Professor Lemons was raised in Herndon, Virginia and was the first in her family to graduate from college. She earned a biology major and a degree in secondary education from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. Following graduation, Professor Lemons pursued her PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL, where she studied spinal cord injury. She pursued her love of education by teaching as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY for one year, which she greatly enjoyed. To further enhance her research training, Prof Lemons conducted six years of postdoctoral training in the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy at the University of Utah, in Salt Lake City Utah. After this time, she began working at Assumption University, where she enjoys teaching and mentoring undergraduates in the classroom, in the lab, and in extracurricular and community service activities, as a Professor of Biology and the Center for Neuroscience Director.
Education
B.S., The College of William and Mary, Biology major, Education degree and certification
1993 Ph.D., University of Florida, Neuroscience
1999 Ph.D. dissertation title: “Inhibition of regeneration in the injured, adult spinal cord: potential role of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, specifically aggrecan.”
Courses Taught
Principles of Neuroscience lecture and laboratory
Matters and Mysteries of your Brain
General Physiology, lecture and laboratory
Concepts in Biology, laboratory
Human Biology in Health and Disease, lecture and laboratory
Independent Study. Mentored students
Mentored student internships
Independent Study
Awards
National Science Foundation, Research Collaborative Network (RCN) Undergraduate Biology Education (UBE) 2024-2028
Title: RCN-UBE: Transforming Learning and Equity in UBE by Cultivating an Ecosystem of Feedback (TUnE BIO)
Funding: $ 496,043
Role: Co-Principle Investigator serving with PI Dr. Sarah Cavanagh at Simmons University
Award number: 2417992
National Science Foundation, Research Collaborative Network (RCN) Undergraduate Biology Education (UBE) 2021-2023
Title: RCN UBE Incubator: Transforming Assessment, Feedback, and Grading in Undergraduate Biology Education
Funding: $74,960 (direct and indirect costs)
Role: Co-Principle Investigator serving with PI Dr. Sarah Cavanagh
Funding duration: September 2021-December 2024
National Science Foundation, Division of Integrative Organismal Systems
Title: RUI: Collaborative Research: Molecular mechanisms of dendrite development, maintenance and plasticity: in vivo single-neuron analysis in C. elegans.
Role: Principle Investigator
Funding: $245,710 total: $184,183 direct costs plus $61,527 indirect costs
research, training Assumption undergraduates, training URM students and training high school biology teacher. Funds are also used to purchase a fluorescent dissecting microscope for the College that is available to all colleagues and students.
Funding duration: 1/15/2019– 12/31/2023
Paul Ziegler Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarship. 2020.
This award is given by the President of Assumption University to a faculty member who was nominated by colleagues and selected by the Presidential Award Committee.
Selected to serve as Guest Coach for Assumption University football team.
All-American Football kicker Cole Tracey ’18 requested that I serve as a guest coach for the last home game. I attended practices, and film study sessions and watched the game from the sidelines with the team after walking on the field with team captains for coin toss. 2016
Editor’s Top Pick of published articles in JUNE (Journal for Undergraduate Neuroscience Education). 2012.
The Editor of JUNE selected my article as the best-published manuscript in JUNE during 2012.
Publications
McKillop and Genao are undergraduates who earned authorship on this paper. M.L., Lemons, H. McKillop, N Genao, M.M. Francis (2024). The extracellular matrix molecule Collagen XVIII/CLE-1 affects neuronal dendritic spines. microPublication Biology. 10.17912/micropub.biology.001331. PMC ID: PMC11577049.
S.R Cavanagh, M.L. Lemons., B.M. Dewsbury., J.R. Eyler,. L. Fergusson-Kolmes, J.M. Lang, H.L. Urry, L.B. Wheeler (in preparation). Equitizing STEM Retention: Transforming Assessment, Feedback, and Grading in Undergraduate Biology Education (TUnE-Bio) Network. CBE LSE special issue: Equity, Inclusion, Access and Justice in Biology Education.
S. Ramachandran, N. Banerjee, R. Bhattacharya, M.L. Lemons, J. Florman, C.M. Lambert, D. Touroutine, K. Alexander L. Schoofs, M.J. Alkema, I. Beets, M.M. Francis. (2021) A conserved neuropeptide system links head and body motor circuits to enable adaptive behavior. Elife. Nov 12; 10:e71747. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.71747
M.L. Lemons (2021) Phantom Limb Pain: Feeling Sensation From A Limb That Is No Longer Present And What It can Reveal About Our Brain Anatomy. The Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education (JUNE). 19(2):C1-C11.
