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Dana K. Townsend, Ph.D.Associate Professor of Biological and Health Science
On Faculty since 2012
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- Biography
- Education
- Areas of Expertise
- Professional Affiliations
- Research
- Selected Publications
- Media
- Courses Taught
Dr. Townsend’s research interests are in sleep attenuation and augmentation effects on early insulin resistance, prior to any clinical designation of diabetes, and its concomitant effects on parameters directly related to vascular dysfunction. Dr. Townsend received a B.S. and M.S. in Biology before choosing to raise children full-time for thirteen years. She subsequently spent fifteen years as an Instructor and as the overall administrator for an integrated anatomy and physiology course (eight credit hours) that served 160-200 students/semester at Kansas State University. During this time, she also began her doctoral program, finished her Ph.D. in physiology and taught as an Instructor of Anatomy for Kansas University School of Medicine. Dr. Townsend’s research interests are in early insulin resistance, prior to any clinical designation of diabetes, and its concomitant effects on parameters directly related to atherosclerosis and vascular dysfunction.
Dr. Townsend has a passion for and credibility as an educator who is invested in developing and implementing pedagogy that challenge and support anatomy and physiology students in their maturation in the sciences, while also honing their academic skills and fostering higher-order thinking. In 2016-2017, she was given one of two Junior Faculty Achievement Awards awarded by the college. She has been privileged to be part of many students’ successful entrance into professional schools. Since coming to Wheaton College, Dr. Townsend has enjoyed mentoring undergraduate students in her research. Dr. Townsend and her husband of thirty-eight years have three grown, married children and enjoy both road and mountain biking, backpacking and organic gardening. They invest together in their church in ministries focused on college students, as well as small group infrastructure that support growth and well-being in the Body of Christ.
Kansas State University
Ph.D., Physiology, 2007
Kansas State University
M.S., Biology, 1984
Kansas State University
B.S., Biology, 1978
- Vascular Disease
- Insulin Resistance
- American College of Sports Medicine
- Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
- The American Physiologic Society
Current Research Projects
- Insulin resistance/hyperinsulinemia prior to pre-diabetes in college-age subjects with a family history of type 2 diabetes
- Effects of early insulin resistance on macrovascular reactivity—a marker of cardiovascular health.
- Effects of attenuation and augmentation of sleep duration on aspects of the cardiometabolic health of young adults
Research with Student
Current position: Applying to Occupational Therapy Schools
Project- Co-author on “Insulin Resistance and Metabolic Syndrome Criteria in Lean, Normoglycemic College-age Subjects”. In review in Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders
Research with Student
Project: Metabolic Changes in Insulin Sensitivity, Insulin Resistance, Insulin Secretion and Early Insulin Response to a Glucose Load After 1 Week Augmentation and Attenuation of Sleep Duration: A Longitudinal Study in Lean, College-age Men.
Presentation: Poster Presentation at Experimental Biology 2017, Chicago, IL
Research with Student
Current position: Rush University School of Medicine, Chicago, IL - 2nd year M.S. in Nursing program.
Project: The Effects of Sleep Duration on Insulin Resistance and Post Occlusive Reactive Hyperemia: A Longitudinal Study in Lean, Healthy College-age Men.
Presentation: will be a coauthor on a manuscript currently in progress for submission.
Research with Student
PA-C graduate from Arcadia University (Philadelphia) school of Physician Assistant.
Current position: One year OB/GYN Fellowship in Women’s Health in Colton, CA.
Project: Skeletal Muscle Microvascular Alteration Concomitant with Insulin Resistance in NormoglycemicCollege-age Subjects.
Presentation: Poster presentation at the American College of Sport’s Medicine 2015, Orlando FL
Research with Student
Current position: M3 at the University of Texas - Southwestern School of Medicine.
Project: Skeletal Muscle Microvascular Alteration Concomitant with Insulin Resistance in Normoglycemic College-age Subjects.
Presentation: Poster presentation at the American College of Sport’s Medicine 2015, Orlando FL
Relationship between brachial artery blood flow and total [hemoglobin+myoglobin} post-occlusive reactive hyperemia | Microvascular research
Bopp, C.M., Townsend, D.K., Warren, S., Barstow, T.J.
2014
Courses Taught
- AHS 101 Wellness
- AHS 351 Human Anatomy lecture and labs
- AHS 451 Advanced Human Anatomy
- AHS 461 Advanced Human Anatomy II
- AHS 470 Neurobiology and Spiritual Formation