Education:

Post graduate certificate, Academic Leadership, Chicago School of Psychology, 2016
Ph.D. Physiology, University of Connecticut, 1998
M.S. Physiology, University of Connecticut, 1993
B.S. Microbiology, University of Rhode Island, 1989

Research Interests:

Muscle plasticity
Activity dependent gene expression in skeletal muscle
Critical thinking pedagogy
Strategies for promoting critical thinking in science

Research Interests:

Dr. Brown's early research interests focused on how neural activity affects muscle plasticity. Of particular interest was the effect of neural activity on the involvement of satellite cells in dedifferentiation and regeneration in adult mammalian skeletal muscle. Experiments employed the use of a long-term isolated adult muscle fiber culture system subjected to chronic electrical stimulation to examine plasticity of gene expression in single muscle fibers. Studies published from her research demonstrated both morphological changes (T-tubule reorganization in adult muscle fibers and myotube formation from satellite cells) and physiological changes (changes in peak Ca2+ transients during stimulation, changes in Ca2+ spark production) that correlate with a transition back toward the embryonic state, thus a process indicative of dedifferentiation.

More recently, Dr. Brown has shifted from bench work to focus on strategies that promote undergraduate research training and the development of critical thinking skills in STEM-related disciplines. As the Coordinator of the Honors Program within the School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, she has developed a series of Honors Interdisciplinary courses that focus on the development of critical thinking skills through writing exercises, analysis of scientific literature, and the development of either a research-based or literature-based thesis. Dr. Brown co-directed the MARC U*STAR Program at MSU from 2009-2014, a program that served to increase the numbers of minorities that pursue advanced degrees in the biomedical sciences by providing undergraduate research training experiences. More recently, Dr. Brown was recently awarded an NSF HBCU-UP grant to implement an academic program that promotes critical thinking activities, high-impact teaching practices and research experiences that will increase persistence (retention) of students in STEM following the freshmen year.

Courses Taught:

• BIOL 201, Anatomy and Physiology I
• BIOL 202, Anatomy and Physiology II
• BIOL 209, Animal Physiology
• HONR 106, SCMNS Freshmen Honors Colloquium
• HONR 206, SCMNS Sophomore Honors Colloquium
• HONR 306, SCMNS Honors Thesis Seminar I
• HONR 406, SCMNS Honors Thesis Seminar II

Publications:

• Woodruff-White, C., Brown, L.D., Rollins, C., Liamba, J., Winborne, D., and Nkwanta, A. (2019) "Wedded Bliss: Lessons Learned from Uniting Math Placement with Math Pathways." In D. Morgan, K. Feagin, & N.S. Shapiro (Eds). Reforming Mathematics in Maryland: Stories from the Journey (pp 73-82). College Park, MD: University System of Maryland.
• Brown, Lisa D. (2018) "Making You a By-Product of It!" In: Kimarie Engerman, Tamara Floyd Smith, Stephanie Luster-Teasley (ed.). Women Having Impact. Fielding University Press, pp. 156-161.
• Solomon Alao, Cheryl Rollins, Lisa D. Brown, Henrietta L. Wright, Yolanda Seabrooks, Tiffany Thompson-Johnson, and Linda Hardges-Scruggs. (2018) Increasing Student Access to High-Impact Practices: Inclusive Excellence Project Findings. In A Vision for Equity: Results from the AAC&U's Project Committing to Equity and Inclusive Excellence: Campus Based Strategies for Student Success. Association of American Colleges and Universities, pp 37-40.
• Alao, S., Rollins, C., Brown, L.D., and Wright, H.L. (2017) Data-driven Action Plans for Student Success and Inclusive Excellence. Peer Review: Committing to Equity and Excellence 19 (2): 27-28.
• Jomoke Ladeji-Osias, Christine Hohmann, Stella Hargett, Lisa Brown, Cleo Hughes-Darden and Michele Reece. (2015) "The Impact of Undergraduate Research in STEM at Morgan State University on the Production of Doctoral Degrees in Engineering and the Sciences," in Jeton McClinton, Mark A. Melton, Caesar R. Jackson, Kimari Engerman (ed.). Infusing Undergraduate Research into Historically Black Colleges and Universities Curricula (Diversity in Higher Education, Volume 17) Emerald Group Publishing Limited, pp 143-175.
• Mu, M., Brown, L.D., Liu, Y., and Schneider, M.F. (2007) Roles of calcineurin and CaMK signaling pathways in fast-to-slow fiber type transformation of cultured mouse skeletal muscle fibers. Physiological Genomics 30:300-312.
• Brown, L.D., Rodney G, Hernandez-Ochoa E, Ward, C, and M Schneider. (2007) Calcium sparks and T-tubule reorganization in dedifferentiating adult mouse skeletal muscle fibers. Am. J. Physiol. Cell Physiol. Mar 292(3): C1156-66.
• Du, Y., Rodney, G.G., Schneider, M.F. and L.D. Brown. (2006) Automatic Ca2+ Sparks Detection System. Proc. IEEE International Conference on Image Processing, Atlanta, GA. ISBN: 1-4244-0481-9, pages 1941-1944.
• Brown, L.D., and M.F. Schneider. (2003) Delayed dedifferentiation and retention of properties in dissociated adult skeletal muscle fibers in vitro. In Vitro Cell. & Dev Biol.-Animal. 38(7): 411-22.