Rate My Professor Terry Lopez

Terry Lopez serves as a Biology Instructor and Biology Department Co-Chair at Saddleback College within the School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Referred to as Dr. Lopez in official college documents, he was hired as a full-time faculty member in the Biological Sciences department following the retirement of Dr. Jane Horlings around 2022. Dr. Lopez possesses a research background in molecular biology and extensive experience teaching a wide variety of biology courses, including both lecture and laboratory components. His office is located in SCI 115, and he engages in college governance activities, such as participating in Academic Senate meetings and being listed in Board of Trustees documents.

Dr. Lopez's research specializations in molecular biology have focused on aging processes, stress resistance, and the impacts of dietary compounds on lifespan and reproduction using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. While affiliated with the University of California, Irvine, he contributed to studies in the Departments of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Pharmacology, and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Notable publications include 'Metabolic Reserves and Evolved Stress Resistance in Drosophila melanogaster' (Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 2007), co-authored with Samuel E. Schriner and others, which examined metabolic adaptations in fruit flies under stress conditions. Another key paper is 'Green Tea Polyphenols Extend the Lifespan of Male Drosophila melanogaster While Impairing Reproductive Fitness' (Journal of Medicinal Food, 2014), where he investigated how green tea polyphenols affect mitochondrial function, longevity, and fertility in male flies. These works highlight his contributions to understanding the molecular mechanisms of dietary interventions on organismal physiology. At Saddleback College, Dr. Lopez supports the department's mission to provide students with foundational knowledge in biological sciences through diverse coursework offerings.