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Jamie Fornsaglio

Jamie Fornsaglio
Professor of Biology
Audiology, Biology (B.A. and B.S.), Biology - Pre-Med B.S., Clinical Laboratory Science, Cytotechnology, Dental, Health Science B.S, Optometry, Pharmacy, Pre-Osteopathic

I graduated from W&J in 1994 with a degree in Biology and from The George Washington University in 2004 with a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Oncology. Before earning my PhD, I worked at the Enders Research Building of Boston Children's Hospital characterizing SCCA genes in mice while taking Molecular Biology and Laboratory at Harvard University. After graduate school, I did post-doc research at the Hillman Cancer Center where I studied the role of base excision repair in the sensitivity and resistance to drug-mediated cell death.

Education

  • Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The George Washington University (Washington, DC), 2004

  • B.A. in Biology, Washington and Jefferson College (Washington, PA), 1998

Publications

  • Fornsaglio JL, Sheffler Z, Hull, DC, and Bobak, A. 2021. The Impact of Semester-Long Authentic Research on Student Experiences. Journal of Biological Education, 55(1): 2-16. DOI: 10.1080/00219266.2019.1643759

  • Ray A, Fornsaglio J , Dogan S, Hedau S, Naik DSL, De A. 2018. Gynaecological cancers and leptin: A focus on the endometrium and ovary . Facts, Views and Vision in Obstetrics and Gynaecology 10(1): 5-18.

  • Website

  • Fornsaglio JL, Sheffler Z, and Petro MP. 2018. Cell Biology Laboratory (Version 2.3).

  • Fornsaglio JL. 2015. Writing in Biology at Seton Hill University (Version 1.6) [eBook from iTunes Store].

  • Miller, D, Fornsaglio JL. 2015. Writing in Chemistry (Version 1.6)

  • Choi YJ, Li H, Son MY, Wang X-h, Fornsaglio JL, Sobol RW, Lee M, Vijg J, Imholz S, T. Dolle ME, vanSteeg, H, Reiling E, and Hasty P. 2014. Deletion of Individual Ku Subunits in Mice Causes an NHEJ-Independent Phenotype Potentially by Altering Apurinic/Apyrimidinic Site Repair. PLoS ONE 9(1): e86358.

  • Momcilovic O, Knobloch L, Fornsaglio J, Varum S, Easley C, and Schatten G. 2010. DNA damage responses in human induced pluripotent stem cells and embryonic stem cells. PLoS ONE. 5(10): e13410. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0013410

  • McCormick KD, Knobloch LJ, Whitebread EA, Howatch NJ, Yochum S, and Fornsaglio JL. 2010. Toxicity in wild type and DNA repair deficient Saccharomyces cerevisiae following exposure to chemicals utilized in aviation. Journal of the Pennsylvania Academy of Sciences. 84(1); 17-25.

  • Jelezcova E, Trivedi RN, Wang XH, Tang JB, Brown AR, Goellner EM, Schamus S, Fornsaglio JL and Sobol RW. 2010. Parp1 activation in mouse embryonic fibroblasts promotes Pol ß-dependent cellular hypersensitivity to alkylation damage. Mutat Res. 686(1-2); 57-67.

  • Trivedi RN, Almeida KH, Fornsaglio JL, Schamus S, and Sobol RW. 2005. The role of base excision repair in the sensitivity and resistance to temozolomide-mediated cell death. Cancer Res. 65(14):6394-6400.

  • Pritchard DE, Ceryak S, Ramsey KE, O’Brien TJ, Ha L, Fornsaglio JL, Stephan DA, and Patierno SR. 2005. Resistance to apoptosis, increased growth potential, and altered gene expression in cells that survived genotoxic hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] exposure. Mol Cell Biochem. 279(1-2): 169-181.

  • Fornsaglio JL, O’Brien TJ, and Patierno SR. (2005) Differential impact of ionic and coordinate covalent Cr-DNA binding on DNA replication. Mol Cell Biochem. 279(1-2): 149-155.

  • Vilcheck SK, O’Brien TJ, Pritchard DE, Ha L, Ceryak S, Fornsaglio JL, and Patierno SR. (2002) Fanconi anemia complementation group A cells are hypersensitive to chromium(VI)-induced toxicity. Environ. Health Perspect. 110(5): 773-7.

  • O’Brien, T.J., Fornsaglio, J.L., Ceryak, S. and Patierno, S.R. (2002) Effects of hexavalent chromium on the survival and cell cycle distribution of DNA repair- deficient S. cerevisiae. DNA Repair 1: 617-627.

  • Pritchard DE, Ceryak S, Ha L, Fornsaglio JL, Hartman SK, O’Brien TJ, and Patierno SR. (2001) Mechanism of apoptosis and determination of cellular fate in chromium(VI)-exposed populations of telomerase-immortalized human fibroblasts Cell Growth Differ 12: 487-496.

