Rate My Professor Matthew Saelzler

Matthew Saelzler serves as an Assistant Professor in the Biological & Physical Sciences department at Columbus State Community College, specializing in Biology instruction. He teaches courses such as BIO 1113 Biological Diversity and BIO 1111 Introduction to Biological Sciences, and acts as lead instructor for General Biology. Saelzler earned his B.A. in Biology from the University of Chicago and his Ph.D. in Biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. During his doctoral research at MIT in the Weinberg laboratory, he developed extensive expertise in molecular and cellular biology, with a focus on tumor formation using mouse models. His contributions included providing technical assistance for studies on protein kinase C isoforms determining growth factor sensitivity and invasiveness in human mammary epithelial cells, published in Molecular and Cellular Biology in 2000, as well as critical reviews for landmark papers such as "The Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Generates Cells with Properties of Stem Cells" in Cell in 2008 and "Concurrent Suppression of Integrin α5, Radixin, and RhoA Phenocopies the Effects of Mutating TGF-β Type II Receptor in Mammary Epithelial Cells" in Cancer Research in 2010.

In his career at Columbus State Community College, Saelzler has demonstrated outstanding teaching prowess, earning the Distinguished Teaching Award for 2022-23. He co-developed the college's Biotechnology associate degree program with Sacha Tadros, assistant professor in Health Professions and Wellness, enhancing biotechnology training opportunities. This effort received a $250,000 gift from Ohio Life Sciences in 2024 to fund a biotech bootcamp accelerating career entry. Saelzler plays a key role in the Amgen Biotech Experience Central Ohio team, delivering teacher training for hands-on molecular biology labs. He coordinates district science fairs, hosts events at the college, and presents at statewide STEM conferences. Additionally, he co-authored the "BIO-1111 Lab Manual: Custom Intro to Biological Sciences I," second edition, published by BlueDoor Publishing with Julie K. Cronk, Nardos Lijam, and Rachael Romain. His office is located in New Hampshire Hall 443.