Education:

Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Science, University of Connecticut

Bachelor of Science, Biology, Fitchburg State University

Bachelor of Science, Psychological Science, Fitchburg State University

Biography:

Robert Pijewski is a neuroscientist by training and studied the role of cellular senescence in disease and age-related pathologies. Dr. Pijewski also works to understand how environmental toxicants lead to changes in nervous system development. Prior to joining AMC, Dr. Pijewski was an adjunct faculty member at University of Saint Joseph and University of Hartford. At Anna Maria, he teaches a variety of courses in biology and mathematics. In addition to teaching and research, Dr. Pijewski founded a career development group called Beyond the PhD, and is very active in the local community promoting science education through high school organizations.

Research Interests:

Developing vectors to target senescence-associated genes implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, molecular cloning, synapse biology, and understanding the genetic pathways involved in neural development.

Publications:

Pijewski, R.S., Sutter, P.A., . . . Crocker, S.J. (2022) Distinct profiles of cellular senescence- associated gene expression in the aged, diseased or injured central nervous system. Neuroscience Letters.

Sutter, P.A., McKenna, M.G., Imitola, J., Pijewski, R.S., Crocker, S.J. (2022) Therapeutic opportunities for targeting cellular senescence in progressive multiple sclerosis. Current Opinion in Pharmacology

Biswas, J., Pijewski, R.S., Makol, R., . . . Oliver, D.L., Martinelli, D.C. (2021) C1ql1 is expressed in adult outer hair cells of the cochlea in a tonotopic gradient. PLoS One 16(5): e0251412

Reiter, CR., Rebiai, R., Kwak, A., Marshall, J., Wozniak, D., Scesa, G., Nguyen, D., Rue, E., Pathmasiri, C., Pijewski, R., van Breemen, R., Cologna, S., Crocker, SJ., Givogri, MI., Bongarzone, ER. (2022) The Pathogenic Sphingolipid Psychosine is Secreted in Extracellular Vesicles in the Brain of a Mouse Model of Krabbe Disease. ASN Neuro. 2022 Jan-Dec;14:17590914221087817. doi: 10.1177/17590914221087817. PMID: 35300522; PMCID: PMC8943320.