Alexandra Pettit
Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream
- Ph.D. (University of Ottawa)
- Email Alexandra Pettit
A biochemist and neuroscientist by training, my research has historically explored the brain’s own regenerative capacity; first examining the role of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins in mitigating neurodegenerative disease severity and later, mechanisms regulating adult hippocampal neurogenesis. During my graduate studies, pedagogy and STEM education captured my attention and over the last 10+ years as an educator my focus has become delivering courses in biochemistry, biology and neuroscience using a wide variety of student-centered, evidence-based approaches. I am passionate about creating teaching resources to support active learning in the classroom with a focus on using biomolecular visualization to integrate learning core disciplinary concepts and scientific skills development.
Teaching
BIOC/BIOL 2200 – Cellular Biochemistry
BIOC 3102 – Biochemical Signals and Structures: The Molecular Language of Cells
BIOC 3103 – Experimental Biochemistry I: Principles and Practices
BIOC 3104 – Experimental Biochemistry II: Research Experience
BIOC 4007 – Membrane Biochemistry
Select Publications and Conference Proceedings
Maier JKX, Balabanian S, Coffill CR, Stewart A, Pelletier L, Franks DJ, Gendron NH and MacKenzie AE (2007) The Distribution of Neuronal Apoptosis Inhibitory Protein in Human Tissues. J Histochem Cytochem. 55(9):911-23
Pettit, A. S., Johnson, K. A., Gadd, B., & Dutta, S. (2025). Box of Lessons: An Open Educational Resource for Exploring Biomolecular Structure and Function. Journal of College Science Teaching, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/0047231X.2025.2472144
Scherle, T.K., Pettit, A., and Harris, C.(2024) Rimonabant & Cannabinoid Receptors: Teaching The Next Generation. 3rd Annual Cannabis Scientific Symposium: From Plants to People, 2024
Scherle, T.K., Harris, C., and Pettit, A.S (2024) Using a data-focused molecular case study to improve students’ understanding of molecular interactions and conformational change. Ottawa-Carleton 3rd Symposium on Science Education, 2024
Procko K, Pettit A, Pollock E, Riley KJ, Vardar-Ulu D, and Dutta S. (2023) Developing a Pipeline for Authoring, Piloting, and Evaluating Molecular Case Studies. Discover Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Annual Meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Journal of Biological Chemistry 299 (3), S247, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2023.103499
Mastroianni, B, Montpetit C.J. , and Pettit A.S. (2023) Do students’ attitudes toward active learning in science affect buy-in? Western Conference on Science Education 2023 (WCSE 2023).
Pettit AS, Desroches R and Bennett SAL. (2012) The opiate analgesic buprenorphine decreases proliferation of adult hippocampal neuroblasts and promotes survival of their progeny. Neuroscience, 200:211-222
Imbeault S, Gauvin LG, Sorbara CD, Migahed L, Toeg HD, Pettit A, DesRoches R, Menzies AS, Nishii K, Paul DL, Simon AM and Bennett SAL. (2009) Gap junction protein expression and function in postnatal hippocampal neural progenitor cells is controlled by the extracellular matrix, BMC Neurosci 10:13