNA Replication, Recombination and Repair, Transcription and Protein Synthesis. My teaching modalities include both traditional lectures and flipped classrooms. I was awarded the Dean’s fellowship in 2019 for a project to compile the faculty derived questions used at our university into a question bank, revise them to meet the NBME standards and create more NBME style items. Over the years, for this project, I have recruited many 3rd and 4th year medical students and we have converted several ‘test of knowledge’ type items into ‘application of knowledge’ with clinical vignettes as well as created many new NBME style items. Last year, I developed and launched this into a formal Item writing course that is worth two dual credits to be used simultaneously towards the Capstone Education Project as well as the IFHPE (Introduction to Foundations in Health Profession Education) certificate at our University. Several medical students with interest in medical education career participated and several new items were written and added to the university’s question bank. The course was very well received and met two objectives namely, helping the students to acquire the item writing skill as well as expand the University’s question bank. I have been an ABE member for almost 6 years and I served as one of the reviewers for Lippincott’s Illustrated Reviews: Biochemistry, 8th Edition. Given these experiences I believe I can contribute meaningfully to the mission of the ERDC. I would be interested in helping ERDC build and enhance resources like NBME style items by pooling them from multiple institutions to be shared with medical students and faculty across the country and running item writing related workshops.

My interest in serving on the ABE membership committee relates to the alignment of the overall goal for the committee with my belief that a diverse faculty promotes collaborations, leads to innovative research, and enhances the quality of instruction to students. By encouraging and actively recruiting ABE members from various health-related programs we promote scholarship and professional development that can positively impact the curricula we develop and the teaching and assessment methods we use. My decade-long membership in ABE, my term on the executive board and the interactions with peers from varied institutions have been important in my own continued growth as a biochemistry educator. We learn from the experiences of our colleagues and in turn use and adapt that knowledge when teaching our own students. As a Biochemistry faculty member for over 25 years, my primary teaching responsibilities have been with students in our colleges of osteopathic medicine and dental medicine. While adjusting and adapting courses and curricula, it has often been emphasized to me that students in various programs will all be part of a healthcare team. With this understanding, biochemistry faculty who instruct students in dental, medical, and pharmacy programs discover innovative approaches and teaching strategies from their ABE colleagues. Such interactions and collaborations benefit the faculty and provide another route towards participation in scholarly activity for their career growth. Drawing from junior, mid-career and more senior faculty strengthens our memberships and allows for community building within the ABE. Additionally, regardless of their own backgrounds students will encounter patients from other cultures, circumstances, and experiences. Actively recruiting ABE members who have a variety of experiences and perspectives will foster inclusivity and help faculty in their pedagogy, and in turn foster a more inclusive culture within the association and for the members. My vision for the ABE membership committee is that there will continue to be robust efforts to recruit diverse faculty who will enrich the overall experience of everyone who participates in the Association of Biochemistry Educators. I would be honored to provide service as a member of this important committee.

Now in my fourth year as a biochemistry faculty member, who joined ABE during the COVID-19 pandemic, I am actively seeking an opportunity to connect with colleagues from other institutions through service. I am greatly enjoying serving on the ABE PDC, and I have an opportunity over the next few years to contribute further. Service on the ABE Finance Committee as a great fit for my skills and personality. I am Microsoft Excel certified. My current research interests center on meticulous bioinformatics analysis and grant writing for future laboratory studies. I enjoy working “behind the scenes”. I am highly organized, great with time management, and I communicate in a timely manner. I am regarded as reliable by my peers, as evidenced by my successful service as chair of more than one service committee early in my career. I am excited by the prospect of helping to support the work of the committee that ensures ABE monies are managed appropriately and accounted for, and that all stakeholders are kept appropriately aware. Further, I look forward to making connections with ABE at large through future meetings and events. Thank you for your consideration!