MSMS FACULTY
Meet our experienced health sciences faculty that puts student comprehension first.
Mildred MC Olivier, MD, FACS
Associate Dean, School of Medicine St. Louis Campus
BS – Loyola University of Chicago
MD – Chicago Medical School
Dr. Olivier received her medical degree from Chicago Medical School (CMS) . She completed her ophthalmology residency at Columbia University/ Harlem Hospital Center in New York and her fellowship in Glaucoma at the Kresge Eye Institute, Wayne State University. Most recently Dr. Olivier served as the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion in the office of Academic Learning Environment and Professor of Ophthalmology while maintaining a clinical practice specializing in Glaucoma.
The scope of her work involves professional development, retention, academic support, mentoring, and collaborations with local and national medical associations. Her goal is to allow Underrepresented in Medicine (UiM) students to meet the challenges of the healthcare needs in their communities. Her commitment to increasing the diversity of the healthcare workforce is also shown through her work with the National Medical Association, a clinical practice honoring the mission and global ophthalmology initiatives. We welcome students, staff and faculty committed to these goals.
Ferrahs Abdelbaset, DC
Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
Assistant Professor
B.A. – St. Louis UniversityD.C. – Logan College of Chiropractic
Dr. Abdelbaset is a licensed chiropractic physician with an active practice in the St. Louis-area focusing on maintaining wellness, pain management, and preventive healthcare. His areas of special emphasis are the spine, central nervous system, peripheral nervous system and associated musculature.
In addition to his clinical practice, he is an experienced professor who has taught health professions education at various institutions in the St. Louis area for nearly a decade. He will be teaching courses in physiology and anatomy.
Israel Alvarado, PhD
Assistant Professor
Assistant Course Director, Biochemistry
MSMS Coordinator, THI Univeristy Partners
BS – California State University, San MarcosPh.D. – University of Nevada-Las Vegas
Dr. Alvarado is a PhD scientist with extensive research experience both in academia and in private industry. He has previously taught at Nevada State College, Arizona College of Nursing, Touro University of Nevada, and the College of Southern Nevada and he has published articles and presented papers at scientific conferences on these topics. He will be teaching courses in the areas of microbiology and biochemistry.
Annessa Blackmun, DPM
Assistant Professor
BS – Kentucky State UniversityDPM – New York College of Podiatric Medicine
Dr. Blackmun is a licensed podiatrist and health care consultant with a special interest in wellness and preventive healthcare. She completed a postdoctoral podiatric medicine and surgical residency at Ochsner Medical Center in Louisiana.
In addition to her clinical work as a podiatrist, she consults with and provides professional services to a variety of nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the St. Louis area. She also provides business development consultation services to various healthcare companies and medical practices. She will be teaching courses in anatomy and medical ethics.
Shannon Green, DC
Assistant Professor
MSMS Coordinator, MSMS Online
BS – Purdue UniversityDC – Logan University
Dr. Green is a licensed chiropractor with experience working in a fast-paced multidisciplinary practice committed to pain management and overall patient wellness. She brings a wealth of healthcare knowledge to the classroom as a health professions education instructor. At PHSU, she is an assistant professor teaching courses in Neuroscience and Histology.
Seema Haridas, PhD
Associate Professor
Assistant Course Director, Microbiology
BS – University of MumbaiPhD – Oklahoma State University
Dr. Seema Haridas is an Associate Professor in the Department of Basic Sciences. Prior to joining PHSU, she has taught at St Charles Community College and Coastal Carolina Community College.
Dr.Haridas received her Master’s degree in microbiology from the University of Mumbai and her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from Oklahoma State University. She completed her post-doctoral research work in immunology at St. Louis University. She will be teaching courses in the areas of microbiology and biochemistry.
Stephanie Nygard, PhD
Assistant Professor
BS – Wagner College
PhD – City University of New York
Dr. Nygard is a PhD neuroscientist with expertise teaching psychology and neuroscience to undergraduates at Hunter College CUNY. Additionally, she was also an NSF Graduate STEM Teaching Fellow where she developed curriculum for two inquiry-based neuroscience courses.
Dr. Nygard also has extensive research experience in the field of behavioral neurobiology and more recently she was awarded a three-year NIDA Postdoctoral Training Fellowship in the Departments of Anesthesiology, Neuroscience and Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine, where she studied the role of opioid systems in stress regulation and addiction. Dr. Nygard will be teaching courses in neuroscience, and interprofessional.
Murad Odeh, PhD
Assistant Professor
Assistant Course Director, Physiology
BS – Yarmouk University, IrbidPhD – Louisiana State University
Dr. Murad Odeh received a Ph.D. in Microbiology from Louisiana State University, where his doctoral research was focused on the role of curved DNA in Bacillus subtilis RNA polymerase-promoter interactions. Dr. Odeh is an excellent professor and quickly came to love the challenges and rewards of working with students. He has worked as an associate Professor of Biology, Chair of the Biology Department, and Interim Administrator for Curriculum & Student Learning at South Texas College.
Outside academia, Dr. Odeh collaborated with the McGraw-Hill technology team to develop innovative and continually evolving digital content as part of his role as a Digital Faculty Consultant (DFC). If he is not working, he enjoys cooking, watching movies, exercising, and traveling. His favorite quotation is, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” He will be teaching courses in Physiology.
Devi Ramakrishnan, PhD
Assistant Professor
Course Director – Community Medicine and PBL
Research Director for St. Louis Campus
BS – University of Missouri – Columbia
PhD – Saint Louis University
Dr. Devi Prasadh is physician-scientist and practiced at a surgical gastroenterology hospital. His research interests are in the molecular mechanisms of sleep-apnea, oxygen-sensing, hypertension, angiogenesis, atherosclerosis, thrombosis and microparticles with implications in cardiovascular and cancer disorders.
He has published original research in clinical and basic sciences, taught and mentored students in the USA and abroad. At PHSU, he will be training students in clinical and basic medical sciences.
Andrea Reaka, PhD
Assistant Professor, Biochemistry
BS – University of Illinois – Chicago
MS – University of Illinois – Chicago
PhD – University of Illinois – Chicago
Dr. Andrea Reaka received her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago where her research focused on Molecular Modeling and Drug Design. She did a Post-doctoral Fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis focusing her researching on beta-turn mimetics for a protein scaffolding library. She has presented and published her work in various media.
Dr. Reaka has previously taught at the School of Pharmacy at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Harris-Stowe State University, along with various community colleges including St. Louis Community College and Southwest Illinois College. She will be teaching courses in the areas of biochemistry and pharmacology.
Chiedozie Waturuocha, PhD
Associate Professor
Assistant Course Director, Anatomical Science and Coordinator, PBL’s
MBBCH – University of Calabar
MS – Oklahoma State University
PhD – Oklahoma State University
Dr. Chiedozie Waturuocha is a Pediatric infectious diseases specialist. He completed his Pediatrics Residency/ Fellowship at the University of Benin teaching hospital in Nigeria. He also holds MS and Ph.D. degrees from Oklahoma State University. He is a dynamic educator that brings almost 20 years of experience in academic/ research/ clinical roles to complement the training of future physicians.
Dr. Waturuocha leans on his professional skills in his interactions with students while integrating his practical clinical experiences into his lectures. He will be teaching courses in Gross Anatomy and Community Medicine.
