GREENVILLE, S.C. (August 28, 2024) – Rebecca Garcia returns to Bob Jones University as an assistant professor in the Division of Natural Science in the College of Arts & Science.
She earned a BA in Natural Sciences with an emphasis in Biology from Erskine College and a PhD in Healthcare Genetics from Clemson University.
Garcia previously served as vice president for product development at CoDiagnostics, Inc. (formerly DNA Logix, Inc.) in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has also been a laboratory scientist for Selah Genomics (formerly Lab21, Inc.) in Greenville, a lab manager/assay development scientist for Cooperative Diagnostics (Greenwood, South Carolina) and genetic laboratory technologist for Greenwood Genetic Center.
She has published several journal articles and given numerous conference presentations.
This academic year, she is the program coordinator for Biotechnology and teaching Intro to Biotechnology, Biotechnology Research, Scientific Grant Writing, and two new courses in Molecular Design and IP and Regulatory Affairs and Biomanufacturing.
BJU is the only school in the Upstate with a biotechnology track. South Carolina leads the fastest growing biotechnology and life sciences industry in the southeast.
“We have a great biotech program and over the past two years have built up the program and student opportunities through collaborations and grants. We have top-of-the-line equipment for student research which will prepare our students for industry work or graduate schools,” said Garcia. “I push the biotech students to get involved in the industry and present at conferences. Every year for the past two years, biology has had a student present at regional and national conferences, some winning awards and others receiving high acclaim from being the only undergraduate to participate. I want to keep our students involved and excited. This year we are focusing on fundraising for the Science and Engineering Endowment Fund so we can continue to hold SITS and RIUs for summer research.”
She and her husband, Marlon, have a son. They own Anthony’s Pizzeria in Simpsonville.