Awards

  • PI of National Science Foundation (NSF) grant- “Implementation of Design-Based Learning and Interdisciplinary Collaborative Strategies for Enhancing Learning in Laboratory Sciences (Summer 2013-Summer 2016)

  • Recipient of a supplemental grant to study the pluripotent stem cell response to DNA damage in response to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. This supplemental grant was under the principal investigator Gerald Schatten, PhD and the parent grant titled, “Pluripotent Stem Cells in Development and Disease” at Magee-Womens Research Institute. (2009)

  • 1st place: The George Washington Heath Science Research Day Poster Presentation Competition (2002)

Organizations

  • Member of the National Science Teachers Association

  • Member of the American Society for Cell Biology

  • West Virginia IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (WV-INBRE) External Advisory Committee (EAC)

  • Member of American Association of Cancer Research through 2016

Presentations

  • Bobak, A., Falatovich, B., and Fornsaglio, J. 2021. ACE2 gene polymorphism rs2106809 and ACE2 protein levels: comparing genotype to protein levels in conjunction with SARS-CoV-2. SHU Undergraduate Research Conference 2021, Greensburg, PA

  • Cygrymus, E., Doyle, A., Bartel, J. S. and Fornsaglio, J.F. 2019. The Relationship between Fear of Missing Out and Classroom and Studying Technology Use. Poster to be presented at the 2019 annual meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, New York, NY.

  • Doyle, A., Bartel, J. S., Fornsaglio, J.F., and Cygrymus, E. 2019. Does technology addiction moderate the relationship between faculty policies and non-academic technology use? Poster to be presented at the 2019 annual meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, New York, NY.

  • Bartel, J. S. and Fornsaglio, J.F. 2019. Student perceptions of and engagement in technology distractions. Poster to be presented at the 2019 annual meeting of the National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology, St Petersburg Beach, FL.

  • Bartel, J. S. and Fornsaglio, J.F. 2019. The relative influence of faculty policies and classroom norms on college students’ distracted technology use. Poster to be presented at the 2019 annual meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, New York, NY.

  • Bi-annually, advise multiple student poster presentations at the Celebration of Molecular Biology Laboratory Poster Sessions

  • Yearly, advise multiple student poster presentations at the Annual Western Pennsylvania Biology Undergraduate Research Symposium and the Cell-ebration of Cell Biology Laboratory Poster Sessions

  • Fornsaglio, J, Miller, D, Bartelson, A, Burns, J, and Bartel, J. (2018). Design and implementation of a supportive, collaborative, and active learning environment for early career STEM majors. Poster session presented by collaborating authors at the Seton Hill Scholarship Celebration poster presentation, Greensburg, PA.

  • Fornsaglio JL, Sheffler Z, Hull, DC, and Bobak, A. (2018). Impacts of authentic research strategies on student perceptions and performances among similarly-grouped students for learning in laboratory sciences. Presented at the Mid-Atlantic Association for Science Teacher Education Regional Conference, Harrisonburg, VA.

  • Fornsaglio, J. and Bartel, J. (2018). How do faculty and students feel about and use instructional technology? Oral presentation by Jamie Fornsaglio and Jeff Bartel at the C-CUE Indiana University of Pennsylvania "Technology Day," Indiana, PA.

  • Fornsaglio, JL . (2017). Implementing design-based and interdisciplinary approaches for learning laboratory science. Poster presented by Jamie Fornsaglio at the American Society of Cell Biology (ASCB) conference, Philadelphia, PA.

  • Hoover DK, and Fornsaglio, JL. (2016, spring). Cigarette smoke and cancer cells: An interdisciplinary, collaborative, research-based laboratory initiative. Presented by Diana Hoover at the American Chemical Society Central Regional Meeting, Covington, KY.

  • Fornsaglio J, Lauren, S, Billy, C, and Keen, S. (2016, spring). Inquiry and Problem-based Instruction Across the Disciplines. Oral panel session at the Envisioning the Future of Undergraduate STEM Education: Research and Practice Symposium (EnFUSE)-sponsored by AAAS and NSF-poster session, Washington, DC.

  • Fornsaglio, JL, and Sheffler, Z. (2016, spring). Implementing design-based and interdisciplinary approaches for learning laboratory science. Poster session at the Envisioning the Future of Undergraduate STEM Education: Research and Practice Symposium (EnFUSE)-sponsored by AAAS and NSF-poster session, Washington, DC.

  • Fornsaglio, JL. (2015, fall). NSF Grant Funding. Poster session presented by Jamie Fornsaglio at the Seton Hill Scholarship Celebration poster presentation, Greensburg, PA.

