Wendy Heck-Grillo
Dr. Wendy Heck Grillo is an associate professor in the Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Grillo received her B.A. in Biology from Bellarmine University and her Ph.D. in Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology from the University of Louisville Health Sciences Center. Dr. Grillo completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the SPIRE (Seeding Postdoctoral Innovators in Research and Education) at UNC-Chapel Hill. In this program, fellows combine research training at UNC-CH and professional development that leads to them teaching undergraduate-level courses at a partner HBCU. Dr. Grillo matched with NCCU for her teaching and has been an Eagle ever since.
Dr. Grillo's research focus is on undergraduate science education, with a specific focus on providing research experiences and professional development in order to expand the biomedical workforce in various areas such as alcohol use, substance use and cancer. Dr. Grillo serves as co-principal investigator on three R25 research education training grants from various divisions of NIH to carry out this research. Dr. Grillo has also focused on additional areas of the undergraduate science education, including metacognition and the implementation of various curricular tools (case studies, student peer review, and data analysis skills). She also serves as co-principal investigator on one R25 research education training grant for graduate students in order to expand the biomedical workforce in the field of neuroscience.
Courses
Publications
Grillo W, Boateng CA, Brady LJ, Gaudier-Diaz MM, Mitchell KA, Ruffin VA, Tejdeda HA, Marshall SA. Reflections of six neuroscientists: The influences of training at minority serving institutions. J Neurosci Res. 2021 Feb 1. doi: 10.1002/jnr.24796. PMID: 33527411.
CM Mader, CW Beck, WH Grillo, GP Hollowell, BS Hennington, NL Staub, VA Delesalle, D Lello7, RB Merritt, GD Griffin, C Bradford, J Mao, LS Blumer, SL White
Multi-Institutional, Multidisciplinary Study of the Impact of Course-based Research Experiences. J Microbiol Biol Educ. 2017; 18(2): 18.2.44.
Staub, N.L., Blumer, L.S., Beck, C.W., Delesalle, V.A., Griffin, G.D., Merritt, R.B., Hennington, B.S., Grillo, W.H,, Hollowell, G.P., White, S.W., Mader, C.M. January 2016. Course-based Science Research Promotes Learning in Diverse Students at Diverse Institutions. CUR Quarterly. Vol. 37, Number 2; p36-46.
Welkin H. Pope, Charles A. Bowman, Daniel A Russell, Deborah Jacobs-Sera, David Asai, Science Education Alliance Phage Hungers Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES), Phage Hunters Integrating Research and Education (PHIRE), Mycobacterial Genetics Course (MGC), Steven Cresawn, William R. Jacobs Jr., Roger Hendrix, Jeffrey G. Lawrence, and Graham F. Hatfull. (2015) Whole Genome Comparison of a Large Collection of Mycobacteriophages Reveals a Continuum of Phage Genetic Diversity. eLife 4:e06416'
Brian J. Rybarczyk, Kristen L.W. Walton, & Wendy H. Grillo. (December 2014) The Development and Implementation of an Instrument to Assess Students’ Data Analysis Skills in Molecular Biology. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education 15 (2): 259-267.
Veronica Nwosu, Wendy Heck Grillo, and Jonathan Ladapo. (May 2014) Student Peer Review: An Assessment Tool for Undergraduate Oral Presentations in a Biology Senior Seminar Class. International Journal of Science Commerce and Humanities 2(4): 110-118.
Tuajuanda C. Jordan, Sandra H. Burnett, Susan Carson, Steven M. Caruso, Kari Clase, Randall J. DeJong, John J. Dennehy, Dee R. Denver, David Dunbar, Sarah C. R. Elgin, Ann M. Findley, Chris R. Gissendanner, Urszula P. Golebiewska, Nancy Guild, Grant A. Hartzog, Wendy H.Grillo, Gail P. Hollowell, Lee E. Hughes, Allison Johnson, Rodney A. King, Lynn O. Lewis, Wei Li, Frank Rosenzweig, Michael R. Rubin, Margaret S. Saha, James Sandoz, Christopher
D. Shaffer, Barbara Taylor, Louise Temple, Edwin Vazquez, Vassie C. Ware, Lucia P. Barker, Kevin W. Bradley, Deborah Jacobs-Sera, Welkin H. Pope, Daniel A. Russell, Steven G. Cresawn, David Lopatto, Cheryl P. Bailey, Graham F. Hatfull. (January/February 2014) A Broadly Implementable Research Course in Phage Discovery and Genomics for First-Year Undergraduate Students. mBio vol. 5 no. 1 e01051-13
Hollowell, G.P., D.T. Brandon, and W.H.Grillo. (2013) Student Achievement in an Introductory Biology Course: Assessing Grade Motivation and Study Log Metacognition. Atlas Journal of Science Education 2 (2): 84-90.
