Dennis Sullivan, M.D.
Director, Center for Bioethics at Cedarville University

Dr. Sullivan serves as Professor of Biology and has been at Cedarville since 1996. He received his B.S. from Youngstown State University (1974) and his M.D. from Case Western Reserve University (1978). More recently, he completed an M.A. in Bioethics from Trinity University (2004). He has been honored as a Diplomate by the American board of Surgery (1985) and as Fellow by the American College of Surgeons (1996). Before coming to Cedarville, Dr. Sullivan served as a medical missionary with Baptist Mid-Missions for three years in Haiti and three years in the Central African Republic. He is a member of several organizations, including the American Medical Association, the Christian Medical Association, and the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity. His research and writing interests include biomedical ethics, cross-cultural medicine, and exercise physiology. Dr. Sullivan is actively involved in his church as a Sunday School teacher. He has also taken groups of students to Chad, Africa and to Central African Republic through Cedarville's Missions Involvement Service. In his spare time, Dr. Sullivan enjoys woodworking and racquetball. He and his wife, Barbara, have three daughters, Julie, Jenny, and Joy, and a dog, Rascal.

John Silvius, Ph.D.
Center Associate for Environmental Ethics

Dr. Silvius serves as Senior Professor of Biology and has been at Cedarville since 1979. He earned a B.A. from Malone College (1969), a Ph.D. in plant physiology from West Virginia University (1974), and completed postdoctoral experiences in the Department of Botany and the Department of Agronomy at the University of Illinois (1974-1976). He also serves as Adjunct Professor and Cedarville Representative at the AuSable Institute of Environmental Studies. Before coming to Cedarville, Dr. Silvius was a plant physiologist for the USDA Agricultural Research Service. He is a member of several professional organizations including the American Institute of Biological Sciences, Botanical Society of America, Creation Research Society, and Nature Conservancy. Dr. Silvius has been honored as Cedarville's Faculty Member of the Year and also as Faculty Scholar of the Year. His research interests include the effects of disturbance on forest communities, and preservation of prairie remnants in SW Ohio. He is an active member of his church where he frequently serves as a deacon, and also serves in the Awana program. He and his wife, Abby, have been married since 1969 and have a son, Brad, a daughter, Melinda, and two grandchildren, Caleb and Kiara.

Susan Salladay, Ph.D.
Center Associate for Clinical Ethics

Susan Salladay is a registered nurse and full professor in the Department of Nursing at Cedarville University, teaching introductory and psychiatric / mental health nursing. She has her Ph.D. in Philosophy from Boston College with specialization in applied and clinical health care ethics.

Before coming to Cedarville University, Dr. Salladay served as a hospital administrator (Vice President, St. Alphonsus Medical center, Boise, ID), Director (Nebraska Center for Bioethics, Bryan LGN Medical Center, Lincoln, NE) and educator (Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA, Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE). Dr. Salladay has worked as a staff nurse and clinical nurse educator in psychiatric/mental health nursing, long term care, and rehabilitation nursing.

Dr. Salladay is the author of two columns on nursing ethics: Ethical Problems, appearing monthly in Nursing 2006, the world's largest nursing journal, and Christian Ethics, appearing quarterly in The Journal of Christian Nursing. Dr. Salladay has authored numerous articles, book chapters, and several books including a children's book, I Want a Puppy (Dr. Salladay enjoys breeding and showing champion Italian Greyhounds under the kennel name Resounding).

Elisha Injeti, Ph.D.
Center Associate

Dr. Injeti earned his B.S. degree in pharmacy and his M.S. degree in pharmacology from Andhra University in Visakhapatnam, India.  After three years teaching pharmacology and physiology at St. John’s Pharmacy College in Bangalore, India, he pursued advanced studies at Loma Linda University in southern California, earning a post baccalaureate certificate in biomedical and clinical ethics as well as a Ph.D. in pharmacology.  During this period, Dr. Injeti also served as a predoctoral fellow at the Center for Perinatal Biology at Loma Linda University School of Medicine.  Upon completing his doctorate, he returned to teaching, accepting a visiting Assistant Professor position at the University of Toledo in Ohio.   Dr. Injeti currently serves as the Director for Research and Development at the Cedarville University School of Pharmacy.

Dr. Injeti’s research interests, of which he has several publications, include vascular pharmacology, drug interactions, and pharmacokinetics. He is actively involved in engaging current bioethical issues from a Christian world view, and also enjoys tennis and biking.    

Jessicah Zehring
Research Assistant

Jessicah Zehring serves as research assistant for the Center for Bioethics.  She is a 2008 Cedarville University graduate with a B.A. degree in Biology.  Her passion is for environmental issues, having studied under Center Associate John Silvius.  Specific interests include the challenges faced by arctic and boreal ecosystems, and Christian environmental ethics.  Her undergraduate research included the effects of disturbance on prairie restoration in SW Ohio, and landowner attitudes towards prairie remnant preservation.  She is a recipient of the Austin Elmore Award in Plant Biology, and presented her research at the 21st Annual North American Prairie Conference in Winona, MN.  Her previous employment experience included positions with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and as a Cedarville University biology laboratory assistant. 

Jessicah and her husband Kevin enjoy many outdoor activities, including hiking, paddling, and skiing.  A snow lover, she trains and races sled dogs, and gives presentations to church and school groups about the sport of mushing.

Stacey Henness
Center for Bioethics Fellow (2007-2008)

Stacey Henness is a 2007 graduate of Cedarville University with a B.S. degree in Biology, with minors in Bible, Chemistry, and Bioethics. An honors graduate, she has received numerous honors and awards, including the Ohio Space Grant, Ohio Student Body Grant, and the Ohio Choice Grant. She has participated in signal transduction research with a Cedarville faculty member, and has received advanced training in human anatomy.

Stacey currently serves as a full-time laboratory instructor in the Cedarville University Science and Math Department. She is also enrolled in the M.A. program in Bioethics at Trinity Graduate School in Chicago. She will be attending Wright State University School of Medicine (Fairborn, Ohio) in the fall of 2008.

Aaron Costerisan
Center for Bioethics Fellow (2006-2007)

Aaron Costerisan graduated from Wheaton College in 2004 with a B.A. in philosophy (integrated with biology). In May of 2006, he completed his second year of medical school at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. For the 2006-2007 academic year, Aaron took a leave of absence to pursue his M.A. in bioethics from Trinity Graduate School (Chicago). He also served as the Center for Bioethics Fellow, helping to teach, write, and represent the Center in academic and ethics forums. He has been published in a peer-reviewed journal, Ethics and Medicine, and continues to enjoy a close relationship with thte Center for Bioethics.

Aaron received his M.A. in Bioethics in May of 2007,and is currently continuing his medical studies at Loyola. He and his wife Andrea (a Cedarville graduate in Nursing) live in Chicago, Illinois.