Andrea Florian

Biography

I am originally from the Chicago suburbs and earned my B.S. from Olivet Nazarene University, where I double-majored in Chemistry and Biology. During my undergraduate studies, I had many opportunities to tutor, serve as a teaching assistant, and teach labs for younger students. These experiences, along with the strong relationships I built with my professors, sparked my interest in teaching at the college level.

After moving to Nashville, I completed my Ph.D. in Cell and Developmental Biology at Vanderbilt University. My graduate research focused on developing novel treatments for rhabdoid tumor, a rare pediatric cancer, and I continued this work during my postdoctoral fellowship. During my graduate work, I eagerly sought out opportunities to mentor undergraduate and junior graduate students and deliver guest lectures. I also earned a Certificate in College Teaching from Vanderbilt's Center for Teaching.

 As I completed my graduate training, I chased my passion for teaching and joined Belmont University as a Lecturer in 2022. In August 2023, I became a full-time faculty member in the Biology Department. I feel incredibly fortunate to be in my dream job, where I get to engage with students both inside and outside the classroom, helping to prepare them for their incredible futures, just as my professors did for me.

My current research broadly focuses on understanding how various substances affect cells. This includes exploring chemotherapies and supplements for cancer treatment, as well as investigating how toxic chemicals impact cells or organisms. If a substance sounds interesting, let’s throw it on cells and see what happens!

Outside of Belmont, I enjoy spending time with my husband, David, staying active, trying new restaurants, or doing jigsaw puzzles.