Rebecca Fisher
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Phone: 480-727-9772
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427 East Tyler Street School of Life Sciences LSE Room 609 Tempe, AZ 85287-4501
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Mail code: 4501Campus: Tempe
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Rebecca Fisher is a professor in the School of Life Sciences and the director of anatomy for the School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering. She received a BA with honors and distinction from Stanford University, MPhil and PhD degrees from Yale University, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Trained as an anatomist and paleontologist, Professor Fisher analyzes the functional anatomy of vertebrates and cephalopods and collaborates with engineers to design bio-inspired robots. She also studies the use of artificial intelligence, extended reality, and other emerging technologies in medical education. Prior to joining ASU, she was a founding faculty member, director of the Gross Anatomy Laboratory, and interim chair of the Department of Basic Medical Sciences at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, where she designed the anatomy curriculum and the gross anatomy laboratory. She is the recipient of 10 teaching awards, including the Basmajian Award from the American Association for Anatomy (AAA), and was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honors Society in recognition of her leadership in fostering empathy in the anatomy lab and humanism in the practice of medicine. In 2021, she was named a fellow of the American Association for Anatomy, the first Latina to receive this honor, and in 2023 she was the recipient of the AAA's inaugural Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award. Professor Fisher currently serves on the Executive Board for the Gender Equity in Academic Medicine and Science (GEMS) Alliance and she is a member of the National Commission for Lymphatic Diseases (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute).
- Postdoctoral fellowship, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution.
- PhD. Yale University
- MPhil. Yale University
- BA. with honors and distinction, Stanford University
Dr. Fisher analyzes the functional anatomy of vertebrates and cephalopods and collaborates with engineers to design bio-inspired robots. She also studies the use of artificial intelligence, extended reality, and other emerging technologies in medical education.
Organismal Biology
Kingston AK, Garofalo EM, Cardoza K, Fisher RE. Designing formative assessments to improve anatomy exam performance. Anatomical Sciences Education, 2023 April; https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.2279.
Fisher RE. Red panda anatomy. Red Panda: Biology and Conservation of the First Panda, edited by A Glatston, 2nd edition, Elsevier Inc. Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 2021, pp. 81-93.
Lo C, Zhao Y, Ma Y, Khodambashi R, Peet M, Fisher RE, Marvi H, Berman S, Aukes D, He X. Bioinspired sensors and actuators based on stimuli-responsive hydrogels for underwater soft robotics. Bioinspired Sensing, Actuation, and Control in Underwater Soft Robotic Systems, edited by DA Paley and NM Wereley, Springer, New York, NY, 2021, pp. 99-115.
Shivakumar S, He X, Aukes D, Marvi H, Fisher RE, Berman S, Peet MM. Decentralized estimation and control of a soft-robotic arm. Bioinspired Sensing, Actuation, and Control in Underwater Soft Robotic Systems, edited by DA Paley and NM Wereley, Springer, New York, NY, 2021, pp. 229-246.
Bagheri H, Berman S, Peet MM, Aukes D, He X, Pratt SC, Fisher RE, Marvi H. Control and functionality of octopus arms and suckers. Bioinspired Sensing, Actuation, and Control in Underwater Soft Robotic Systems, edited by DA Paley and NM Wereley, Springer, New York, NY, 2021, pp. 189-212.
Lo C-Y, Zhao Y, Kim C, Alsaid Y, Khodambashi R, Peet M, Fisher RE, Marvi H, Berman S, Aukes D, He X; Highly stretchable self-sensing actuator based on conductive photothermally-responsive hydrogel; Materials Today; 2021; 50:35-43; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mattod.2021.05.008.
Khodambashi R, Alsaid Y, Rico R, Marvi H, Peet MM, Fisher RE, Berman S, He X, Aukes DM. Heterogeneous hydrogel structures with spatiotemporal reconfigurability using addressable and tunable voxels; Advanced Materials; 2021 January; https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202005906.
Xu C, Palade J, Fisher RE, Smith CI, Clark AR, Sampson S, Bourgeois R, Rawls A, Elsey RM, Wilson-Rawls J, Kusumi K; Anatomical and histological analyses reveal that tail repair is coupled with regrowth in wild-caught, juvenile American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis); Scientific Reports; 2020; 10, 20122; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-77052-8.
Lafmejani AS, Doroudchi A, Farivarnejad H, He X, Aukes D, Peet M, Marvi H, Fisher RE, Berman S. Kinematic modeling and trajectory tracking control of an octopus-inspired continuum robot. IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters; 2020; 5(2): 3460-3467; 10.1109/LRA.2020.2976328.
