Rate My Professor Kim Catania

Dr. Kimberley Catania serves as an Assistant Lecturer in the School of Biomedicine at Monash University, within the Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology at the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute. She earned her Doctorate in the Molecular Biology of Skeletal Muscle from Deakin University, completing it around 2016. During her doctoral studies, she taught anatomy and related subjects at Deakin University and RMIT University. At Monash, Catania has made significant contributions to biomedical education, particularly in units such as BMS2011: Structure of the Human Body: An Evolutionary and Functional Approach, where she acted as practical coordinator alongside Dr. Luca Fiorenza and helped implement strategies that drastically improved student learning outcomes. She has also coordinated DEV2022: Human Anatomy and Development: Tissues and Body Systems and contributed to BMS1021: Cells, Tissues and Organisms. Her passion for teaching anatomy, physiology, and diseases is evident in her innovative approaches to assessment and engagement.

Catania's research centers on educational pedagogy, including teamwork assessments in the Biomedical Science degree, funded by the Monash Education Academy, to enhance student experience and outcomes. Her earlier work includes peer-reviewed publications such as 'NDRG2 promotes myoblast proliferation and caspase 3/7 activities during differentiation, and attenuates hydrogen peroxide - But not palmitate-induced toxicity' (2015, FEBS Open Bio) and 'Countering disuse atrophy in older adults with low volume leucine supplementation' (2020, Journal of Applied Physiology). Recent conference abstracts feature 'Redefining Assessment: Implementing Large-Scale Viva Voce Exams in Anatomy Courses' (2024) and 'Enhancing Student Engagement in Laboratories: Implementing Pass/Fail Lab Skill Competencies' (2024, with collaborators). She has earned the Biomedical Science Teaching Award (2018, as part of the BMS2011 team), the BDI Innovation in Learning and Teaching Award (2020, with Dr. Chantal Hoppe for DEV2022), and contributed to Monash's teaching excellence recognition. Her efforts align with UN SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being through educational advancements in biomedicine.