Dr. Michael Serra

Associate Professor
Dr. Michael Serra - profile photo

Dr. Michael Serra

Associate Professor

Chemical & Biological Sciences

Ward Beecher Hall 5033

phone: (330) 941-3667

maserra@ysu.edu

Research Interests

Specific oxidative damage to proteins caused by metal catalyzed oxidation systems. In particular I am interested in investigating the relationship between levels of protein structure on the site-specific nature of the oxidative damage.

Teaching Interests

I teach both undergraduate and graduate level biochemistry courses. I also teach the introductory biochemistry lab and the advanced biochemistry lab. In addition, I teach allied health chemistry.

  • Education
    • 1990

      Ph D, Biochemistry

      Iowa State University, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics

      Dissertation/Thesis Title — "5Å resolution crystal structure of adenylosuccinate synthetase from Escherichia coli, Advisor: Dr. Richard Honzatko"

    • 1984

      BS, Biology

      Adrian College

    • 1984

      BA, Mathematics

      Adrian College

  • Awards and Honors
    • 2020

      Youngstown State University

      Distinguished Professor for Service

      Every year YSU recognizes outstanding faculty in three areas: teaching, scholarship, and servcie. I was given the award for service in Spring 2020

    • 2009

      Youngstown State University

      2008 - 2009 Faculty Improvement Leave

      Faculty Improvement Leave, “Cataractogenesis and CGL: A free radical connection”, awarded for 2008 – 2009 academic year

    • 2004

      Youngstown State University

      2004 - 2005 Sabbatical

      Sabbatical granted for the 2004 -2005 academic year. Purpose: learn techniques of mass spec at Cleveland State University.

    • 2003

      Youngstown State University

      2003 - 2004 Research Professorship

      Research Professorship, “Using Mutants to Investigate the Pattern of Site-Specific Oxidation and its Dependence on Protein Structure”, granted for the 2003 – 2004 academic year.

    • 2002

      Youngstown State University

      2002 - 2003 Research Professorship

      Research Professorship, “Determining the Relationship Between Protein Structure and Site-Specific Damage by Reactive Oxygen Species”, granted for 2002-2003 academic year.

    • 2000

      Youngstown State University

      2000 - 2001 Research Professorship

      “Separation and Structural Determination of Oxidized Lysozyme: Insights Into Site-Specific Damage”, 2000 – 2001 Research Professorship

  • Intellectual Contributions
    • 2014

      "Chemistry 1505L: General Chemistry Laboratory for the Allied Health Sciences"

      M. Serra

      Kendall/Hunt Publishers, issue Second Edition Revised, p. 185

    • 2008

      "Chemistry 1505L: General Chemistry Laboratory for the Allied Health Sciences"

      M. Serra

      Kendall/Hunt Publishers, issue Second Edition Revised, p. 185

    • 2006

      "Chemistry 1505L: General Chemistry Laboratory for the Allied Health Sciences"

      M. Serra

      Kendall/Hunt Publishers, issue Second Edition, p. 185

    • 2004

      "Chemistry 1505L: General Chemistry Laboratory for the Allied Health Sciences"

      M. Serra

      Kendall/Hunt Publishers, issue First Edition Revised, p. 169

    • 2002

      "Chemistry 1505L: General Chemistry Laboratory for the Allied Health Sciences"

      M. Serra

      Kendall/Hunt Publishers, issue First Edition, p. 148

    • 2000

      "Systemic Consequences of Oxidative Stress Following Aortic Surgery Correlates with the Degree of Antioxidant Defenses"

      G. Cornu-Labat, M. Serra, A. Smith, W. McGregor, K. Kasrajan, M. Hirko, J. Turner, J. Rubin

      Annals of Vacular Surgery, volume 14, issue 1, p. 31-36

    • 1993

      "Crystal Structure of Adenylosuccinate Synthetase from Escherichia coli: Evidence for Convergent Evolution of GTP Binding Domains"

      B. Poland, M. Silva, M. Serra, Y. Cho, K. Kim, R. Honzatko

      Journal of Biological Chemistry, The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc, volume 268, p. 25334 - 25342

  • Professional Service
    • Unknown

      Program Organizer
      Penn-Ohio Border Section

    • Unknown

      Program Organizer
      Penn-Ohio Border Section

    • Unknown

      Program Organizer
      Penn-Ohio Border Section

    • Unknown

      Program Organizer
      Penn-Ohio Border Section

    • Unknown

      Program Organizer
      Penn-Ohio Border Section

    • 2010 - 2010

      Officer, President/Elect/Past
      Penn-Ohio Border section of the ACS

    • 2006 - 2024

      Program Coordinator
      U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad

    • 1998 - 2024

      Officer, Treasurer
      Penn-Ohio Border Section of the American Chemical Society