Bagheri H, Hu A, Cummings S, Roy C, Casleton R, Wan A, Erjavic N, Berman S, Peet MM, Aukes DM, He X, Pratt SC, Fisher RE, Marvi H; New insights into the control and function of octopus suckers. Advanced Intelligent Systems; 2020; https://doi.org/10.1002/aisy.201900154.
Doroudchi A, Shivakumar S, Fisher RE, Marvi H, Aukes D, He X, Berman S, Peet MM; Decentralized control of distributed actuation in a segmented soft robot arm; Proceedings of the IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, 2019; Vol. 2018: 7002-7009.
Rawls A, Fisher RE. Developmental and functional anatomy of the spine. The Genetics and Development of Scoliosis, edited by K Kusumi and SL Dunwoodie, 2nd edition, Springer, New York, NY, 2018, pp. 1-29.
Tollis M, Hutchins ED, Stapley J, Rupp SM, Eckalbar WL, Maayan I, Lasku E, Infante CR, Dennis SR, Robertson JA, May CM, Crusoe MR, Bermingham E, DeNardo DF, Hsieh ST, Kulathinal RJ, McMillan WO, Menke DB, Pratt SC, Rawls JA, Sanjur O, Wilson-Rawls J, Wilson Sayres MA, Fisher RE, Kusumi K; Comparative genomics reveals accelerated evolution in conserved pathways during the diversification of anole lizards. Genome Biology Evolution; 2018 February; 10(2):489-506.
Tokuyama MA, Xu C, Fisher RE, Rawls JW, Kusumi K, Newbern J; Developmental and adult-specific processes contribute to de novo neuromuscular regeneration in the lizard tail. Developmental Biology; 2018 January; 433(2):287-296.
Ercoli MD, Alvarez A, Busker F, Morales MM, Julik E, Smith HF, Adrian B, Barton M, Bhagavatula K, Poole M, Shahsavan M, Wechsler R, Fisher RE; Myology of the head, neck and thoracic region of the lesser grison (Galictis cuja) in comparison with the red panda (Ailurus fulgens) and other carnivorans: phylogenetic and functional implications. Journal of Mammalian Evolution; 2017; 24(3): 289-322.
Liu M, Zack SP, Lucas L, Allen D, Fisher RE. Hind limb myology of the ringtail (Bassariscus astutus) and the myology of hind foot reversal. Journal of Mammalogy; 2016; 97(1): 211-233.
Hutchins ED, Markov GJ , Eckalbar WL, George RM, King JM, Geiger LA, Tokuyama MA, Emmert N, Ammar MJ, Allen AN, Siniard AL, Corneveaux JJ, Fisher RE, Wade J, DeNardo DF, Alan Rawls JA, Huentelman MJ, Wilson-Rawls J, Kusumi K; Transcriptome analysis of lizard tail regeneration in the lizard Anolis carolinensis reveals activation of conserved vertebrate developmental and repair mechanisms. PLOS ONE; 2014; 9(8): e105004. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0105004.
Diogo R, Pastor F, De Paz F, Potau JM, Bello-Hellegouarch G, Ferrero EM, Fisher RE; The head and neck muscles of the serval and tiger: homologies, evolution, and proposal of a mammalian and a veterinary muscle ontology; The Anatomical Record; 2012; 295(12): 2157–2178.
Julik E, Zack SP, Adrian B, Maredia S, Parsa A, Poole M, Starbuck A, Fisher RE; Functional anatomy of the forelimb muscles of the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis); Journal of Mammalian Evolution; 2012; 19(4):277-304.
Fisher RE, Geiger L, Stroik LK, Hutchins ED, George RM, DeNardo DF, Kusumi K, Rawls JA, Wilson-Rawls J; A histological comparison of the original and regenerated tail in the green anole, Anolis carolinensis; The Anatomical Record; 2012; 295(10):1609-1619.
Ritzman TB, Stroik LK, Julik E, Hutchins ED, Lasku E, DeNardo DF, Wilson-Rawls J, Rawls JA, Kusumi K, Fisher RE; The gross anatomy of the original and regenerated tail in the green anole (Anolis carolinensis); The Anatomical Record; 2012; 295(10):1596-1608.
Kusumi K, Fisher RE; Studying mechanisms of regeneration in amphibian and reptilian vertebrate models; The Anatomical Record; 2012; 295(10):1529–1531.
Eckalbar WL, Fisher RE, Rawls A, Kusumi K; Scoliosis and segmentation defects of the vertebrae; Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews; 2012; 1:401-423; doi: 10.1002/wdev.34.
