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About Dr. Hempel

A molecular phytopathologist by training, Dr. Hempel enjoys anything plant-related and the outdoors. For her Master's Degree/Diploma, she attended the RWTH Aachen, one of Germany's most renowned universities that ranks among the top hundred universities worldwide. Her major is in microbiology, and her minors are plant physiology, molecular biology, and environmental hygiene. She completed her master's thesis at the Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine at the University Hospital RWTH Aachen.

After finishing her master's degree, Dr. Hempel worked as a researcher at the Institute for Biochemistry and Medical Molecular Biology at the Saarland University and Medical School, Germany, before continuing her education by enrolling in a doctorate program.

Dr. Hempel earned her Ph.D./Dr. rer. nat at the University of Konstanz, another leading university in Germany, working on a molecular-based research project identifying proteins expressed during the biotrophic phase of an obligate fungal parasite (Uromyces fabae) on broad bean (Vicia faba) plants. She worked with RNA expressed during the biotrophic phase and applied several molecular biological methods (Northern-, Western- and Southern blotting, PCR, sequencing, the transformation of bacteria, and yeasts).

After a few years in corporate research, she immigrated with her family to the United States and is working full time as a Professor at West Virginia University-Parkersburg.

There she teaches or taught General Biology 101/103, General Biology 102/104, Principles of Physiology 117, Anatomy and Physiology (107, 108, 109), and Botany.