Faculty Profile
Tiffany Frey
Associate Professor of Biology (2011)
Contact Information
Rector Science - James Hall
717-254-8037
Bio
I have been studying inflammation since 2003 when I started my dissertation research at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the Department of Pediatric Surgery. I have studied inflammation in various settings over the years including sepsis, lung infection, diabetes, and autoinflammatory diseases. My primary interest is how products of the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway affect the response of monocytes and macrophages to the inflammatory stimulus lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which is a component of Gram-negative bacteria such as Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. I am currently focused on how the depletion of non-sterol isoprenoids produced by the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway causes the inflammatory symptoms (such as fever, rash, and joint pain) associated with the rare autoinflammatory disease mevalonate kinase deficiency (MKD). We model this disease in mouse and human cells by blocking the cholesterol pathway with various drugs followed by stimulation with LPS. A number of inflammatory phenotypes are altered when we block the cholesterol pathway including the expression of inflammatory genes (cytokine mRNAs and miRNAs that regulate inflammatory pathways), trafficking and release of acute phase proteins such as CD14, and levels of extracellular vesicles. Our goal is to understand the causes of these alterations, which will lead to a deeper understanding of inflammation in various disease settings.
Education
- B.S., The Pennsylvania State University, 2000
- Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2008
2026-2027 Academic Year
Fall 2026
HPPG 101 Exploring Health Professions
Introductory seminar for students considering careers in clinical and allied health fields including medicine, dentistry, nursing, physician assistant studies, physical and occupational therapy, pharmacy, public health, and related professions. Through short readings, guest panels, structured shadowing or site visits, informational interviews, and guided reflective assignments, students will compare career pathways, learn prerequisites and timelines, and build an individualized plan for curricular and co-curricular preparation. The course emphasizes professional identity formation through mentoring, networking, and community engagement, as well as ethical, equity, and systems-level perspectives on healthcare delivery and access.
HEST 400 Senior Sem in Health Studies
The Senior Seminar in Health Studies is an interdisciplinary, topics driven course, with specific foci dependent upon the specialization(s) of the instructor. Students will survey the relevant literatures of at least two disciplines; identify specific problems or topics; complete a research project based on secondary and/or primary sources; and offer a final presentation of interdisciplinary work (in the forms of academic papers, oral presentations, or some other creative project (including film, narrative, performance, etc.). Prerequisite: 201 and at least two other courses in Health Studies (as accepted by Health Studies Coordinator), or permission of instructor.Normally offered fall semester.
BIOL 433 Molecular Medicine w/Lab
Molecular medicine is an interdisciplinary field of study that seeks to develop ways to prevent, diagnose, treat, and improve human health issues by understanding the molecular basis of normal and abnormal physiological processes. This course will examine the molecular medical approaches to patient care for select topics related to human health with an emphasis on critical analysis of current biomedical literature. The laboratory portion of the course will explore methods used in biomedical research with an emphasis on analysis and evaluation of data. a week. Six hours of classroom/laboratory a week. Prerequisites: at least one upper-level physiology or cellular & molecular biology course: 216, 313, 318, 326, 327, 330 ,333, 334, 335, 380, CHEM 342 or permission of instructor.
Spring 2027
BIOL 301 Pathophysiology
This course introduces the fundamental mechanisms of human disease with an emphasis on the physiological and molecular alterations that underlie common clinical conditions. Students will examine how disruptions in normal cellular, tissue, and organ system function give rise to disease, with integrated coverage of etiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and basic principles of diagnosis and management. Major disease processes are explored across body systems, including cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, endocrine, immune, neurological, and gastrointestinal systems. Emphasis is placed on linking pathophysiological concepts to patient presentation, clinical reasoning, and evidence-based healthcare practice.
BIOL 336 Human Anatomy
This course is a comprehensive regional examination of the gross structure, organization, and function of the human body with an emphasis on clinical case studies. The laboratory includes regional examination of human gross anatomy, histology, and dissection of select organs.
Six hours of classroom/laboratory per week. Prerequisites: One 200-level BIOL course. For Neuroscience majors, prerequisite Biology 132 and Neuroscience 200.
HPPG 401 Healthcare Career Capstone
Intensive preparation seminar for junior and senior students applying to health professions graduate and professional programs. This course provides structured guidance on application timelines, centralized application systems, development of personal statements and secondary essays, preparation of professional CVs or résumés, selection and solicitation of letters of recommendation, standardized test preparation, and interview preparation, including traditional and multiple mini-interview (MMI) formats.
Students engage in iterative drafting, peer and instructor feedback, mock interviews, and ethical discussions related to professional conduct and disclosure. The course culminates in a polished application preparation portfolio and a personalized post-submission plan. Although not required, this course is intentionally aligned with HPPG 101: Exploring the Health Professions and is recommended for students who have previously engaged in structured exploration and preparation planning through coursework or co-curricular programming.