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Rita M. Heuertz, Ph.D., MLS(ASCP)

Professor
Clinical Health Sciences

Education

  • ​​Post-Doctoral Fellowship, University of Chicago
  • Ph.D., in Cell and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University
  • ​​​​M.S., in Microbiology, Missouri State University
  • ​​​​B.S., in Medical Technology, Missouri State University

Research Interests

Dr. Heuertz’s lab is focused on bacterial growth and antibiotic resistance. The major avenues of research are mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, bacterial biofilms, identification of novel inhibitors of bacterial growth and biofilm development, elucidation of the innate immune response to bacterial biofilm-associated infections, development of quantitative assays for bacterial and biofilm assessment, and medical consequences of bacterial biofilms.

Professional Experience

  • Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS(ASCP)) in the Microbiology and Immunology Laboratories at:
    • Truman Medical Center in Kansas City, MO
    • Mercy Regional Health Center in Springfield, MO
  • Preceptor and Director of Microbiology Student Practicum experiences at Mercy Regional Health Center in Springfield, MO
  • Subject Matter Expert for online educational program
  • Grant Reviewer for National Institutes of Health (NIH), American Heart Association (AHA), American Society for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (ASCLS), Saint Louis University (SLU) Internal Grants

Professional Organizations and Associations

  • Alpha Eta, National Honor Society of the Allied Health Professions
  • American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
  • American Society for Clinical Pathology
  • American Society for Microbiology
  • Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society