Staff profile

Anna joined the department of Biosciences at Durham in 2024 as an Assistant Professor on the education track. She primarily teaches on Molecules and Cells and Fundamentals of Bioscience Research, and has a strong interest in building biochemistry skills and the transition to University.

Anna's scholarship is wide-ranging, but she has a particular interest in flipped pedagogies, guided-inquiry learning, and student resilience. She serves the department as Digital Learning Coordinator and Theme Lead for Molecular and Cellular Biology, among other roles, and is the founder of the Durham Biosciences Neurodivergent Network, a mixed student-staff group serving the neurodivergent community within the department.

Anna attended Carleton College for her BA and The Ohio State University for her PhD, where she completed her thesis on the role of plant nuclear envelope proteins in rhizobial symbiosis in the model legume Medicago truncatula. Prior to joining Durham, Anna has held positions at Columbus State Community College, Capital University, the University of Pittsburgh, and University College London. 

In her free time, Anna loves exploring the outdoors, reading a good book, and baking. 

 

• 2024: Fellow of the Higher Education Association:
• 2023 - 2024: UCL Faculty of Life Sciences Education Award :
• 2019 - 2020: The Ohio State University Center for Life Sciences Education Outstanding Teaching Award :

Journal Article

• Medicago LINC Complexes Function in Nuclear Morphology, Nuclear Movement, and Root Nodule Symbiosis
  
  Newman-Griffis, A. H., del Cerro, P., Charpentier, M., & Meier, I. (2019). Medicago LINC Complexes Function in Nuclear Morphology, Nuclear Movement, and Root Nodule Symbiosis. Plant Physiology, 179(2), 491-506. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.18.01111
• Dynamic Changes in Plant Nuclear Organization in Response to Environmental and Developmental Signals
  
  Groves, N. R., Biel, A. M., Newman-Griffis, A. H., & Meier, I. (2018). Dynamic Changes in Plant Nuclear Organization in Response to Environmental and Developmental Signals. Plant Physiology, 176(1), 230-241. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.17.00788
• Regulation of nuclear shape and size in plants
  
  Meier, I., Griffis, A. H., Groves, N. R., & Wagner, A. (2016). Regulation of nuclear shape and size in plants. Current Opinion in Cell Biology, 40, 114-123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceb.2016.03.005
• GAP Activity, but Not Subcellular Targeting, Is Required for Arabidopsis RanGAP Cellular and Developmental Functions
  
  Boruc, J., Griffis, A. H., Rodrigo-Peiris, T., Zhou, X., Tilford, B., Van Damme, D., & Meier, I. (2015). GAP Activity, but Not Subcellular Targeting, Is Required for Arabidopsis RanGAP Cellular and Developmental Functions. The Plant Cell, 27(7), 1985-1998. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.114.135780
• Nuclei in motion: movement and positioning of plant nuclei in development, signaling, symbiosis, and disease
  
  Griffis, A. H. N., Groves, N. R., Zhou, X., & Meier, I. (2014). Nuclei in motion: movement and positioning of plant nuclei in development, signaling, symbiosis, and disease. Frontiers in Plant Science, 5, Article 129. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2014.00129

Newspaper/Magazine Article

• Explainer: How a seed grows into a plant
  
  Newman-Griffis, A., & Junghans, J. (2024, October 21). Explainer: How a seed grows into a plant. Science News Explores.

Other (Digital/Visual Media)

• Data Analysis Recitation Activities Support Better Understanding in SEA-PHAGES CURE
  
  Newman-Griffis, A. H., Sypolt, E., Sagatelova, M., Cubonova, L., Danhart, E., & Kulesza, A. E. (2020). Data Analysis Recitation Activities Support Better Understanding in SEA-PHAGES CURE [Teaching resource]. CourseSource.

Presentation

• You can flip it! Tips and tricks for flipped learning in (part of) a large lecture module
  
  Newman-Griffis, A. (2025, September 15). You can flip it! Tips and tricks for flipped learning in (part of) a large lecture module. Presented at Durham Learning & Teaching Conference 2025: Active Pedagogy, Durham University.
• Towards a course-based undergraduate research experience for third-year Biological Sciences students: the CURE for research training?
  
  Newman-Griffis, A. (2023, April 18). Towards a course-based undergraduate research experience for third-year Biological Sciences students: the CURE for research training? Presented at UCL Education Conference 2023: Designing Futures-focused Education, University College London.