Biography

Dr. Sharon Cooper completed her B.S. in molecular and cellular biology from Cedarville. During her time at Cedarville, she completed two summer internships: one at Princeton University and the other at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. While at Ohio State for graduate school she studied molecules involved in neural development. The majority of her research focused on one particular gene (protocadherin-19), which is linked to childhood epilepsy.

Education and Credentials

• Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology, The Ohio State University
• B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Cedarville University
  

Scholarly Works

• δ-Protocadherin Function: From Molecular Adhesion Properties to Brain Circuitry (Sharon Cooper) Faculty Dissertations (2017)
• The Mechanism of Protocadherin-19 Mediated Adhesion and Its Role in Brain Morphogenesis and Female Epilepsy (Sharon Cooper, James D. Jontes and Marcos Sotomayor) Gordon Research Conference – Cell Contact & Adhesion (2017)
• Examining the Structural Determinants of Protocadherin-19 Function in Brain Morphogenesis and Epilepsy (Sharon Cooper, James D. Jontes and Marcos Sotomayor) The Ohio State University Life Science Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Symposium (2016)
• Understanding Pcdh19 Function: From Brain Morphogenesis to Molecular Adhesion Properties (Sharon Cooper) Zebrameet (2015)
• Wiring the Brain: The Role of Protocadherin-19 in Neurodevelopment (Sharon Cooper, M. R. Emond and James D. Jontes) Zebrameet (2014)

Interests

• Board games, crafts, hiking, playing sports (racquetball, basketball, disc golf), and volunteering with children’s programs at our church
• Why Cedarville:Cedarville creates a great environment for student-faculty interactions, and I enjoy being able to interact with students both inside and outside of the classroom and helping students learn. As I approached the end of my Ph.D. program, God opened the opportunity for me to come back and teach at Cedarville. Through a series of events, God seemed to be leading me here, and I am excited to see how God will use me at Cedarville.