Anatomical Sciences

Education

Dr. Karriger is trained as an anthropologist interested in paleoanthropology. Her research interests include dental microwear, human and comparative anatomy, human osteology, Neandertal morphology, craniofacial growth and development, and medical education.

Dr. Mary Piscura, PhD, is a dedicated faculty member with a strong passion for teaching anatomy and advancing pain research. She attended The Ohio State University (Columbus, OH) in her home state for her bachelor’s in biology, where she identified her enthusiasm for anatomical education. She completed her PhD in anatomy from The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine (Hershey, PA), with part of her dissertation work taking place remotely at Marshall University (Huntington, WV). Dr. Piscura is interested in investigating the mechanisms underlying pain perception and exploring non-opioid alternatives for pain management, which she has explored in various preclinical mouse models. She is also a co-founder of a nationwide anatomy outreach initiative, the Anato-Bee, aiming to promote anatomical knowledge and awareness in the wider community. Through this initiative, she seeks to inspire young minds and foster a deeper appreciation for the wonders of the human body. Dr. Piscura's commitment to advancing pain research, teaching anatomy, and promoting anatomical literacy highlights her enthusiasm for enhancing both scientific knowledge and public understanding of the human body.

Education

Education

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

Dr. Cawley pursues research in diverse areas related to functional anatomy. His research goal is to better understand the myofascial system and its interaction with the nervous system plays a role in chronic pain.  This includes understanding how manual therapies improve functioning and decrease pain. Dr. Cawley enjoys being part of a functional anatomy research team at VCOM-Auburn that is seeking to develop tools and methods that can enhance the study of functional anatomy and chronic pain.

Dr. Carter is originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, where she studied human osteology with Dr. William Bass, known for his research on decomposition of the human body to help crime investigations. Her graduate research at the University of Chicago was on chimpanzee skeletal pathology and stable isotopic bone chemistry of primates in Kibale National Park, Uganda. She first studied and taught human anatomy, histology, and embryology at Pritzker School of Medicine during graduate school. She also spent many years working in archaeology and was a Certified Human Osteologist in Illinois, where she worked on cemetery relocation projects and assisted with forensic cases. She taught anatomy and cadaveric dissection at numerous medical schools, prompting her to get her medical degree in 2012. In lieu of residency, Dr. Carter returned to academic medicine and taught anatomical sciences at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine in Dothan for many years. Now at VCOM Auburn Campus, she continues to serve as a consultant on skeletal forensic cases through the Montgomery Medical Examiners Office, overseen by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. She is passionate about death and mortality in medical education and research.

Education