Administration Core Contacts

Dr. Rankin received his B.S. degree in Chemistry from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 1972, and his Ph.D. degree in Medicinal Chemistry from the University of Mississippi in 1976. He served as Postdoctoral Fellow in Pharmacology at the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo from 1976 to 1978, and joined the newly formed Marshall University School of Medicine in 1978. He has served as Assistant Professor (1978-1982), Associate Professor (1982-1985) and Professor and Chair of the Departments of Pharmacology (1986-2005) and Pharmacology, Physiology and Toxicology (2005-2016). He also served as Associate Dean for Biomedical Graduate Education and Research Development (1989-1992). He is currently Chair of the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Vice Dean for Basic Sciences (2016-Present). Dr. Rankin's research interests are in the area of renal toxicology and include the nephrotoxicity induced by succinimides and aminochlorophenols, urotoxicity induced by halogenated anilines, renal transport of drug metabolites and the bioactivation of chemicals to nephrotoxicant species. Dr. Rankin is a member of several professional societies including the Association of Medical School Pharmacology Chairs (AMSPC; Secretary 2002-2004; President 2004-2006), Society of Toxicology (SOT), American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) and the West Virginia Academy of Sciences. He has served on/chaired several committees for SOT and ASPET and has held offices in the Ohio Valley SOT Chapter (Vice President, 1989-1990; President, 1990; Counselor, 1991-1995). He was a regular member of NIH TOX1 and ALTOX4 Study Sections (1994-1999) and serves as a frequent ad hoc reviewer for NIH Special Study Sections, including Chairing IDeA Program Special Study Sections. He is an Associate Editor for Toxicology (2019-Present) and the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (2016-Present). He has authored or co-authored over 150 peer-reviewed manuscripts, 25 review articles, 20 book chapters, and almost 300 research presentations at local, regional, national and international meetings. Honors include the Joseph Sam Distinguished Alumnus Award (University of Mississippi, 2013), selection as Honorary Alumnus of the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine (2018), and the Career Award from the Division of Toxicology, ASPET (2019).

Dr. Hileman is a Professor in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center of West Virginia University. He received his B.S. in Animal Sciences from West Virginia University. He then earned a M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Science from the University of Kentucky. Following postdoctoral training at the University of Illinois and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard University, Dr. Hileman joined the faculty of the West Virginia University College of Medicine in 2000. Dr. Hileman is a neurobiologist whose research interests include the neural mechanisms governing reproduction and onset of puberty. He has also worked in the area of neural mechanisms regulating food intake and obesity. Dr. Hileman has published over 60 journal articles, reviews and book chapters and serves as a reviewer for several scientific journals. He has also served as a grant panel participant for both the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Science Foundation. He has for several years co-chaired the Van Liere Convocation and Research Day, the premier research showcase for the Health Sciences at WVU. He is also currently a faculty representative to the WVU Board of Governors.

Dr. Denvir is an Associate Professor of Bioinformatics in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University. He received his M.A. degree from the University of Cambridge in 1990, and M.Sc degree in 1991 and Ph.D. in 1994, both from the University of Warwick. After three years as a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Mathematics Department at Truman State University, he joined the faculty of Marshall University in 1998 as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics.

Dr. Denvir transitioned to the Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology at Marshall University in 2002 to fill a need for computational expertise arising in the Microarray Core Facility, mirroring a need seen across biomedical research institutions as the throughput of data generation in the field gathered pace. After an interlude at the Department of Statistics at West Virginia University from 2008-2011, he returned to Marshall University to accept a faculty position in Biomedical Sciences.

Dr. Denvir currently serves as the Director of the WV-INBRE Data Science Core Facility, providing analysis, management, and interpretation of high-throughput sequencing data for WV-INBRE investigators. His research interests include the application of genomics and genetics to complex disease, and reproducibility and robustness of data analyses in a high-throughput data environment. Dr. Denvir is the author and lecturer of the Biostatistics course in the Department of Biomedical Sciences.

Dr. Primerano is Professor of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University. He received his B.S. degree from St. Vincent College in 1976 and Ph.D. from Duke University in 1982. He joined the faculty of the Marshall University School of Medicine in 1988 following a postdoctoral fellowship at the Michigan State University.

As Director of the ACoRN, Dr. Primerano oversees research in the genetic susceptibility to cardiovascular disease and the training of the team investigators. Dr. Primerano also serves as the director of the Marshall University Genomics Core Facility which provides gene expression profiling, automated DNA sequencing and genotyping, and real time PCR instrumentation to WV-INBRE investigators. His research interests included the genetic basis of complex traits and methods of DNA damage detection. Dr. Primerano serves as course director and lecturer in the School of Medicine Medical Microbiology, Human Genetics, and Nucleic Acids courses.

