Education
1998 Ph.D., University of Southern
California
1996
M.S., University of Southern
California
1991
B.A., University of
Virginia
Professional Training and
Positions
Professor, Ashland University, Department of
Biology, 2009 – present
Chair, Department of Biology/Toxicology, 2008 - present
Associate Professor, Ashland University, Department of
Biology, 2003 – 2009
Assistant Professor, Ashland University, Department of
Biology, 1999 - 2003
Postdoctoral Fellow, The Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA
School of Medicine, 1998 - 1999
Adjunct Professor, Santa Monica College, 1998
Lecturer, University of Southern California, 1998
Adjunct Professor, Glendale College, 1997
Grants and Funding
NIH AREA Grant, Alpha
Crystallin function in the zebrafish, 2010-2013, $158,000
NIH AREA Grant, Structure/function analysis of alpha A
crystallins, 2005-2009, $132,000
NIH AREA Grant, Alpha crystallin chaperone function in the
zebrafish, 2001-2005, $91,800
Ashland University Summer Research Grant, 2001, 2004
($2,000 per year)
National Eye Institute Post-Doctoral Training Grant, 1999
Recent Presentations (last seven years)
Skiba, J, A. Drossman, A.J. Kiss, J.F. Hejtmancik, Y.
Sergeev, M. Posner. 2010. Comparison of
bony fish αA-crystallins identifies amino acid
substitutions that affect chaperone-like activity and
thermal stability. Association for Research in Vision and
Ophthalmology, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Poster.
Posner, M, N. Meyers, J.O. Liang. 2009. Morpholino
knockdown of alpha A crystallin in the Zebrafish (Danio
rerio). Association for Research in Vision and
Ophthalmology, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Poster.
Posner, M, J. Nussbaum, A.J. Kiss, C.C. Cheng, J.F.
Hejtmancik, Y. Sergeev. 2008. Comparison of bony fish
αA-crystallins indicates that thermal adaptation in
chaperone-like activity results from changes in hydrophobic
folding energy. Association for Research in Vision and
Ophthalmology, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Poster.
Posner, M., R.W. Corbin, M. Hawke, C. LaCava, C. Prince.
2007. Proteomics of the zebrafish (Danio rerio)
lens. Association for Research in Vision and
Ophthalmology, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Poster.
Posner, M., A. Smith, J. Adams, A. Kiss, C-H C. Cheng.
2005. Possible thermal adaptation in the small heat shock
protein a-crystallin from Antarctic, temperate and tropical
bony fish species. Society for Integrative and Comparative
Biology, San Diego, California. Talk.
Posner M., M. Danko, A .Smith, R. Richards. 2004. Tissue
specific expression of alpha B crystallin in the amphibian
Rana catesbeiana. Association for Research in
Vision and Ophthalmology, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Poster.
Posner, M., J. Dahlman, K. Margot and J. Horwitz. 2003.
Comparison of zebrafish and human alpha crystallin
chaperone activity. Association for Research in Vision and
Ophthalmology, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Poster.
Posner, M. and J. Horwitz. 2003. A comparative view of
alpha crystallin chaperone function in the vertebrate lens.
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, Anaheim,
CA. Invited symposium talk.
Dahlman, J., K. Margot, J. Horwitz and M.
Posner. 2003. Chaperone function of the heat shock
protein alpha crystallin in the zebrafish lens. Society for
Integrative and Comparative Biology, Anaheim, CA. Poster.
Ad Hoc Reviewer for
BMC Biology,
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology,
Canadian Journal of Zoology, Cellular and Molecular Life
Sciences, Copeia, Current Eye Research, Development,
Development Genes and Evolution. FEBS Journal, Gene,
Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Journal of
Experimental Biology, Molecular Vision, National
Science Foundation, Proteome Science, Proteomics
Awards
and Honors
Taylor Excellence in Teaching Award, Ashland
University, 2009
Nominee, Taylor Excellence in Teaching Award, Ashland
University, 2008, 2007, 2003
Nominee, Outstanding Male Faculty Member of the Year,
Ashland University, 2006
Academic Mentors Award, Ashland University, 2005
Faculty Member of the Month, Ashland University, 2005
Nominee, Ashland University Mentors Award, 2004
Nominee, Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year, 2004
Stoye Award for Best Student Paper in Physiology and
Physiological Ecology, American Society of Ichthyologists
and Herpetologists, 1998
Durham Award for Best
Student Paper, Southern California Academy of Sciences,
1998
Outstanding
Teaching Assistant Award, University of
Southern California, Department of Biological
Sciences, 1994, 1997, 1998
Best Student Paper, Southern
California Academy of Sciences, 1997
Professional Affiliations
American Society of Ichthyologists and
Herpetologists
Association for Research in Vision and
Ophthalmology
National Center for Science
Education
Society for Integrative and Comparative
Biology