Biography
Dr. Gilley-Connor is new to the Liberty faculty family and she is excited to be able to use science to shine the light of Jesus. Exploring the intricacies of neuroscience at the anatomical, cellular, and molecular levels, one cannot help but be in awe of what God has created.
In her academic career, she has grown passionate about advocating for and assisting students. In college, she was never the fastest learner when it came to course material or lab techniques, but in time she learned and became passionate about those subject matters and became proficient in many techniques. Dr. Gilley-Connor loves being able to help students sort through and consolidate material and give everyone the time they need to learn and understand a complex concept or technique. Having mentors who did that for her has given her an opportunity to do it for others.
Whether you’re a graduate student or an undergraduate student, she is happy to be an ear and sounding board for your stresses and concerns and is excited to hear what is going well for you too.
Beyond being a professor and mentor, Dr. Gilley-Connor is also a big nerd. She loves high fantasy and sci-fi in both movies and video games. She also loves hiking with her husband, horseback riding, running, martial arts (American Kenpo), and creating traditional or digital art.
Courses Taught
- BIOL 213 – Anatomy & Physiology
- BIOL 224 – General Biology 1 Lab
- BIOL 435 – Neurobiology
- BIOM 610 – Human Neurology & Neuroanatomy
Research Interests
Dr. Gilley-Connor has her Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience, concentrating in neuroimmunology. She studies how inflammation leads to pathological changes in molecular pathways in the brain along with subsequent changes in behavior, including cognitive decline and depression.
Dr. Gilley-Connor’s research uses pre-clinical models to explore these phenomena in a variety of contexts, including the detrimental changes associated with breast cancer, chemotherapy, diabetes, high-fat diet, chronic stress, and changes in offspring following gestational viral infections. Exploring what is protective against these factors is also extraordinarily important. Thus far, she has studied how cardiovascular exercise and the antidepressant, Fluoxetine (AKA Prozac), can counteract some of the maladaptive changes enacted by the variables mentioned above. In future research, she aims to explore how antioxidant-enriched dietary supplementation can counteract many of those factors as well.
Presently, Dr. Gilley-Connor is looking to start up research with a group of undergraduate students to continue to explore neuroimmunity in a variety of contexts. Stay posted for a link to her lab website soon!
Professional Membership
- Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society
- Society for Neuroscience