Ian Farnkopf, PhD

Ian Farnkopf is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Pre-Clinical Sciences at the Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine (KSUCPM).  A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Dr. Farnkopf attended the University of California, Los Angeles.  In completing his undergraduate education there, he was given his first opportunity to teach anatomy and he discovered his passion for the anatomical sciences, both in teaching and research.  While at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED, formerly NEOUCOM), he taught cadaver dissection (whole-body) to MD and masters in anatomy students.  Also, at NEOMED, he completed his dissertation research on the olfactory anatomy and respiratory tracts of whales, dolphins, and ungulates.  His work comes from multiple perspectives: gross anatomy (morphology), histology, embryology, and evolutionary biology.  Techniques include (micro-)computed tomography scanning and reconstruction, histological staining, immunohistochemistry, the use of museum collections, and phylogenetic comparative methods.

At KSUCPM, Dr. Farnkopf is the course coordinator and sole instructor for Embryology.  Additionally, he assists in teaching and lecturing other subjects in the anatomical sciences at the College.  He teaches Human Anatomy and Lower Extremity Anatomy.  He also teaches in the Edward J. Fiffick, DPM & Family Anatomy Laboratory for these courses (dissection of the whole human body).  Dr. Farnkopf strongly believes that effective teaching must be done with clarity, context, and kindness.

Dr. Farnkopf is interested in olfactory research, comparative anatomy, and other anatomical fields with implications for animal conservation, human health, or human biology.  Specific interests, all within the realms of morphology and/or histology, include olfactory epithelium, the cribriform plate, diseases associated with the loss of the sense of smell, geometric morphometrics, fluctuating asymmetry, and animals that are thought to have a poor sense of smell.  He is also interested in medical education research, specifically anatomical education research.  He is interested in investigating ways to increase student performance, perhaps using newly created teaching materials, active learning methods, 3-D printing, or curricular changes.