As we begin the semester, we're highlighting Bryn Mawr's newest faculty members. The College supports faculty excellence in both research and teaching.
Assistant Professor of Chemistry Ashlee M. Plummer
"Cell membranes are amazingly complex mixtures of phospholipids and membrane proteins (MPs)—these membranes surround cells and create a protective barrier against outside threats. The proteins that reside within membranes work in many critically important processes and the dysfunction of these proteins is linked to innumerable diseases, including atherosclerosis, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders.
"My doctoral and post-doctoral work focused on obtaining mechanistic understandings of various MP functions using several different experimental techniques, including in vitro biochemical assays, structural biology-based studies (i.e., cryo-electron microscopy), in vivo cell-based assays, and computational simulations. My research program at Bryn Mawr concentrates on the functional, computational, and structural characterization of bacterial MPs, which play a role in the widespread virulence of bacteria.
"Throughout my academic career, I have also pursued teaching experiences focused on the application of the fundamental principles of chemistry to emergent biochemical and biomedical problems. My teaching interests include biochemistry, general chemistry, and protein structure-function analyses. I am continuously searching for connections between classroom lecture content and real-world examples of diseases and biomedicine (e.g., drug design). I am particularly interested in highlighting in-depth case studies of protein structure-function relationships and how these affect disease phenotypes.
"In both roles, as a research mentor and course instructor, I aim to incorporate diversity and inclusion into my laboratory and classroom to promote the success of every student I encounter. I am excited about translating my previous experiences with undergraduate mentoring and biochemistry education into a productive, rigorous research program at Bryn Mawr College centered on MPs and lipid biology."
Bryn Mawr’s Department of Chemistry has a more than century-long tradition of combining high-quality, visible research programs with excellent teaching.