John Peles, Ph.D.

Dr. John Peles is a Professor of Biology and Coordinator of the Biobehavioral Health Degree program at Penn State Greater Allegheny.  A native of western Pennsylvania, Dr. Peles earned an undergraduate degree in Environmental Health and an MS in Biology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.  He completed his Ph.D. in Zoology at Miami University and was a postdoctoral associate with the University of Georgia at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory.  His research interests include the influence of toxicant exposure on physiological parameters in aquatic organisms, the use of biochemical markers as indicators of contaminant exposure, and the study of uptake and distribution of environmental contaminants in natural systems.  Dr. Peles has published more than 40 papers in peer-reviewed journals.  He also has published numerous book chapters and has co-edited two books.  In 20 years at Penn State, Dr. Peles has taught 22 different courses covering a wide variety of subjects including introductory biology, cell and molecular biology, genetics, physiology, ecology, biostatistics, biochemistry, and behavioral genetics.