Ann E. Hagerman

Ann E. Hagerman is a Professor at Miami University leading the Hagerman Lab, focusing on plant polyphenols and tannins biochemistry.

Education:

• Ph.D. from Purdue University (1980)

Her research centers on tannins—plant natural products (≥500 g/mol) with multiple phenolic moieties that form stable protein complexes. She investigates their antioxidant activity, roles in human diet (tea, wine, chocolate, fruits), and ecological significance in soils/plant-herbivory systems. Her work establishes structure-activity relationships to characterize tannins as individual bioactive compounds.

Professor Hagerman mentors graduate students in bioanalytical/structural biology projects and undergraduates in natural product isolation, HPLC, mass spectrometry, and bioactivity assays. Her current collaborative project with Colorado State University uses “omics” science and chemistry to study condensed tannin biodegradation in gut, rumen, and soil microbiomes, focusing on Sorghum procyanidin metabolism.

The Hagerman Lab develops analytical methods per the Tannin Handbook and identifies microbial pathways for tannin polymer decomposition, providing purified compounds for collaborative research.