James Smart

James Smart is a Professor of Biology at George Fox University, teaching courses including BIOL 212 (General Biology II), BIOL 335 (Neuroscience), and BIOL 350 (Genetics). He holds a BS in Biological and Physical Sciences from the University of Montana (1994) and a PhD in Neuroscience from Oregon Health & Science University (2003). His office is located in EHS 213.

Research interests span both classical biology and modern interdisciplinary areas:

• Neuroendocrine regulation of energy balance via POMC neurons and melanocortin pathways
• Molecular mechanisms in obesity, insulin resistance, and HPA axis function
• Photosynthetic biophysics in bacterial systems (recent focus)
• Ion channel physiology in metabolic and neuronal contexts
• Transgenic modeling of metabolic disorders

Publication analysis reveals evolving research directions: early work (1991-2003) focused on neuroendocrinology and transgenic models of POMC systems, while recent articles (2018-2024) demonstrate a shift toward photosynthetic mechanisms in bacteria. Key themes include energy homeostasis across biological scales – from neuronal circuits to bacterial energetics.

No scientific awards, advised students, or lab/team affiliations are mentioned in available materials.