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Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Damon Perez

Meet Dr. Damon Perez

Degrees and Experience
  • Ph.D., Environmental Health - Toxicology (Colorado State University)
  • B.A., Biology, Chemistry minor (University of Colorado - Colorado Springs)
  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Mayo Clinic Cancer Genetic and Epidemiology Program
Biography and Professional Achievements

Since joining CCU in 2011, Dr. Perez has played a pivotal role in shaping the biology curriculum, designing courses such as Human Genetics and Genomics, Microbiology, and Environmental Science. He is recognized for his commitment to academic excellence and student engagement, ensuring that students not only gain scientific knowledge but also integrate their faith into their learning. Dr. Perez's leadership extends beyond the classroom, as he currently serves as Chair of the College of Adult and Graduate Studies (CAGS) Institutional Review Board (IRB) and manages all online science affiliate faculty and curriculum.

Dr. Perez’s accolades include multiple nominations for CCU’s Outstanding Faculty Award, which he won in 2015. Dr. Perez has been honored to present at several national conferences. His contributions to academic integrity and student development at CCU have been showcased in guest lectures and presentations, including sessions on APA guidelines, academic integrity, and protecting human research participants.

Publications
  • Perez, D. S. (2023). Christian views on creation and evolution. Biblical Studies and Apologetics Blog. https://www.ccu.edu/blogs/cags/category/christian-studies/christian-views-on-creation-and-evolution/
  • Silva, J. M., Perez, D. S., Pritchett, J. R., Halling, M. L., Tang, H., & Smith, D. I. (2010). Identification of long stress-induced non-coding transcripts that have altered expression in cancer. Genomics, 95(6), 355–362. <ttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygeno.2010.03.004
  • McKernan, K. J., Peckham, H. E., Costa, G. L., McLaughlin, S. F., Fu, Y., Tsung, E. F., ... Perez, D. S., ... Blanchard, A. P. (2009). Sequence and structural variation in a human genome uncovered by short-read, massively parallel ligation sequencing using two-base encoding. Genome Research, 19(9), 1527–1541. https://doi.org/10.1101/gr.091868.109
  • Soderberg, C., Perez, D. S., Ukpo, O. C., Liang, X. H., O’Reilly, A. G., Moore, E. J., Kademani, D., & Smith, D. I. (2008). Differential loss of expression of common fragile site genes between oral tongue and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas. Cytogenetic and Genome Research, 121(3–4), 201–210. https://doi.org/10.1159/000138882
  • Perez, D. S., Hoage, T. R., Pritchett, J. R., Ducharme-Smith, A. L., Halling, M. L., Ganapathiraju, S. C., Streng, P. S., & Smith, D. I. (2008). Long, abundantly-expressed, non-coding transcripts are altered in cancer. Human Molecular Genetics, 17(5), 642–655. https://doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddm346
  • Perez, D. S., Handa, R. H., Yang, R. S. H., & Campain, J. A. (2008). Gene expression changes associated with altered growth and differentiation in benzo[a]pyrene or arsenic-exposed normal human epidermal keratinocytes. Journal of Applied Toxicology, 28(4), 491–508. https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.1293
  • McAvoy, S., Zhu, Y., Perez, D. S., James, C. D., & Smith, D. I. (2008). Disabled-1 is a large common fragile site gene, inactivated in multiple cancers. Genes, Chromosomes and Cancer, 47(2), 165–174. https://doi.org/10.1002/gcc.20518
  • McAvoy, S., Ganapathiraju, S. C., Perez, D. S., James, C. D., & Smith, D. I. (2007). DMD and IL1RAPL1: Two large adjacent genes localized within a common fragile site (FRAXC) have reduced expression in cultured brain tumors. Cytogenetic and Genome Research, 119(3–4), 196–203. https://doi.org/10.1159/000112069
  • McAvoy, S., Ganapathiraju, S. C., Ducharme-Smith, A. L., Pritchett, J. R., Kosar, F., Perez, D. S., Zhu, Y., James, C. D., & Smith, D. I. (2007). Non-random inactivation of large common fragile site genes in different cancers. Cytogenetic and Genome Research, 118(2–4), 260–269. https://doi.org/10.1159/000108304
  • Smith, D. I., McAvoy, S., Zhu, Y., & Perez, D. S. (2007). Large common fragile site genes and cancer. Seminars in Cancer Biology, 17(1), 31–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.semcancer.2006.10.009
  • Perez, D. S., Armstrong-Lea, L., Fox, M. H., Yang, R. S. H., & Campain, J. A. (2003). Arsenic and benzo[a]pyrene differentially alter the capacity of differentiation and growth properties of primary human epidermal keratinocytes. Toxicological Sciences, 76(2), 280–290. https://doi.org/10.1093/toxsci/kfg234
Faith and Learning

Dr. Perez believes that integrating faith and learning involves viewing academic pursuits through a spiritual lens and recognizing that faith and knowledge are not separate but complementary. Moreover, by applying biblical principles to studies, students can cultivate a holistic approach that values both intellectual growth and spiritual development. This integration fosters critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and a deeper understanding of the world, all while strengthening personal faith in the learning process.