Camellia Okpodu
Botany Department
Professor
Specialization—Plant oxidative stress responses, epigenomics and machine learning in plant research, climate resilience, and extremophilic algae antioxidant metabolism.
Education
- Ph.D., Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, North Carolina State University
- B.S., Biochemistry, North Carolina State University
Courses
- BOT 3000 – Plant Form and Function
- BOT 4550, 5550 and Comp. Sci. 5010
- Honors BOT 1000– Plant, Women, and the Environment
- Life 1010 – General Biology
- Life 1003 – Current Issues in Biology
Websites
University Committees/Special Appointments
- Faculty Senator (elect), UW Department of Botany Fall 2023
Research
Dr. Camellia Moses Okpodu's research explores the intersection of plant biochemistry, climate change, epigenetics, and plant stress responses. Her work aims to understand how plants adapt to environmental stressors and how biochemical pathways can be leveraged for ecological sustainability.
Selected Publications
Okpodu CM and Okpodu-Pyuzza S. 2025. Training the Next Generation: A Generative AI-enhanced Framework for Teaching Bioinformatics to Life Science Students with Relevance to Cardiovascular Innovation. Glob J Medical Clin Case Rep. 12(6):140-142. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.17352/2455-5282.000214
Okpodu, C. M. (2024, December 5). I am not a fake. I am authentically me. ASBMB Today. Retrieved from https://www.asbmb.org/asbmb-today/opinions/120524/i-am-not-a-fake-i-am-authentically-me
Okpodu, Camellia Moses and Bernadette J. Holmes. 2023. Navigating the Frontlines of Climate Change: Resilience and Perspectives of Climate Champions in Global Warming – A Concerning Component of Climate Change (Intech Open https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.1002186)
Okpodu, Camellia Moses, Bernadette J. Holmes, Myron N. V. Williams, Pamela Waldron-Moore, Pearline Tyson, and Charles K. Twesigye. 2022. "Climate Conversations: A One Day Virtual Symposium on the Impact That Climate Change Has on the African Diaspora" Environmental Sciences Proceedings 20, no. 1: 2. https://doi.org/10.3390/environsciproc2022020002
Okpodu, Camellia M. 2021. Earth, Water, and Fire (EWF): Using the African Diaspora to Teach and Support a Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Environment to Enhance Interest in the GeoSciences. 65th ACUBE Meeting. October 16th Zoom.
Okpodu, Camellia M. 2020. “What it will take to do the work of Laudato Si': stewardship for all, by all” June 26, 2020. Earth Beat. [https://www.ncronline.org/news/earthbeat/what-it-will-take-do-work-laudato-si-stewardship-all-all]
Okpodu, Camellia M. 2020. “How Digital Humanities Creates Stronger Disciplines.” June 4, 2020. Higher Education Jobs. [https://www.higheredjobs.com/Articles/articleDisplay.cfm?ID=2267]
Okpodu, Camellia M. 2017. Integrating African-American History into Biology: Mitosis, Epigenetics and 1619 "Foodways" [http://serc.carleton.edu/integrate/workshops/african-education/essay/179774.html].
M. Estrada, M. Burnett, A.G. Campbell, W.F. Denetelaw, C.G. Gutierrez, S. Hurtado, G.H. John, R. McGee, C.M. Okpodu, T.J. Robinson, M.F. Summers, M. Werner-Washburne and M. Zavala. 2016. Improving Underrepresented Minority Student Persistence in STEM. CBE Life Sci Educ vol. 15 no. 3 es5. doi: 10.1187/cbe.16-01-0038.
C.M. Okpodu and A.P. Maclin. 2016. “Student Retention in STEM at HBCU’s” published In: The Evolution of Learning: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (University Press of America).
