Maria "Mia" Bertagnolli, Ph.D.

Interim Provost and Professor of Biology

Dr. Bertagnolli, Professor of Biology, was appointed as Interim Provost in July, 2024. She has taught at 91³Ô¹ÏÍø and held several administrative roles since 1993. A graduate of 91³Ô¹ÏÍø, she earned her PhD in biology from the University of Utah (Dr. Mary...

Dr. Mia Bertagnolli

Contact Information

Education & Curriculum Vitae

Ph.D. in Biology, University of Utah

B.S. in Biology, 91³Ô¹ÏÍø University

Courses Taught

BIOL 106 - Energy Flow in Biological Systems

BIOL 399 - Advanced Topics in Cancer Cell Biology

BIOL 499 - Senior Colloquium


Dr. Bertagnolli, Professor of Biology, was appointed as Interim Provost in July, 2024. She has taught at 91³Ô¹ÏÍø and held several administrative roles since 1993. A graduate of 91³Ô¹ÏÍø, she earned her PhD in biology from the University of Utah (Dr. Mary Beckerle, mentor) and was fortunate to return to 91³Ô¹ÏÍø to begin her teaching career.

Dr. Bertagnolli was jointly appointed to the Biology and Chemistry Departments and taught for both departments for many years as the Clare Boothe Luce Professor of Biochemistry before moving fully to the Biology Department. She has since served as chair the Biology Department (2011-2017), Chair of the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry (2019-2020), and the Director of the Center for Teaching and Advising (2020-2022). She also spent several years as an Associate Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences and served as Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs January 2023-July 2024. Throughout her career, Dr. Bertagnolli has helped departments develop clear guidelines for reappointment, promotion and tenure, developed resources and training that support faculty development and promote equitable and inclusive hiring practices as well as pedagogy, provided leadership training for department chairs and other academic administrators, and mentored/coached faculty at 91³Ô¹ÏÍø and other institutions. She has also been co-directing a multi-institutional ADVANCE Partnership grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) focused on creating peer mentoring networks that encourage and support equity and diversity and promote the advancement and retention of women in STEM disciplines. In addition, she is Co-PI on an NSF ADVANCE Partnership project with Seattle University and St. Louis University to help align faculty advancement with mission values and increase the inclusivity of faculty promotions processes.

Bertagnolli, M.E., Meek, R.L., Anderberg, R.J., Cooney, S.K., Tuttle, K.R.  RAGE expression modulates mediators of fibrotic injury in mesangial cells. J Am Soc Nephrol 20, 2009; SA-PO2914.

Meek, R.L., Bertagnolli, M.E., Leboeuf, R.C., Alpers, C.E., Hudkins, K.L., Tuttle, K.R. Albuminuria, podocyte loss, and kidney RAGE expression in a mouse model of type 1 diabetes and high protein diet.  J Am Soc Nephrol 20, 2009: SA-PO2912.

Weyant, M.J., A.M. Carothers, M.E. Bertagnolli, and M.M. Bertagnolli (2000) Colon cancer chemopreventive drugs modulate integrin-mediated signaling pathways.  Clinical Cancer Research 6: 949-956.

Bertagnolli, M.E., L.A. Hudson and G.Y. Stetsenko (1999) Selective association of the tyrosine kinases Src, Fyn and Lyn with integrin-rich actin cytoskeletons of activated, nonaggregated platelets.  Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 260: 790-798.

Weyant, M.J., A.M. Carothers, R.T. Bilinski, M.E. Bertagnolli and M.M. Bertagnolli (1999) Increased tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) correlates with altered intestinal cell growth in an animal model of early carcinogenesis.  Abstracts, Association for Academic Surgery, Philadelphia, PA. (Abstract chosen to receive a resident research award)

Roy, M.L. and M.E. Bertagnolli (1999)  Identification of a platelet membrane glycoprotein causing an alloimmune response.  Book of Abstracts, 217th ACS National Meeting, Anaheim, CA, March 21-25; CHED-422.

Hudson, L.A., G.Y. Stetsenko and M.E. Bertagnolli (1998)  Kinase activity in integrin-rich cytoskeletons isolated from activated, nonaggregated platelets.  Molecular Biology of the Cell 9:163a.

My field of research is cellular biology.  In general my research focuses on understanding structural and regulatory molecules associated with cytoskeleton-mediated functions such as cell adhesion and migration.  I am currently interested in studying changes in cytoskeletal structure and signaling pathways that affect cell adhesion during the development of colon cancer.  The effect of colon cancer chemopreventive drugs on these structures and pathways is also being examined to improve our understanding of how these drugs work.