From UCLA to Chapman: Dr. Allison Fisher Brings Her Passion for Physiology to the Classroom

Welcome to Chapman Dr. Fisher! What classes are you teaching this year?

I am currently teaching Human Physiology Part A (HSCI 365) lecture and two sections of Human Physiology Part B Labs (HSCI 366L). In Human Physiology Part A lecture, I teach the students how physiological systems function in isolation and as part of linked systems with an emphasis on cell physiology and the endocrine, immune, nervous, and reproductive systems. In Human Physiology Part B lab, the students gain hands on experience with clinical assessment techniques including measuring blood pressure manually, assessing vital signs, reading a running ECG, and I teach them how to apply them to evaluate normal physiology as well as to detect signs of pathology or disease. In the spring I will teach the same courses!

What drew you to want to teach at Chapman?

What drew me to want to teach at Chapman is its strong reputation and commitment to both academic excellence and personalized education. I was particularly drawn to the small class sizes and opportunity to work closely with students, which I love! I also am originally from Southern California, not too far from Orange, so I was very excited and happy for the opportunity to come back!

What is your background and what do you do for fun/hobbies/interests outside the classroom?

I got my PhD from UCLA in Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology and I did my research in iron regulation in pregnancy at the UCLA Center for Iron Disorders. My dissertation investigated the effects of maternal iron supplementation during pregnancy on fetal development with a focus on pregnancies complicated by inflammation. Using animal models, we found that compared to mothers consuming a normal amount of iron, maternal exposure to iron excess and inflammation increased the incidence of embryo brain malformations by more than 50%. These findings raise important questions about the practice of indiscriminate iron supplementation of pregnant women.

Next, I did my postdoctoral training at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. My main projects centered around elucidating the contribution of iron transporters in endothelial cells in the liver to iron homeostasis regulation using genetic animal models, and I also led the pre clinical studies developing novel iron replacement therapies to treat iron deficiency iron refractory anemia and anemia of chronic kidney disease. I also developed my own research program investigating the consequences of maternal chronic kidney disease on maternal and embryo development in animals, and helped initiate a multi-institutional collaboration to examine this in pregnant women.

Outside of the classroom, I like to read YA novels and spend time with my daughter and husband. On the weekends we go for bike rides, visit a zoo or aquarium, and pet/feed the goats at the Irvine regional park! I also love to do STEM education outreach. When I was a postdoc, I was also volunteering with a nonprofit that served girls from underrepresented communities, providing them with experiential after-school science clubs. I would love to start something similar in So Cal with a Chapman University Chapter.