Dr. Amanda Persons is a neuropharmacologist and educator whose 15+ year career bridges innovative research, impactful teaching, and visionary leadership in academic medicine. She earned her PhD in Pharmacology from Loyola University Chicago and completed postdoctoral training in Neurological Sciences at RUSH University. With a strong background in preclinical research, Dr. Persons has focused on psychiatric and neurological disorders, with an emphasis on substance abuse, ADHD, Parkinson's disease, and HIV. She has led and contributed to multiple NIH- and foundation-funded studies, including investigations into brain pathology in addiction and Parkinson’s disease models. Dr. Persons has authored over 25 peer-reviewed journal articles, several reviews, and more than 50 scientific abstracts. Her work has been presented at local, state, national, and international conferences through posters and oral presentations. In addition to research, Dr. Persons has a distinguished record of teaching, including curriculum development and learner assessment in the healthcare professions and interdisciplinary biomedical science. Dr. Persons is deeply committed to mentoring, having supervised numerous master’s and doctoral research projects and served on dissertation committees across neuroscience and immunology.
Dr. Persons is a recognized leader in academia. She has chaired university and college faculty councils, led search and governance task forces, and directed academic education programs. Dr. Persons has organized scientific symposia and served on executive planning committees for major professional societies. Her leadership extends to curriculum innovation and faculty development initiatives.
Speaking and Content Expertise
Program Building
- Faculty Mentoring Programs
- Faculty Development Programs
Research
- Research skill development
- Grant funding and acquisition
- Scholarly Writing and Publication
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration
- Responsible Conduct of Research
- Peer Review
Leadership
- Leadership of Interprofessional and Interdisciplinary Faculty Committees
- Building Mentoring Relationships
- Organization and Planning for Scientific Meetings
- Giving and Receiving Effective Feedback
Career Development
- Faculty Mentorship, Sponsorship, and Coaching
- Advancement and Promotion Processes
- Writing Personal Statements/Narratives
Education
- Curriculum Development in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Science and Health Professions
- Learner assessment
- Mentoring, Advising, Coaching Undergraduate and Graduate Learners
- Providing Learner Feedback