Dr. Stephanie Young

Teaching Interests:
Dr. Young teaches Principles of Biology (BIOL 115) and Introduction to Physiology (BIOL 117). Within these courses, students are encouraged to actively engage in subject matter. An emphasis is placed on the knowledge and skills required as a basis for subsequent upper-division courses, as well as for a variety of future employment opportunities and applications. I am also in the process of developing several new advanced courses including an upper division molecular-based microbiology course.

Research Interests:
Her research interests lie in the use of modern techniques from molecular biology and nanotechnology to help solve problems facing the field of forensic science. Recent projects include measuring RNA degradation from porcine tooth pulp to estimate postmortem interval (or time since death) and using molecular beacon probes designed to detect tissue-specific RNAs as a means of confirming the presence of biological fluids at a crime scene.