Melissa Beck, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences Cedarville University
Pharmaceutical sciences professor specializing in toxicology, developmental toxicology and drug safety assessment.
Biography
Before joining Cedarville, Beck worked for 12 years at a contract research organization in Ashland, Ohio, where she conducted nonclinical safety assessment studies for drugs intended for human and animal use. Her professional experience includes research involving developmental, juvenile and neurobehavioral toxicity.
Her research examines the effects of prenatal and postnatal exposures, including the developmental and behavioral consequences of drugs, chemicals and substances of abuse. Her scholarly work has addressed juvenile toxicity testing, developmental neurotoxicity, neurobehavioral assessments and animal models used in pharmaceutical safety studies.
Beck earned a Ph.D. in toxicology from the University of Michigan and a B.S. in toxicology from Ashland University. She is a member of the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention and has served in leadership and scientific programming roles for the society, including chairing a communications committee and co-chairing scientific symposia.
Areas of Expertise
Education
University of Michigan
Ph.D.
Toxicology
2001
Ashland University
B.S.
Toxicology
1995
Links
Event Appearances
Symposium co-chair and presenter, “The Ripple Effect: Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome from Birth to Adolescence”
Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention 2025 Annual Meeting Denver, Colorado
Research Focus
Developmental and reproductive toxicology
Effects of drugs and chemicals during pregnancy and after birth
Research focused on how prenatal and postnatal exposures affect development, behavior and health outcomes, including studies of developmental toxicity and substances of abuse.
Juvenile toxicity and pediatric safety
Nonclinical safety assessment for developing organisms
Research and professional work addressing juvenile toxicity testing, pediatric drug development and the use of nonclinical studies to support clinical trials in children.
Neurobehavioral toxicology
Behavioral and neurological effects of chemical exposure
Research examining neurobehavioral outcomes in animal models, including locomotor activity, auditory startle response, learning, memory and other measures used in safety assessment.
Articles
Dayton Killer’s Receipts Raise Questions About Mental Health Care
DigitalCommons-Cedarville (Cedarville University)Melissa J. Beck
2019-01-01
An article examining receipts connected to the Dayton killer and the questions they raise about mental health care.
Assessment of the Effects of MPTP and Paraquat on Dopaminergic Neurons and Microglia in the Substantia Nigra Pars Compacta of C57BL/6 Mice
PLoS ONERichard Jay Smeyne, Charles B. Breckenridge, Melissa J. Beck, Yun Jiao, Mark T. Butt, Jeffrey C. Wolf, Dan Zadory, Daniel J. Minnema, Nicholas C. Sturgess, Kim Z. Travis, Andrew Roger Cook, Lewis L. Smith
2016-10-27
The study assesses the effects of paraquat and MPTP on dopaminergic neurons and microglia in the substantia nigra of C57BL/6 mice, comparing exposure conditions across two mouse strains and laboratories.
The THC tetrad test: Characterization, evaluation, and screening of WIN55 212-2 and other test substances in Wistar Han rats
Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological MethodsJonathan Toot, Michelle Hackman, Timothy Pringle, Matthew T. Bennett, Amy Zmarowski, Kevin Scase, Phil Atterson, Melissa J. Beck
2014-11-01
The study characterizes and evaluates the THC tetrad test in Wistar Han rats, including screening of WIN55 212-2 and other test substances.
An oral (gavage) developmental neurotoxicity study of decabromodiphenyl oxide (DeBDPO) in rats
Toxicology LettersSylvia Jacobi, Hanna Silberberg, Todd J Stedeford, John A. Biesemeier, John Adriano, Melissa J. Beck
2009-08-04
A study of the developmental neurotoxicity of decabromodiphenyl oxide in rats following oral gavage exposure.
Teratology Society Platform Session Abstracts
Birth Defects Research Part A Clinical and Molecular TeratologyMelissa J. Beck, Donahue, D. A., Varsho, J. S., Mark D. Nemec, D. G. Stump, J. F. Holson
2006-05-01
A collection of platform-session abstracts from the Teratology Society covering research presented at the society’s meeting.
