The University of Toledo

1970-1974    B.S. (Biology)        Denison University, Granville, Ohio
1975-1980    Ph.D. (Anatomy)    University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York 
1980 - 1981  Post Doctoral Fellowship University of Rochester, Center for Brain Research 
1981 - 1984  University of Rochester, Neuroendocrine Unit
 2000 -2001  Teaching Fellowship, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo Ohio

My first ten years in the department I was a member of a busy collaborative research team. My bench research program within the group was related to the development and plasticity of sensory projections in the central nervous system. In particular, my work focused on the role that neurochemicals play during the elongation and arborization of axonal processes from neurons of sensory thalamic nuclei to the cerebral cortex. Seminal work in our lab found that one specific neurotransmitter, serotonin, as well as, one class of it’s receptors and it’s high affinity uptake site are transiently expressed during development in the sensory cortices and play a significant role in the modeling of these thalamocortical axonal arbors.

My current research interests are in the field of education.  Recent work with my colleagues has focused on the development and use of plastinated specimens as a teaching tool in the human dissection laboratory setting.
  

In the late 1990s I began working with two other members of the Department of Neurosciences, Mark Hankin and Dennis Morse, in collaboration with a medical illustrator Roy Schneider and the Center for Creative Instruction (CCI) to develop educational software entitled Anatomy Revealed. The premise for this software was to provide a digital interface for a “melt away” approach to human dissection.  Digital photography of carefully orchestrated dissections in the cadaver lab were used to captured images that were enhanced and combined to create a permanent record that students can review repeatedly. Several years of work resulted in an award-winning multidisciplinary educational software product.  Six Anatomy Revealed modules (presented on four CD-ROMs) have been produced for use in our medical school curriculum.  These modules explore in detail the anatomy of the head and contain numerous related clinical correlations.

In 2003, McGraw-Hill Publishing approached the authors of Anatomy Revealed about creating a version of the software for undergraduate students to use.  Over the course of the several years, the authors have worked create a widely successful CD which covers all body systems. The authors and publishers expect the organ systems-based APR to set a new standard for computer-based learning in the field.

For the last ten years I have played a very active role in the redesign and implementation of multiple changes in the preclinical curriculum in the school of medicine.  I currently serve the institution as Associate Dean for the Preclinical Curriculum. I also serve as the block director for a first year curricular block entitled, “Human Structure and Development”.  This is a 15-week core course currently team taught for approximately 175 medical students yearly.  I also provide lectures in the Neuroscience block for medical students and am a primary instructor in the Gross Anatomy course for Physicians Assistants (College of Allied Health).

I serve as the Program Director for students in the Masters of Science in Biomedical Sciences in Medical Science Program. The program is designed to improve the foundational knowledge of students who wish to gain admission into a medical school. As Program Director I am responsible for the admissions process and organization of the one year curriculum.  The 40 students in the program enroll in 40 didactic credits. I also coordinate the MEDStart program which is 2-week experience offered during the summer for students who have gained early admission to the College of Medicine.  

• Schneider R, Hankin MH, Morse DE, and Bennett-Clarke CA.  (2007) Anatomy and Physiology Revealed,  All systems are included on a single. (Undergraduate Edition) (CD-ROM, ver 2.0).  McGraw-Hill Publishers.

• Schneider R, Hankin MH, Morse DE, and Bennett-Clarke CA.  (2004) Anatomy Revealed: Cranial Cavity. (Professional Edition) (CD-ROM, ver 1.0).  Medical College of Ohio, Toledo, Ohio.

• Schneider R, MH Hankin, DE Morse, CA Bennett-Clarke. Anatomy Revealed – Nasal and Oral Cavities (CD-ROM, v. 1.0). Medical University of Ohio, Toledo, OH, 2003.

• Schneider R, MH Hankin, DE Morse, CA Bennett-Clarke. Anatomy Revealed – Orbit (CD-ROM, v. 1.0). Medical University of Ohio, Toledo, OH, 2000.

• Schneider R, MH Hankin, DE Morse, CA Bennett-Clarke. Anatomy Revealed – Face (CD-ROM, v. 2.0). Medical University of Ohio, Toledo, OH, 1999.

• Boylan, C.B., Kesterson, K.L., Bennett-Clarke, C.A., Chiaia, N.L. and Rhoades, R.W. (2001) Neither peripheral nerve input nor cortical NMDA receptor activity are necessary for recovery of a disrupted barrel pattern in rat somatosensory cortex.  Dev. Brain Res. 129:95-106. 

• Boylan, C.B., Bennett-Clarke, C.A., Crissman, R.S., Mooney, R.D., and Rhoades, R.W. (2000) Clorgyline treatment elevates cortical serotonin and temporarily disrupts the vibrissae-related pattern in rat somatosensory cortex. J. Comp. Neurol. 427:139-149.

• Young-Davies, C.L., Bennett-Clarke, C.A., Lane, R.D., and Rhoades, RW (2000) Selective facilitation of serotonin 1B receptor causes disorganization of thalamic afferent and barrels in somatosensory cortex of rat. J Comp. Neurol. 425:130-138.

• Lieske, V., Bennett-Clarke, C.A., and Rhoades, R.W. (1999) Effects of 5-HT on neurite outgrowth from thalamic neurons in vitro. Neuroscience, 11: 179-185.

• Rhoades, R.W., Chiaia, N.L., Lane, R.D., and Bennett-Clarke, C.A. (1998) Effect of activity blockade on changes in vibrissae-related patterns in the rat’s primary somatosensory cortex induced by serotonin depletion. J. Comp. Neurol., 402:276-283.

• Bennett-Clarke, C.A., Chiaia, N.L., and Rhoades, R.W. (1997) Contributions of raphe-cortical and thalamocortical axons to the transient somatotopic pattern of serotonin immunoreactivity in rat cortex.  Somatosen. Motor Res., 14: 27-33.