Cynthia Ryder

Cynthia Ryder is an Associate Professor of Biology and Chair of the Department of Math & Science at Midway University, where she has been teaching since 2015. She teaches core biological sciences including Microbiology, Cell Biology, Genetics, Molecular Biology, and Immunology, as well as research courses for junior and senior Biology majors.

Her educational background includes a B.A. in Biology from Furman University and a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from Wake Forest University. She has been teaching at the university level since 2010.

Dr. Ryder's research focuses on the opportunistic bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is significant in both environmental and clinical contexts. Her work explores the organism's presence in natural settings and the mechanisms it employs to cause infections in humans and animals. Undergraduate students actively participate in this research, gaining hands-on experience in microbiological and molecular techniques.

Although no recent publications are listed, her research trajectory emphasizes microbial pathogenesis, host-pathogen interactions, and environmental reservoirs of infection. This aligns with broader interests in infectious diseases and microbial ecology.

• No scientific awards or honors are mentioned in the available text.

Dr. Ryder advises undergraduate research students and integrates research into her curriculum, though specific names of advisees are not provided. There is no mention of external grants or funded projects. She leads the Department of Math & Science, indicating active administrative and academic leadership.

She is involved in undergraduate research mentorship and likely oversees a small research group or lab focused on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, though no formal lab name or team structure is specified.