Dr. Sonya Bierbower, Ph.D. Associate Professor Chemistry & Life Science sonya.bierbower [at] westpoint.edu About Education Research & Publications Dr. Sonya M. Bierbower is an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Life Science. She graduated with a B.S. in biology from the University of Georgia, and as an undergraduate, she was involved in research areas of motor task learning behavior in capuchin monkeys and protein purification in nitrogen fixing bacteria. After graduating with honors from UGA, Dr. Bierbower completed a thesis master’s degree with Highest Distinction from DePaul University. Her research focused on the pathophysiology of parasite/host relationships and the role of parasite manipulation of neuromodulators. Dr. Bierbower then earned her Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky with her doctorate research focused on environmental and physiological effects on neuronal synaptic transmission and neural circuitry. Following her doctorate, Dr. Bierbower was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Physiology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Her postdoctoral research studied the augmentation of the KCNQ potassium channel in a stroke-induced brain injury and a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a vertebrate model. While at UTHSCSA, Dr. Bierbower was awarded a NIH T32 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship and a NRSA F32 Postdoctoral Fellowship. Following her postdoctoral fellowship, Dr. Bierbower accepted a faculty position at William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ. As a tenured professor at WPU, she had an active undergraduate and graduate research program focused on TBI, excitotoxicity and cannabinoid receptors role as a therapeutic approach to injury. In 2022, she accepted the position at USMA and is active in research focused on understanding the microbiome, immune response, synaptic transmission and neural circuitry using invertebrate models. Ph.D., Biology/Neuroscience - University of KentuckyM.S., Biology/Physiology - DePaul UniversityB.S., Biology - University of Georgia Research Interests Microbiome, immune response, synaptic transmission Current Research Currently, Dr. Bierbower is collaborating with USMA scientists and the University of Kentucky (Laboratory of Dr. Robin L. Cooper). In collaboration with Dr. Robin Cooper, research has focused on behavior, physiology and synaptic mechanism between neurons and muscle cells. Specifically, recent publications have focused on the effects of heavy metals (iron and zinc) on neural circuitry. In collaboration with USMA scientists, research has focused on the gut and hemolymph microbiome. Selected Publications Lee Ann Smith, Jeremy Nadolski, Grace Jacobs, Jodi M. Ogle, Madhusudan P. Srinivasan, Hannah N. Tanner, Elizabeth R. Steele, Nicole T. Marguerite, Sonya M. Bierbower, Slane Steen, Isaac Easterling, Abigail Greenhalgh, Cecilia Pankau, Shelby McCubbin, Brad Behymer, Robin L. Cooper, "Assessing Reliability for Quantifying Social Interactions among Crayfish", International Journal of Zoology, vol. 2024, Article ID 8031535, 7 pages, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/8031535Wagers, M., Starks, A., Nadolski, J., Bierbower, S.M., Altenburg, S., Schryer, B., Cooper, R. (2024). Examining the effect of iron (ferric) on physiological processes: Invertebrate models. Comp Biochem and Physiology, Part C. doi:10.1016/j.cbpc.2024.109856.Elliott, E.R., McIntosh, R.D., Datta, M.S., Crawford, D.M., Hirtle, J.T., Leach, A.B., Roemer, K.A., Sotingeanu, L.C., Tau, A.C., Vessels, B.D., Speed, S.L., Bradley, A.L., Farmer, C.G., Altenburg, S., Bierbower, S.M. and Cooper, R.L. (2023) Effects of zinc on physiological processes in Drosophila and crawfish: Cardiac, neural, synaptic transmission and behavioral assays. Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 18: 166-189. DOI: 10.3923/jpt.2023.166.189.Ballinger-Boone, C., Anyagaligbo, O., Bernard, J., Bierbower, S.M., Dupont-Verteegden, E.E., Ghoweri, A., Greenhalgh, A., Harrison, D., Istas, O., McNabb, M., Saelinger, C., Stanback, A., Stanback, M., Thibault, O., and Cooper, R.L. (2020). The effects of bacterial endotoxin (LPS) on cardiac and synaptic function in various animal models: Larval Drosophilia, crayfish, crab, and rodent. International Journal of Zoological Research 16: 33-62. DOI: 10.3923/ijzr.2020.33.62https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=ijzr.2020.33.62Zamora, M.F and Bierbower, S.M. (2020). Understanding the Underlying Neuroprotective Role of Estrogen in TBI Neuropathophysiology. Arch Clin Case Stud. 2(2): ACCS.MS.ID.000534. DOI: 10.33552/ACCS.2020.02.000534.Saelinger, C.M, McNabb, M.C., McNair, R., Bierbower, S.M. and Cooper, R.L. (2019) Effects of bacterial endotoxin on regulation of the heart, a sensory-CNS-motor nerve circuit and neuromuscular junctions: Crustacean model. Comp Biochem and Physiology, Part A. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2019.110557Perchuk, A., Bierbower, S.M., Canseco-Alba, A., Zoila, M., Tyrell, L., Joshi, N., Schanz, N., Gould, G., and Onaivi, E.S. (2018). Developmental and behavioral effects in neonatal and adult mice following prenatal activation of endocannabinoid receptors by capsaicin. Acta Pharmacologica Sinica. Jul 10: PMID 29991708. doi: 10.1038/s41401-018-0073-z.Choveau, F., Bierbower, S.M., Zhang, J., De la Rosa, V., Hernandez, C., and Shapiro, M. (2018). Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Bisphosphate (PIP2) regulates KCNQ3 K+ channels by interacting with four cytoplasmic channel domains. J. Biol Chem. 293(50):19411-19428. doi: 10.1074/jbc.RA118.005401. PMID: 30348901. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.RA118.005401.Kopp, D.A., Bierbower, S.M., Murphy, A.D., Frye, K., Mormann, K. and Sparkes, T.S. (2016) Parasite-related modification of mating behavior and refuge use in the aquatic isopod Caecidotea intermedius: neurological correlates. Behavior. 153: 947-961.Choveau, F., Zhang, J., Bierbower, S.M., Sharma, R. and Shapiro, M.S. (2015). The role of the carboxy terminus helix C-D linker in regulating KCNQ3 K+ current amplitudes by controlling channel trafficking. PLoS ONE. December Volume 10 (12); e0145367.