Samantha Deal

Dr. Samantha Deal is an Assistant Professor of Biology in the Department of Biology at Mercer University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, where she joined in August 2025. Her research focuses on understanding the role of mitochondria in sleep disruption during aging using the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) as a model organism.

Education:

• IRACDA Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pennsylvania
• Ph.D. in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine
• B.S., North Carolina State University

Dr. Deal's research centers on the intersection of mitochondria, sleep, and aging. She investigates how mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to age-related sleep decline, with particular focus on the mitochondrial polymerase PolG1. Her lab also explores rare human mitochondrial disease genes using Drosophila models to understand their functional consequences. She teaches introductory biology, development, genetics, and neurobiology courses.

Dr. Deal's publication record shows a consistent focus on using Drosophila models to study neurodevelopment, neurodegeneration, and the genetic basis of sleep and behavior. Her work bridges basic genetic research with potential clinical applications in understanding rare human diseases.

Her laboratory, the Deal Lab, employs various techniques including Drosophila Activity Monitoring systems and fluorescent reporters to study mitochondrial structure and function in relation to sleep. The lab's research has implications for understanding age-related sleep disorders and mitochondrial diseases.