Kirsten Hokeness
Kirsten Hokeness, Professor, is a native of Glocester, Rhode Island. She received her bachelor’s degree in General Biology from the University of New Hampshire. Prior to obtaining her Ph.D. she worked as a research assistant in the Department of Surgical Oncology at Roger Williams Hospital, working to amplify the effects of Paclitaxel on breast cancer cells and melanoma cells with interferon gamma and vitamin D. From there she obtained her Ph.D. from Brown University where she studied immunity to viral infections, completing her thesis entitled “Characterization of Cytokine/Chemokine Networks Critical during Murine Cytomegalovirus Infection.” She was hired as an Assistant Professor at Bryant University, following her year-long postdoctoral position at Brown University. While at Bryant she has taught a number of classes including Biology, Introduction to Biotechnology, Microbiology, Biology lab, Ecology lab, Foundations of Pharmaceutical Science and Immunity and Disease. Her research currently focuses on examining mechanisms of immune suppression following exposure to microbial volatile organic compounds and determining the role of cytokines and chemokines during infection with Clostridium difficile. Additionally, she is looking at how students perceive health information and make choices regarding their health and vaccines. She has been the recipient of funding from Rhode Island’s INBRE program. Currently she is chair of the department and serves as the pre-health adviser.
Ph D, Brown University
BS, University of New Hampshire