Dr. Leslie Kerr completed her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of British Columbia in 2000. Following a postdoctoral fellowship at Georgetown University, Washington D.C., she came to Trent University in 2001, where she was cross appointed with both Psychology and Biology, and today is an associate professor in Biology.
Dr. Kerr’s key research examines how neonatal stressors influence breast cancer risk, and has been showcased within the community and internationally. In collaboration with Dr. Dennis Murray, Dr. Kerr is also investigating the neurological and physiological pathways involved in altering morphological and behavioral responses of tadpoles to predation stress.
Since her time at Trent, Dr. Kerr helped to develop Psychology’s graduate program, sat on the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology program steering committee, and was lead developer of the Biomedical Sciences degree, which launched September 2016.
At the city/regional level, Dr. Kerr has represented Trent in several committees including the Community Advisory Group for the Greater Peterborough Health Care Alliance, the Peterborough Breast Screening Advisory Subcommittee, and the Greater Peterborough Area Climate Change Action Plan Task Force.
Dr. Kerr’s two-year term on the Board of Governors began on July 1, 2016.