Heck, W.L., A. Novicki, B. Rybarczyk. The Campus Coffee Shop: Caffeine Conundrums. The National Center for Case Study Teaching In Science Case Collection [Online database of peer-reviewed case studies]. State University of New York at Buffalo, 2005
Heck, W.L., A.M. Basaraba, A. Slusarczyk, L. Schweitzer (2003) Early GABAA receptor clustering during
the development of the rostral nucleus of the solitary tract, J. Anat. 202, 387-396.
Heck, W.L., A. Slusarcyzk, A.M. Basaraba, and L. Schweitzer (2002) The subcellular localization of GABA receptors in the central nervous system using post-embedding immunohistochemistry, Brain Res. Protocols 9, 173-180.
Heck, W.L., W.E. Renehan, and L. Schweitzer (2001) Redistribution and increased specificity of GABAB receptors during development of the rostral nucleus of the solitary tract, Int. J. Devl. Neuroscience 19, 503-515.
Kress, T.A., D.J. Porta, J.N. Snider, P.M. Fuller, J.P. Psihogios, W.L. Heck, S.J. Frick, and J.F.Wasserman. (1996) “Fracture Patterns of Human Cadaver Long Bones” in Biomechanics of Impact Injury and Injury Tolerances of the Extremities (PT-56), Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc., p453-467.
Grants
- N.C. Central Duke-Substance Use Research and Education (ND-SURE); co-principal investigator. The field of substance use and addiction research lacks racial and ethnic diversity, and few systematic efforts exist to engage undergraduate students in substance use-related research or coursework. This project will engage undergraduates from underrepresented populations in a coordinated program including didactic coursework, intensively mentored research experiences, and professional development activities related to substance use research and careers substance use-related fields. The goal is to broaden the diversity of the next generation of researchers in the field of substance use studies. 1R25DA059883-01A1; Budget Proposed: $1,275,514;
- Cancer Undergraduate Research Education Program (CUREP); co-investigator. The major goals of the grant include: providing undergraduate students from underrepresented minority groups with hands-on experience in cancer research during a 10-week summer internship; increasing student interest in pursuing careers in cancer research by offering professional development activities essential for gaining admission to graduate and professional schools; and providing year-long group coaching (covering summer, fall, and spring) to help students integrate academic and life skills and increase their chances of completing their degrees. Award Number 1R25CA291602-01; Budget Proposed: $1,323,527 (UNC); NCCU Subcontract: $89,100; IMPACT Score: 10.
- Duke-N.C. Central Alcohol Research and Education (D-CARE); co-principal investigator. The field of alcohol studies lacks racial and ethnic diversity, and few systematic efforts exist to engage undergraduate students in alcohol-related research or coursework. This project will engage undergraduates from underrepresented minority groups in a coordinated program between NCCU and Duke University that includes didactic coursework, intensively mentored research experiences, and professional development activities related to alcohol studies and careers in alcohol-related fields. The goal is to broaden the diversity of the next generation of researchers in the field of alcohol studies. Award Number: 1R25AA030409-0; Total Budget: $238,522
- Feeding the STEM Pipeline with Neuroscientists Trained at an HBCU; co-principal investigators are Drs. Alex Marshall and Greg Cole. The major goal is to develop and implement a fellowship program called “Graduate Students Learning by Immersion, Application, and Leadership” (GLIAL) to immerse our graduate students in the neuroscience community, to enhance the application of neuroscience techniques available to our graduate students, and to promote leadership skills among our graduate students. Award Number: 1R25MH129791-01; Total Budget: $212,722