Fisher RE, Smith HF, Kusumi K, Tassone E, Rawls A, Wilson-Rawls J; Mutations in the Notch pathway alter the patterning of multifidus; The Anatomical Record; 2012; 295(1):32-39.
Fisher RE; Red panda anatomy; pp 89-100; In Red Panda: Biology and Conservation of the First Panda; Elsevier Inc. Academic Press; San Diego, CA; 2011; Glatston A, ed., 1st edition.
Fisher RE, Smith HF, Goldstein B; Spinal anatomy and biomechanics; pp 31-43; In Spinal Cord Medicine; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Philadelphia, PA; 2011; Kirshblum S, Campagnolo D, eds.; 2nd edition.
Boisserie J-R, Fisher RE, Lihoreau F, Weston E; Evolving between land and water: key questions on the emergence and history of the Hippopotamidae (Hippopotamoidea, Cetancodonta, Cetartiodactyla); Biological Reviews; 2011; 86(3):601-625.
Fisher RE, Scott K, Adrian B; Hindlimb myology of the common hippopotamus, Hippopotamus amphibius (Artiodactyla: Hippopotamidae); Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society; 2010; 158(3):661-82.
Boisserie J-R, Lihoreau F, Orliac M, Fisher RE, Weston EM, Ducrocq S; Morphology and phylogenetic relationships of the earliest known hippopotamids (Cetartiodactyla, Hippopotamidae, Kenyapotaminae); Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society; 2010; 158(2):325-66.
Rawls A, Fisher RE; Development and functional anatomy of the spine; pp 21-46; In The Genetics and Development of Scoliosis; Springer; New York, NY; 2010; Kusumi K, Dunwoodie SL, eds.; 1st edition.
Fisher RE, Adrian B, Barton M, Holmgren J, Tang SY; The phylogeny of the red panda (Ailurus fulgens): evidence from the forelimb; Journal of Anatomy; 2009; 215(6):611-35.
Smith HF, Fisher RE, Everett ML, Thomas AD, Bollinger RR, Parker W; Comparative anatomy and phylogenetic distribution of the mammalian cecal appendix; Journal of Evolutionary Biology; 2009; 22(10):1984-99.
Fisher RE, Adrian B, Elrod C, Hicks M; The phylogeny of the red panda (Ailurus fulgens): evidence from the hindlimb; Journal of Anatomy; 2008; 213(5):607-28.
Fisher RE, Scott K, Naples VL; Fore limb myology of the pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis); The Anatomical Record; 2007; 290(6):673-93; Special Issue: Anatomical Adaptations of Aquatic Mammals.
Fisher RE; The primate appendix: a reassessment; The Anatomical Record Part B: The New Anatomist; 2000; 261(6):228-36.
Courses
2025 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
BIO 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2024 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
2024 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
BIO 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2023 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
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BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
2023 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
BIO 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2022 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
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BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
2022 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
BIO 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2021 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
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BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
2021 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
BIO 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2020 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
2020 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
BIO 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2019 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
2023 Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award, American Association for Anatomy
2022 Stuart D. Flynn Master Educator Award from the Class of 2022, UA COM-P
2021 Fellow of the American Association for Anatomy
2021 Best Research Publication Award from the Louisiana Association of Professional Biologists for “Anatomical and histological analyses reveal that tail repair is coupled with regrowth in wild-caught, juvenile American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis)” published in Scientific Reports; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-77052-8.
2018 Induction into the Gold Humanism Honor Society, UA COM-P
2018 Award for Educator of the Year from the Class of 2021, UA COM-P
2017 Award for Excellence in Teaching by a Block or Course from the Class of 2019, UA COM-P (Clinical Anatomy Block)
2014 Award for Educator of the Year from the Class of 2017, UA COM-P
2011 Award for Excellence in Teaching by a Block or Course from the Class of 2013, UA COM-P (Clinical Anatomy Block)
2009 Award for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching by a Block or Course from the Class of 2011, UA COM-P (Clinical Anatomy Block)
2008 Basmajian Award for Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship, American Association of Anatomists
2006 Student Choice Award for Best Lecture Notes, AZCOM, Midwestern University
2005 Student Choice Award for Best New Professor, AZCOM, Midwestern University
2002 Award for Exemplary Efforts in the Education and Training of Physician Associates, Physician Associate Program, Yale School of Medicine
American Association for Anatomy; Association for Women in Science; Gender Equity in Academic Medicine and Science (GEMS) Alliance