Dana Huebert Lima, Ph.D.

Teaching Professor, Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies and Interim Director of the Undergraduate Intercollegiate Biochemistry Program

Teaching Interests

Dr. Dana Huebert Lima educational philosophy is founded in the idea that students at all levels should become creative and critical thinkers who can apply theoretical models and toward broad social and interdisciplinary contexts. In the biology department, she has coordinated the required Cellular and Molecular Biology (BIOL 219 and BIOL 219L) course and lab for several years. She has also taught Epigenetics (BIOL 415), Virology (BIOL 312), Genomics (BIOL 420), and Communicating Natural Science (BIOL 315). These courses are designed to teach both biological content and transferable scientific skills.

Dr. Huebert Lima also advises honors biology students.

Outreach Interests

Dr. Huebert Lima works to expand scientific research to the broader community. At WVU, this has included giving talks about genetics and epigenetics with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, designing and presenting activities for K-12 students and adults and judging local and regional science fairs. Whenever possible, students in her classes are encouraged to develop activities that engage public audiences and address social issues. She is also the faculty advisor for the WVU chapters of UNICEF and the Muslim Students' Association.

Research Interests

Dr. Huebert Lima’s research has focused on epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Early in her career, she investigated how the position and types of histone modifications contributed to gene expression and cell differentiation. Her Ph.D. thesis research (University of Wisconsin – Madison, 2011) explored the interaction between nucleosome position, transcription factor binding and mRNA expression genome-wide as yeast responded to environmental changes.