David Lennartz, PhD | Ostrow Library incorporating The Los Angeles Jewish Community Library | American Jewish University
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David Lennartz, PhD

David Lennartz

David Lennartz

Chair, Department of Bioethics and Natural Sciences, Senior Lecturer

dlennartz@ajula.edu

Phone: (310) 476-9777

Ext: 581

Education

University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS,  Ph.D. Cell and Protozoan Physiology, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, 1981
University of California, Los Angeles, B.A. Biology (Molecular and Cellular concentration), 1977
Post-Doctoral Research: UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute: Ultrastructural Studies on Effects of Antioxidants on Neonatal Retinas in High Oxygen Environments. USC School of Pharmacy. Development of Liposomes as Drug Delivery. USC School of Medicine: Evaluation of Effects of Dibromochloropropane on the Mammalian Reproductive System.

Biography

David Lennartz, Ph.D. is Senior Lecturer in Bioethics and Natural Sciences and Chair of the Department.
Dr. Lennartz has special interests and experience in Cellular & Developmental Biology, Protozoan Physiological Ecology & Microbiology and Human Health (Public Health, Communicable Diseases and Ergonomics).
He spent several years in the private sector as a Health Research Analyst for a medical planning consultant firm. During this time, Dr. Lennartz developed specialized database tools for cataloging and retrieving healthcare information. He also served as a Public Health education specialist for various private and government clients and was thus an active member of many strategic planning project teams.

Prior to joining AJU’s faculty, Dr. Lennartz taught on the faculties of Mt. St. Mary’s College, Glendale Community College, Cleveland Chiropractic College (Preclinical Sciences) and California Lutheran University.  He also served on state level science curriculum reform committees, seeking to further the cause of developing and maintaining excellence in secondary science education.
 

Publications

 A Preliminary Report of Protozoan Diversity in the Joshua Tree National Park Desert Biome. In preparation (based on a recent presentation at the International Society of Protistologists Annual Meeting, Bryant College, Rhode Island, summer, 2004-7 plus additional subsequent studies).
The effectiveness of d-alpha tocopheryl succinate as a protectant against cellular damage caused by ultraviolet irradiation of the light-sensitive ciliate, Blepharisma americanum. (Submitted to Acta Protozoologica)

The comparative effectiveness of BHT and tocopheryl succinate as inducers of macrostomal transformation by Blepharisma americanum (Submitted to Acta Protozoologica)

Cultivation of Sarcostemma from Pakistan. Cact. Succ. J. 63(2):55-571991. [with R. Pokras]

A Sarcostemma from Siam. Brit. Cact. Succ. J. 8(2):40-42 1990. [with R. Pokras]

Where the wild Sarcostemma grows. Brit. Cact. Succ. J. 8(4):99-102 1990 [with R. Pokras]

Induction of macrostomal development by treatment of Tetrahymena vorax with d-alpha tocopheryl succinate. Acta Protozool. 25(2):147-152. 1986
Standards for the Biological Sciences in Model Curriculum Standards, Grades 9-12. California Department of Education, Sacramento, CA 1985.
The development of an automated information retrieval system for a specialized healthcare research library. Computers in Healthcare 5(10):42-50 1984.

Studies on antioxidant induced cannibalism and giantism of the ciliated protozoan Blepharisma americanum (Suzuki, 1954). Doct. Diss. University of Kansas, Diss. Abstr. 1981:Int B 42:2657-2658.
A need exists for a single term that includes and characterizes the terms “cilium” and “flagellum”. Biosystems 13:321 1980 [with E. Bovee]
Induction of macrostome formation in Blepharisma americanum by alpha tocopheryl succinate. Trans. Amer. Micros. Soc. 99(3):310-317 1980 [with E. Bovee]

Additional Professional Accomplishments


Dr. Lennartz post-doctoral research includes:   
• UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute: Ultrastructural studies on effects of antioxidants on neonatal retinas in high oxygen environments.
• USC School of Pharmacy: Development of liposomes as drug delivery.
• USC School of Medicine: Evaluation of effects of dibromochloropropane on the mammalian reproductive system.
Dr. Lennartz has cultivated and maintains a variety of research interests including protozoan biodiversity (and is currently conducting research on the soil protozoa of California desert biomes), morphogenesis of ciliates (in particular the induction of a form of gigantism among certain ciliates that serves as an adaptation to deteriorating environments), pharmacognosy, the biology of regeneration in a variety of animals and, most recently, the problem of declining amphibian populations along with associated developmental abnormalities in frogs. Dr. Lennartz has published papers in several of these areas and been an invited speaker at a recent symposium on protozoan diversity for the International Society of Protistologists.
He is currently active in developing novel approaches to instruction in bioethics, most notably an interfaith, cross-cultural approach to the exploration of bioethical issues. He serves as Chair of the Institutional Review Committee for Human Subjects Research and has previously founded and chaired such a committee.