Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Director of Co-Curricular Experiences
Belmont University
Dr. Allyson Spence serves as an Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Director of Co-Curricular Experiences at the Belmont University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. She received her Ph.D. in Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Neuroscience from Louisiana State University Health Science Center in Shreveport and her Master of Science degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Louisiana Tech University. Upon earning her Ph.D., Dr. Spence obtained a postdoctoral fellowship where she performed research involving new potential vaccines for the treatment of methamphetamine addiction.
Dr. Spence has experience teaching pharmacy, medical, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, undergraduate, and graduate students in courses such as pharmacology, neuroscience, advanced physiology, and pathophysiology. Prior to joining the Belmont faculty, Dr. Spence was a faculty member at the Regis University School of Pharmacy, where she was a three-time recipient of the Regis University School of Pharmacy Award for Teaching Excellence and a recipient of the Regis University Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions Emerging Scholar Award. She was also presented the Excellence in Teaching award during her time at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. Dr. Spence is committed to providing a holistic, inclusive, active-learning approach which facilitates higher-order learning through relevant and engaging educational experiences.
Dr. Spence’s current research focuses on identifying evidence-based practices that provide an inclusive learning experience for students of diverse backgrounds. Dr. Spence’s prior research focused on identifying the underlying mechanisms involved in anxiety-related disorders, particularly substance use disorders, in hopes of finding a better treatment option for these individuals.