Faculty and Staff
Christine Marie-Gilligan Schammel
| Title: | Adjunct Associate Professor |
| Pathology | |
| School of Medicine Greenville | |
| E-mail: | christine.schammel@prismahealth.org |
| Phone: | 864-363-6225 |
| Office: | 8 Memorial Medical Court Greenville SC 29605 |
Bio
| Background: | Born in Robbinsdale MN; grew up in Bloomington MN. Played competitive tennis in hightschool and competed in classical piano. Attended and graduated from Hamline University with a degree in Biology, during which I worked at the Dight Institute of Human Genetics at the University of MN working on investigating familial interitence patterns of Huntington's disease and in the Masonic Cancer Center. Following graduation, worked at the University of MN PICU doing clinical research and laboratory research on ECMO. Got married and moved to New Mexico where I received a full-thesis MS regarding neutrophilic homotypic aggregation utilizing two color flow cytometry and participated in beta testing for gating leukocyte populations. Hobbies in included hiking, skiing, moutain biking. During this time my first son was born. Moved back to MN and worked in the Department of Pathology at the University of MN working on breast cancer cell lines. During this time my second son was born. Moved to DC where my husband worked at the AFIP; I attended and graduated from Georgetown University with a PhD in Microbiology/Immunology with a dissertation on KIR receptors and bone marrow transplantation. During this time I taught microbiology/immunology lab to medical students as a teaching assistant. Moved to Greenville SC for husband's work at Pathology Associates. Began teaching at Furman University in 2000 as an adjunct for non-majors biology, cell biology, genetics, immunology (all to include labs). I then also took on pre-health advising (AAMC), the development of a pre-health internship program and a medical mission program. I was a member of the NAAHP and SAAHP. During this time I also extensively volunteered in youth sports (Furman youth soccer, Team Greenville swimming); I was the coordinator to bring a US Swimming age-group zone swim meet (1/4 of the US) to Greenville. I mentored Furman college women through Grace Church in Bible studies and was involved in advising the Gamma Xi Chapter of Delta Delta Delta at Furman. In 2007, I started the summer clinical research program for undergraduates (400 hours per summer; initially termed Furman Oncology Research Team; FORT) with a surgical oncologist at GHS. We developed a curriculum and structure which was published (https://www.cur.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Summer08Schammel.pdf) and became the model for other summer research programs as well as MedEx at GHS/Prisma. The program grew to include students from MUSC and USCSOM-Columbia who participated for clinical credit as well as GHS residents. When USCSOMG started in 2012, our focus shifted to undergraduates and USCSOMG medical students and GHS residents. During this time, I was also a USA Swimming official, on the board of Team Greenville, volunteered with church small groups, and was briefly on the board of the Cancer Survivor's Park. In 2013, I resigned from Furman to focus on the clinical research program and the development of robust multi-disciplinary clinical teams; 400 plus hour summer programs continued as well as the academic year involvement with medical students/residents (20 hours per week). With our children having the privilege of swimming in college from 2012-2018, we enjoyed traveling extensively to their meets, while continuing to lead church groups. In 2020, my mother-in-law (lived with us; 14 years) began to decline requiring more of my care. In 2021, my father fell ill while visiting from out of state and required my care for 5 months as well. During this time, the clinical research program, to include intensive summer programs, continued. I have maintained my AAMC pre-health advisor status to continue advising for highschool students (mostly physician's children), undergraduates and medical students. To date, 600 students have come through our program, some of which have returned to our institution as physicians and other health care team members. |
| Teaching Interest(s): | Human biology, immunology, cell biology, genetics at the undergraduate level. For medical students and undergraduates, I have taught tumor biology, and specific research topics (breast cancer biology, hepatobiliary biology, etc.) in the setting of an immersive research program. In addition, I have taught professionalism, research methods, statistical analysis, appropriate analysis of the literature, manuscript development and time-management. Other topics have included: development of a CV, writing a personal statement, speaking skills, poster development, and AMCAS/ERAS strategies. |
| Research Interest(s): | The clinical research program has a wide focus: oncology (breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, multiple myeloma/leukemias, glioblastoma, etc.), infectious disease (H. pylori, T whipplei), radiology (imaging anomalies, variations in anatomy, procedure evaluations, radiation exposure), clinical best practices, and optimizing patient outcomes. All projects are multidisciplinary to include experts in their respective fields. Recently I have been asked to coordinate a multidisciplinary device development research team and have intentionally included medical school faculty and students. For this project we are also writing pilot grants. |
| Honors & Awards: | Joint Appointment to the Prisma Health Cancer Institute |
| Professional Affiliations: | National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions Southeastern Association of Advisors for the Health Professions |