Sherri Steele
Teaching and Learning Consultant
Dr. Sherri Steele has been an educator and leader in post-secondary education since 2008, with experience as a professor, Program Coordinator, Associate Dean and as a Teaching and Learning Consultant. She carries a strong knowledge of the Ontario College system and maintains a consistent focus on the creation of high-quality, supported and student-centered teaching and learning practices. Her teaching experience falls into the area of Life and Health Sciences, where she has taught and supported pathway and certificate students, as well as degree and diploma learners in the areas of biology, anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, introductory chemistry, and nutrition. In her work with faculty, Dr. Steele brings a practical and passionate approach to teaching and learning practices and has an ongoing interest in assessment practices using outcomes-based approaches and a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) perspective. She also has experience in supporting retention and engagement strategies, particularly focused on student success.
Before transitioning to the College system as an educator, Sherri completed a PhD in Medical Science at the University of Toronto. Her work focused on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of injury taking place following acute traumatic spinal cord injury, in an effort to develop clinically relevant therapeutic interventions and treatments. Her thesis entitled: “The Role of Fas-Mediated Apoptosis in the Pathophysiology of Acute Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury” was presented at numerous local and international conferences, and she won several awards for her work over the years. Her work also contributed to a patented therapeutic treatment for patients suffering from acute spinal cord injury.
A selection of presentations, publications and awards are listed below.
Awards
November 2008: University of Toronto Program in Neuroscience Travel Award at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting.
May 2008: First Prize Poster Award, TWRI Research Day, University Health Network
September 2006: Institute of Medical Sciences Continuing Fellowship, University of Toronto and the Unilever-Lipton Fellowship in Neuroscience, University of Toronto
May 2006: International Neurotrauma Symposium Travel Award
June 2004 – June 2006: Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation Studentship
Oral Presentations
May 2006 – International Neurotrauma Symposium, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
“Neuroprotection of the Injured Spinal Cord Through Administration of a Soluble Fas Receptor to Block Fas-Mediated Apoptosis”
November 2007 – Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Annual Meeting, San Diego CA
“Delayed glial expression of Fas/FasL contributes to secondary cell death and can be therapeutically targeted following acute spinal cord injury”
November 2008 – Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Annual Meeting, Washington DC
“Intrathecal IgG delivery enhances behavioural recovery and promotes axonal sparing following moderately severe cervical spinal cord injury”
Publications
Robins-Steele, S., Nyugen, H. and Fehlings, MG. (2012) Delayed post-injury administration of intrathecal sFasR shows promising efficacy after cervical spinal cord injury. Journal of Neurotrauma 29(8):1586-1599.
Robins, S. and Fehlings, MG. (2008) Models of experimental spinal cord injury: translational relevance and impact. Drug Discovery Today: Disease Models, online publication.
Ackery, A., Robins, S. and Fehlings, MG. (2006) Inhibition of Fas-mediated apoptosis through administration of soluble Fas receptor improves functional outcome and reduces posttraumatic axonal degeneration after acute spinal cord injury. Journal of Neurotrauma 23(5): 604-616.