William G. Pearson, Jr., Ph.D., is the Discipline Chair and Associate Professor of Anatomy at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine at Auburn. He has been interfacing with medical students for over thirty-five years as a medical educator and mentor. He previously taught anatomy at Harvard Medical School, Boston University School of Medicine, and the Medical College of Georgia. In 2019-21 he was as a visiting scholar with the Harvard Human Flourishing Program.
Education
| Year | University | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine | PhD in Anatomy and Neurobiology |
| 1986 | Microbiology with General Honors, University of Georgia | BS with General Honors in Microbiology |
Research Interests
Dr. Pearson is an educational innovator and translational scientist. As an educator he has a special interest in repurposing medical educational systems for human flourishing. He is principal investigator on a collaborative educational innovation grant with multiple VCOM faculty members entitled, “A Flourishing Approach to Physician Formation”, funded by a KNN for Flourishing in Medicine Reimagination Award.
In addition, Dr. Pearson is a principal investigator and co-founder of the Functional Anatomy Research in Osteopathic Understanding and Treatment (FAROUT) Lab. He was awarded a VCOM REAP Grant to investigate the mechanisms behind trauma-informed autonomic recalibration treatment for dysfunctional myofascial pain.
Dr. Pearson's previous research, which was funded through an F31 grant with the NIDCD, involved developing a novel method for analyzing and visualizing the pharyngeal phase of human swallowing using video fluoroscopy and MRI. This method, known as the computational analysis of swallowing mechanics (CASM), has significant potential for improving our understanding of swallowing function and disorders.
Awards
- Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Auburn Campus, Researcher of the Year, 2023
- Medical College of Georgia, Distinguished Faculty Award in Basic Science Teaching, 2017
- Sushruta-Guha Award in Clinical Anatomy, American Association of Clinical Anatomists, Orlando, FL, July 2014
- Third Place in Scientific Platform Presentation, Dysphagia Research Society, Seattle, WA, March 2013
- Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Fellowship (NIDCD), 2011-2012
- Third Place in Scientific Platform Presentation, Dysphagia Research Society, San Deigo, CA, May 2010
Activities
- American Association for Anatomy Dysphagia Research Society