D. Oliver, E. Norman, H. Bates, R. Avard, M. Rettler, C.B. Benard, M.M. Francis, M.L. Lemons.(2019) Integrins Have Cell-Type-Specific Roles in Development of Motor Neuron Connectivity. Journal of Developmental Biology. 7(3), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb7030017.
A. Philbrook, S. Ramachandron, C.M. Lambert, D. Oliver, J. Florman, M.J. Alkema, M. Lemons, M.M. Francis. (2018) Neurexin directs partner-specific synaptic connectivity in C. elegans. Elife. Jul 24;7. pii: e35692. doi:
10.7554/eLife.35692.
M.L. Lemons (2017) Referee Report For: A novel educational module to teach neural circuits for college and high school students: NGSS-neurons, genetics, and selective stimulations [version 1; referees: 3 approved with reservations]. F1000Research 2017, 6:117 (doi: 10.5256/f1000research.11456.r20684) https://f1000research.com/articles/6-117/v1#referee-response-20684
M.L. Lemons. (2017). Locate the Lesion: A Project-Based Learning Case that Stimulates Comprehension and Application of Neuroanatomy. Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education. 15(2) C7-C10.
M.L. Lemons. (2016). An inquiry-based approach to study the synapse: student-driven experiments using C.
elegans. Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education. 15(1). A44-A55.
Powell, S., Vinod, A., Lemons, M. L. (2014) Isolation and Culture of Dissociated Sensory Neurons From Chick Embryos. J. Vis. Exp. (91), e51991, doi:10.3791/51991.
M.L. Lemons, M.L. Abanto, N. Dambrouskas, C.C. Clements, Z. DeLoughery, J. Garozzo, M.L. Condic. (2013) Integrins and cAMP mediate netrin-induced growth cone collapse. Brain Research, (1537) 46-58.
M.L. Lemons (2012) Characterizing Mystery Cell Lines: Student-driven Research Projects in an Undergraduate Neuroscience Laboratory Course. Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education. 10(2): A96-A104. This manuscript won the editor’s choice award.
Presentations
Cultivating an Ecosystem of Asset-based Feedback in Introductory Courses: A Test Case from Biology. Cavanagh, S.R., Dewsbury, B, Wheler, L., Lemons, M.L. (2025). AAC&U in-person theory to practice session
Cavanagh, S.R., Eyler, J.E., Wheler, L., Lemons, M.L. (2023). Assessment, Feedback, & Grading in Introductory Biology: Current State of Play. 46th Annual Meeting of the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education. November, Pittsburgh, PA.
McKillop,H., Genao, N., Francis, M.M., Lemons, M.L. (2023) Investigating roles for extracellular matrix in neuronal synapse formation. Society for Neuroscience Meeting, Faculty for Undergraduate Research symposium.
McKillop, H., O’Keefe, S., MacQuarrie, L., Francis, M.M., Lemons, M.L. (2022). Investigating Roles of the Extracellular Matrix in Synapse Formation. Society for Neuroscience Meeting, Abstract Control # 10425.
Lemons, M.L. (2021) Promoting Enduring Learning by Connecting Course Content to Community Service. Society for Neuroscience Meeting. Virtual poster presentation.
O’Keefe, S., McKillop, H., MacQuarrie, L.M., Francis, M.M., Lemons, M.L. (2021) Investigating the roles of the extracellular matrix in synapse development. Assumption University Summer Research Symposium.
Armstrong, W., Bates, H., Norman,E., Oliver, D., Alexander,K. Francis, M.M., Lemons, M.L. (2019) Molecular mechanisms of neural circuit development. Society for Neuroscience Meeting, Faculty for Undergraduate Research symposium.
Lemons, M.L., Philbrook, A. Ramachandran, S., Oliver, D., Lambert, C. Francis, M.M. (2017) The synaptic organizer neurexin coordinates cholinergic connectivity with GABAergic neurons. Board B45. #368.20. Society for Neuroscience Meeting.
Avard R.C., Rettler M.M., Temple M.W., Lemons M.L. (2015) Conformational state of integrins causes significant axonal patterning defects in GABAergic motor neurons. Poster #30, Society for Neuroscience Convention, Faculty for Undergraduate Research symposium.
Additional Information
I am a strong advocate for undergraduate research opportunities. I typically train students in my research lab and in the research of my collaborator’s lab in the Department of Neurobiology at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School in Worcester, MA.