  • Fornsaglio, J, Miller, D, and Butela, K. 2015. New pedagogical approaches on curriculum and curriculum development. Presented at Teaching and Learning Forum. Seton Hill University, Greensburg, PA.

  • Advised student poster presentation: Howatch N, McCormick K, Fornsaglio J , and Yochum S. Effects of tert-butyl hydroperoxide on wild type and DNA repair deficient Saccharomyces cervisiae. 23rd American Chemical Society Meeting and Exposition; Washington, DC. August 2009

  • Advised student poster presentation: Mansour, D, Jerina, J, Desana, A. Hydroquinone decreases Mus musculus adenoma cell survival and VEGF expression. AACR Annual Meeting 2015, the 10th Annual Undergraduate Student Caucus and Poster Competition (Philadelphia, PA), April 2015.

  • Momcilovic O, Knobloch L, Fornsaglio J, Choi S, Bakkenist C, Schatten G. DNA Damage Repair in Human Embryonic Stem Cells. (poster presented by Olga Momcilovic). International Society for Stem Cell Research meeting; June 2010

  • Fornsaglio JL, O’Brien TJ, Patierno SR. Rad52-mediated homologous recombination is required for the resolution of double strand break intermediates generated by interstrand crosslink repair. Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research # 1566, March 2004

  • Pritchard DE, Pearson KE, Fornsaglio JL, Ha L, Ceryak S, Stephan DA, and Patierno SR. Micro array analysis reveals altered gene expression in apoptosis-resistant cells that survived genotoxic [chromium (VI)] insult. Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research # 5979, July 2003.

  • Fornsaglio JL, O’Brien TJ, Pritchard DE, Ha L, and Patierno SR. BRCA1 is crucial for survival and cell cycle progression following genotoxic insult with hexavalent Cr(VI). Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research #R430, July 2003.

  • Ha L, Ceryak S, Fornsaglio JL, Patierno SR. ATM is activated by DNA double strand breaks generated during recombinational repair of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)]-induced DNA damage. Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis #71, May 2003.

  • O’Brien TJ, Fornsaglio, JL, Ceryak S, and Patierno SR. Chromium as a complex genotoxin: repair, replication and cellular response. 2nd Conference on Molecular Mechanisms of Metal Toxicity and Carcinogenesis, September 2002.

  • Fornsaglio JL, O’Brien TJ, and Patierno SR. Effects of Cr(VI) on polymerase processivity and polymerase arresting lesions in wildtype and DNA repair deficient S. cerevisiae. 2nd Conference on Molecular Mechanisms of Metal Toxicity and Carcinogenesis, September 2002.

  • O’Brien TJ, Fornsaglio JL, and Patierno SR. Exit from hexavalent chromium-induced G2 arrest requires RAD52-dependent recombinational repair in S. cerevisiae. Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research #5134, April 2002.

  • Fornsaglio JL, O’Brien TJ, and Patierno SR. Detection and quantitation of Cr(VI)-induced polymerase arresting lesions in DNA repair deficient S. cerevisiae: relationship to survival. Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research, #5132 April 2002.

  • Fornsaglio JL, O’Brien TJ, and Patierno SR. Effects of hexavalent chromium on S. cerevisiae deficient in DNA damage tolerance/repair: Implications of Rad52 for survival and Rev3 for mutagenesis. AACR-Pathobiology of Cancer Workshop, July 2001.

  • O’Brien TJ, Fornsaglio, JL, and Patierno SR. Sensitivity of DNA repair-deficient S. cerevisiae strains to hexavalent chromium. Toxicological Sciences Supplement, The Toxicologist 60(1), #1502, March 2001

  • Gornstein ER, Cataltepe S, Fornsaglio JL, Kumar V, Luke C, Pak S, Schick C, Tsu C, Uemura Y, Upton M, and Silverman G. Inflammation upregulates expression of the intracellular serpins SCCA1 and SCCA2. The American Pediatric Society and The Society for Pediatric Research, # 751376, 1999.

Certifications

  • Apple Teacher Certification, 2017

  • On-line summer course: Foundations of Moodle 2.0 Course Development

Achievements

  • Attended AACR Annual Meeting: Spring 2015

  • Attended the 5th Biennial NIH, NCRR National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence (NISBRE) (Washington, DC) June 2014.

  • iTunes U and iBooks author training August 2012

  • Selected to be a panelist at the Seton Hill University iTeach Conference Spring 2013

  • Attended Undergraduate Bioinformatics Education Conference: Summer 2011

  • Attended Metastasis and the Tumor Microenvironment Conference: September 2010

  • Selected to attend Frontiers in Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Conference (Magee Women’s Hospital; Pittsburgh PA) (2007)

  • Chosen as Keynote Speaker at Women in Science Day, Seton Hill University (2006 and 2007)