Postdoctoral Training
As part of the cutting edge program offerings, BIT hires postdoctoral researchers to design new courses involving the latest methodologies in biotechnology and to teach up-to-date evidence-based practices. Postdoctoral scholars also contribute to the body of higher education literature. The BIT Program has opportunities for postdoctoral teaching scholars. Please NC State Human Resources to apply and learn about opportunities with the BIT Program.
BIT Postdoctoral Scholar Three-Year Training
- Independently teach one section of a three-section molecular biology course, coordinating with other instructors
- Earn a Reflective Educational Design Core Teaching Certification through the Office of Faculty Development (attend workshops, participate in reading circles, present a capstone project). For details, visit RED-CTC.
- Begin development of a novel, CURE-based lab course, including planning a related SoTL research project
- Continue to teach one section of a three-section molecular biology course, coordinating with other instructors
- Co-teach existing CURE-based courses with other instructors
- Teach their own novel, CURE-based lab course, collect data for SoTL study
- Continue to teach courses (co-teach and individual)
- Analyze data and publish SoTL study, attend a related conference
- Apply for faculty positions
BIT Postdoctoral Scholar Alumni
| Postdoc (period of appointment) | PhD | Prior Postdoc | New BIT Module | Current Institution |
| Lisa Lyford (1/2004 – 6/2005) | UNC-CH | UNC-CH | Mutagenesis | University of the Cumberlands |
| Joanna Miller (7/2005 – 6/2008) | Northwestern | Transzyme | RNAi | Drew University |
| Scott Witherow (1/2008 – 6/2011) | U Miami | Duke | Protein-Protein interactions | University of Tampa |
| Heather Miller (6/2009 – 6/2012) | Duke | – | mRNA splicing | High Point University |
| Melissa Srougi (6/2011 – 6/2014) | Case-Western | UNC-CH | Cell Signaling | NC State University – Assistant Teaching Professor |
| Laura Ott (1/2012 – 12/2015) | NC State University | UNC-CH | Immunological Tools | UNC – Chapel Hill – Assistant Teaching Professor |
| Carlos Goller (7/2012 – 6/2015) | Emory | Duke | Metagenomics Yeast High Throughput Discovery | NC State University – Associate Teaching Professor |
| Thomas Lentz (7/2014 – 7/2017) | UW-Madison | UNC-CH | Virus Biotechnology | Promega Corporation |
| Christina Garcia (7/2015 – 8/2018) | Vanderbilt | Baylor | Epigenetics | Center College |
| Stefanie Chen (7/2016 – 6/2019) | Duke | UW-Madison | Protein Interactions | NC State University – Assistant Teaching Professor |
| Eric Lazear (7/2017 – 7/2019) | U Penn | Washington U | Protein Engineering | Vice President of Research at Courier Therapeutics |
| Lihua Stefan (7/2018 – 12/2018) | Indiana Univ | Duke | The Ohio State University | |
| Leigh Ann Samsa (7/2018 – 7/2020) | UNC-CH | UNC-CH | Organoids | UNC – Chapel Hill – Research Development Manager |
| Arnab Sengupta (7/2019 – present) | U Alabama Huntsville | UNC-CH | RNA World | NC State University |
| Jacob Dums (7/2020 – present) | NC State University | University of Delaware | NC State University |
BIT Postdoctoral Scholar Publications
Thomas B. Lentz et al.
Prevalence of Ranavirus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, B. salamandrivorans, and Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola in Amphibians and Reptiles of North Carolina, USA
Herpetological Review, 2021, 52(2), 285–293.
Leigh Ann Samsa, Linnea Anderson, Adam Groth, and Carlos C. Goller
A CRISPR/Cas guide RNA design in silico activity.
https://doi.org/10.24918/cs.2020.46
CourseSource. 2020
Integrating Research into a Molecular Cloning Course to Address the Evolving Biotechnology Landscape.
https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21402
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 2020
Stefanie H. Chen and Carlos C. Goller
Shifting Faculty Approaches to Pedagogy Through Structured Teaching Postdoc Experiences.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.v20i2.1789
Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education, 2019
Thomas Lentz, Laura E. Ott, Sabrina D. Robertson, Sarah C. Windsor, Joshua B. Kelley, Michael S. Wollenberg, Robert R. Dunn, and Carlos C. Goller
Unique Down to Our Microbes-Assessment of an Inquiry Based Metagenomics Activity.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.v18i2.1284
Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education, 2017
Carlos C. Goller
A Modern Twist on the Beaumont and St. Martin Case: Encouraging Analysis and Discussion in the Bioethics Classroom With Reflective Writing and Concept Mapping.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.v15i2.771
Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education, 2014
Laura E. Ott and Susan Carson
Immunological Tools: Engaging Students in the Use and Analysis of Flow Cytometry and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bmb.20808
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 2014
Melissa C. Srougi and Susan Carson
Inquiry into Chemotherapy-Induced P53 Activation in Cancer Cells as a Model for Teaching Signal Transduction.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bmb.20741
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 2013
Melissa C. Srougi, Heather B. Miller, D. Scott Witherow, and Susan Carson
Assessment of a Novel Group-Centered Testing Schema in an Upper-Level Undergraduate Molecular Biotechnology Course.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bmb.20701
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 2013
Heather B. Miller, D. Scott Witherow, and Susan Carson
Student Learning Outcomes and Attitudes When Biotechnology Lab Partners Are of Different Academic Levels.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1187/cbe.11-10-0094
CBE – Life Sciences Education, 2012
D. Scott Witherow and Susan Carson
A Laboratory-Intensive Course on the Experimental Study of Protein-Protein Interactions.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bmb.20506
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 2011