Kristen Walton

Dr. Kristen Walton serves as a Professor at Missouri Western State University, where she has been a faculty member since 2006. Her academic work bridges physiological research and educational innovation within the biological sciences.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Physiology from the University of North Carolina
• B.S. in Biology from Missouri State University

Dr. Walton's research program investigates critical mechanisms in intestinal health and disease, with emphasis on host-microbe interactions in inflammatory bowel disease. She employs both cellular and murine models to examine how probiotics and prebiotics modulate intestinal inflammation. Concurrently, her Biology education research analyzes pedagogical adaptations during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on data-driven assessment of remote learning efficacy. Her dual expertise enables translational approaches connecting laboratory discoveries with classroom applications.

Collaborating with Dr. Grantham, she directs student research projects in tissue culture techniques and inflammation modeling. These opportunities require foundational biology coursework and attract students interested in physiology, immunology, and quantitative analysis.

No scientific awards are documented in the provided materials.

Dr. Walton actively mentors undergraduate researchers through hands-on laboratory projects, though no formal graduate advisees or external grants are specified. Her supervisory approach emphasizes technical skill development in aseptic culture methods and cellular function assays.

Her research laboratory operates within Agenstein Hall, fostering collaborative investigations into microbiome-host dynamics while providing immersive training environments for student scientists.