Dr. Geldenhuys graduated from Potchefstroom University, South Africa (now North-West University) in 1999 with a bachelor of Pharmacy degree. He then went on the receive a Doctor of Philosophy in medicinal chemistry/neuroscience (2004) after completing a Master’s degree in medicinal chemistry (2002), both from North-West University. After graduation he did a post-doctoral research at Texas Tech School of Pharmacy. In 2007 he joined as the first faculty member in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the newly established College of Pharmacy at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), Rootstown, OH. His research is focused on the development of novel neuroprotective compounds to slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease and stroke by focusing on the CISD protein family.

Valerie Watson is a Teaching Assistant Professor of Microbiology, Immunology, & Cell Biology in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, & Cell Biology at the Robert C Byrd Health Sciences Center of West Virginia University. She received a B.S. in Microbiology from Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA and a M.S. from West Virginia University, Morgantown WV. She currently teaches all of the undergraduate microbiology courses in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, & Cell Biology. These courses include microbiology for allied health majors, microbiology for medical laboratory science students, and parasitology for medical laboratory science students. She also teaches the laboratory and parasitology lectures to 2nd-year medical students and 2nd-year dental students. She is co-Moderator and teaches all of the parasitology labs and module review for Module 3, "Medical Entomology & Medical Parasitology" in the "Clinical Tropical Medicine and Parasitology Course" offered each summer by the Global Health program at West Virginia University. She organizes and supervises graduate students in their Departmental teaching assignments. She is directly responsible for the supervision of one laboratory assistant in the preparation of media and reagents for classes and research. She is also responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Media Prep Lab in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, & Cell Biology. She currently serves on the Global Health Program Advisory Council, the Admissions Committee for the Medical Laboratory Sciences Program, as the Chemical Hygiene Officer of her department, and as her department's Social Justice Liaison. Her research activities include collaborative studies with Department investigators and with medical personnel at Ruby Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Shiemke is Associate Professor of Biochemistry at the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center of West Virginia. He received a B.A. degree in Chemistry from Kalamazoo College, and Ph.D. from The Oregon Graduate Institute in Beaverton, Oregon. Following postdoctoral training at the University of Illinois, University of Georgia and the California Institute of Technology, Dr. Shiemke joined the faculty of the West Virginia University School of Medicine in 1990. Dr. Shiemke's research interests include the structural and mechanistic characterization of metal-containing enzymes and proteins, especially those involved in biological oxidation of methane and other hydrocarbons. His academic responsibilities include serving as course director for the Human Function course for first-year medical students and facilitator for Problem-Based Learning for first-year medical students. Dr Shiemke has authored over forty research publications. He has also been on the review panel for several Biochemistry text books.

Dr. Santanam is a Professor of Pharmacology in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Toxicology and Director of the Cardiovascular Diseases, Obesity, Diabetes research cluster, at the Joan C Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University. She received a B.S. in Chemistry (1984) from Meenakshi College for Women, M.S in Bio-Chemistry (1986) from Dr. ALM Postgraduate Institutes of Basic Medical Sciences and Ph.D. (1992) from Christian Medical College, Madras University, India. She received a MPH from Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University in 2004. She was a postdoctoral fellow (1993-1997) and Assistant Professor (1997-2003) at Emory University. She then joined the Department of Pathology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, N. Orleans as an Associate Professor from 2003-2006. She moved to Marshall University in 2006. Dr. Santanam's research has centered on mechanisms of diet and oxidative stress in cardiovascular disease, obesity and endometriosis. She has co-authored over 56 peer-reviewed publications, 9 review articles, 5 book chapters, one Health related video on endometriosis and almost 75 research presentations in regional, national and international meetings. She has obtained funding from American Heart Association and National Institutes of Health (NIH). She is a member of several professional societies including Society of Free Radical in Biology & Medicine (SFRBM) and Fellow of American Heart Association. She is a co-chair of the Mentoring Program of Women in Science Committee of SFRBM. She has served on expert review panels on NIH study sections including, NIH-Integrative Physiology of Obesity and Diabetes, NIH-Atherosclerosis and Inflammation in Cardiovascular Sciences, Special emphasis panel of NIH-National Institutes of Aging, NIH-Research Challenge grants. She has also served as grant reviewer for Department of Veterans Affairs and American Heart Association. She has served as a reviewer for several Medical journals including Atherosclerosis, Atherosclerosis Thrombosis Vascular Biology and Journal of Lipid Research.

Ms. Sanders is the Administrative Associate for the WV-INBRE office in the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center at West Virginia University. Upon graduating from high school, Ms. Sanders became a member of the United States Army Reserves while attending college and obtaining employment. Ms. Sanders received both her B.A. degree and M.A. degree from WVU. Her field of study for her undergraduate degree was Business Administration and her field of study for her graduate degree was Education Administration with a minor in Public Administration. Ms. Sanders has been employed with West Virginia University for more than 15 years. Her employment background includes administrative positions for the Council of International Programs, WV-EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research), Academic Technologies, and her current position in the WV-INBRE office. Her administrative duties for the WV-INBRE program include managing the day-to-day activities of the office, monitoring the fiscal operations of the grant, assisting with the coordination of workshops and other activities for the various programs, and organizing meetings.