Dr. John R. Hoffman is currently a Professor in the Department of Biology at Arcadia University. John has been at Arcadia University (formerly Beaver College) since 1995. He spent several years out of the classroom and laboratory by serving as the Dean of Graduate Studies and the Dean of the College of Business, Health & Sciences.
John R. Hoffman is the author of 15 peer-reviewed scientific papers and numerous presentations at local, regional, and national scientific conferences. Since 1995, he has mentored 63 Arcadia University undergraduate students in the completion of empirical research-based senior thesis projects. The significance of these student accomplishments is emphasized by the fact that Arcadia University students have been co-authors on fifteen presentations at national or international meetings and seven peer-reviewed journal articles.
Dr. Bruce M. Carlson
John was an undergraduate student in the Lyman Briggs College residential science program at Michigan State University. As a Briggsie, John completed a extensive coursework in biology, chemistry, and mathematics. For a while, John was also taking classes in the secondary education program so developed a strong background in teaching philosophies and strategies. During his junior and senior years, he was an undergraduate teaching assistant in the biology laboratories working with Dr. Mimi Sayed. His senior thesis examined the intersection of science and religion by focusing on the issues of evolution and creationism. This is a topic he returned to later as a faculty member in developing a course focused on ethics and science.
John began his scientific research in the laboratory of Dr. Bruce M. Carlson in the Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology at the University of Michigan. His initial research involved studying factors controlling muscle regeneration and repair following injury. This work developed into a growing interest in the nervous system.
Dr. K. Sue O'Shea
While still at the University of Michigan, John moved to the laboratory of Dr. K. Sue O’Shea to examine the role that the extracellular matrix molecule thrombospondin played in regulating nerve regeneration. The thrombospondin experiments were the focus of his doctoral dissertation.
In 1992, John completed his doctoral work and began a post-doctoral research fellowship at the Medical College of Pennsylvania (now part of the Drexel University School of Medicine) working with Dr. Pat Levitt and Dr. Itzhak Fischer. This time was focused on learning molecular and tissue culture techniques to examine nervous system development and plasticity.
Dr. Pat Levitt
As a faculty member in the Department of Biology at Arcadia University, John shifted from a primarily anatomical approach to examining aspects of behavior while maintaining a focus on the proper functioning of nerve and muscle tissues following injury. This work has continued into examining aspects of functional recovery following ischemic injuries.
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