Jeffrey Zahratka

Jeffrey Zahratka is an Associate Professor at Baldwin Wallace University, specializing in Cell and Molecular Biology with additional appointments in Neuroscience. He earned his Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Toledo and conducted postdoctoral research at the Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute. His teaching portfolio includes non-majors biology, bioinformatics, genomics, neuroscience, and neurophysiology.

• Education:
• Ph.D., Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Toledo
• Postdoc, Cleveland Clinic
• B.A., Oberlin College

Zahratka’s research investigates how genetic factors, environmental experiences, and nutritional states interact to shape animal behavior, using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism. His work spans molecular neuroscience, including Alzheimer’s disease mechanisms and activity-driven gene expression. Techniques employed include behavioral assays, molecular biology, transgenic models, optical imaging, electrophysiology, and bioinformatics. Recent projects focus on FYN gene regulation in neurodegeneration and serotonin’s role in sensory neuron signaling.

While no formal scientific awards are listed, Zahratka has presented research at major conferences including the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting and the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. He mentors undergraduate researchers and contributes to collaborative projects intersecting student interests and neurobiological inquiry.