  • Public Service
    • Unknown

      Judge
      Mercy Health Youngstown Regional Research Day

    • 2024 - 2024

      Judge
      2024 Virtual State Science Day

    • 2024 - 2024

      Judge
      Ohio Academy of Science

    • Unknown

      Organizer
      Director, District 15, Lake-to-River Science Day

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      OH Wow Children's Museum Silly Science Sunday

    • Unknown

      Judge
      Mercy Health Youngstown Regional Research Day

    • Unknown

      Organizer
      Director, District 15, Lake-to-River Science Day

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Weblo Troop 1

    • Unknown

      Judge
      Mercy Health Youngstown Regional Research Day

    • Unknown

      Organizer
      Director, District 15, Lake-to-River Science Day

    • Unknown

      Judge
      St. Charles School Science Fair

    • 2021 - 2021

      Judge
      Virtual Mercy Health Youngstown Regional Research Day

    • 2021 - 2021

      Judge
      Virtual District Science Day

    • 2021 - 2021

      Organizer
      Director, District 15, Lake-to-River Science Day

    • Unknown

      Judge
      2020 Holy Family School Local Science Fair

    • Unknown

      Organizer
      Director, District 15, Lake-to-River Science Day

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      OH Wow Children's Museum Silly Science Sunday

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      Federal Frenzy

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      Hubbard STEAM Fest

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Scout Troop 25

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      YSU tent at the Canfield Fair

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Rich Center for Autism

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      Warren J.F. Kennedy Lower Campus

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      Stadium Drive Elementary, Early Genius K-4 STEM program

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Career Day, H.C. Mines Intermediate School

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      Federal Frenzy

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      March for Science

    • Unknown

      Judge
      2018 Holy Family School Local Science Fair

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      OH Wow Children's Museum Silly Science Sunday

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      YSU tent at the Canfield Fair

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      WonderZone Day Care

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      Poland Union Elementary Fun Day

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Career Day, H.C. Mines Intermediate School

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      Youngstown Community School Success after Six program

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      2017 Chemistry Show at the YSU Guinathon

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      Fairhaven School

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Upward Bound

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      OH Wow Children's Museum Silly Science Sunday

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      JFK Lower campus, Warren, OH

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      C. S. Lewis School

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      Fairhaven School

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      OH Wow Children's Museum Silly Science Sunday

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      YSU tent at the Canfield Fair

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      15th Annual STEM Career Day

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Weblo Pack 100, Hubbard

    • Unknown

      Organizer
      Lawrence County Association for Responsible Care (LCARC)

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      OH Wow Children's Museum Silly Science Sunday

    • Unknown

      Organizer
      YSU tent at the Canfield Fair

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      Harding Elementary School

    • Unknown

      Organizer
      Mahoning County Board of Devlopmental Disabilities, Javitz Center

    • Unknown

      Judge
      Horizon Science Academy

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      Horizon Science Academy

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      Campbell Elementary School

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      OH Wow Children's Museum Silly Science Sunday

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      YSU tent at the Canfield Fair

    • Unknown

      Organizer
      Boardman YMCA

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      Robinwood Lane Elementary School

    • Unknown

      Judge
      2013 Holy Family School Local Science Fair

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      OH Wow Children's Museum Silly Science Sunday

    • Unknown

      Judge
      2012 Holy Family School Local Science Fair

    • Unknown

      Judge
      Youngstown Christian School

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Career Day, H.C. Mines Intermediate School

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Career Day, H.C. Mines Intermediate School

    • Unknown

      Judge
      2009 Akiva Academy Science Fair

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      Alumni Day

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Career Day Austintown Middle School

    • Unknown

      Judge
      2008 Akiva Academy Science Fair

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Career Day H.C. Mines Intermediate School

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Career Day Austintown Middle School

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Career Day Austintown Middle School

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Career Day H.C. Mines Intermediate School

    • 2005 - 2006

      Guest Speaker
      Homework Express

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Career Day Austintown Middle School

    • Unknown

      Volunteer
      Market Street Elementary

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Career Day Austintown Middle School

    • Unknown

      Judge
      2004 Holy Family School Local Science Fair

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Career Day Austintown Middle School

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Career Day Austintown Middle School

    • Unknown

      Judge
      2002 New Hope Academy Science Fair

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Career Day Austintown Middle School

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Right to read “Speaker Day”, North Road Intermediate School

    • Unknown

      Judge
      2001 Springfield Intermediate School Science Fair

    • Unknown

      Judge
      Holy Family School Local Science Fair

    • Unknown

      Judge
      2001 Holy Family School Local Science Fair

    • Unknown

      Judge
      2001 New Hope Academy Science Fair

    • Unknown

      Guest Speaker
      Career Day Austintown Middle School

    • Unknown

      Judge
      2000 St. Joseph Catholic School Science Fair

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Education

B.S., B.A.: Biology, Adrian College, MI, 1984

Ph.D.: Biochemistry, Iowa State University, 1990


Research Interests

Free radical damage to proteins