News

Cadaver Lab trains future medical professionals through STEAM camps, high school programs

giffeyt — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Cadaver Lab trains future medical professionals through STEAM camps, high school programsgiffeyt August 10, 2026

Students get hands-on access to specimens through ��Ͽ� Polytechnic’s unique on-campus lab

As a high school student from Ellsworth captivated by anatomy and physiology, Shelby Saenger was amazed when she had the opportunity to tour ��Ͽ� Polytechnic’s Cadaver Lab. Now, she’s helping teens experience that same wonder as they investigate medical careers at the Human Anatomy Exploration Camp, which is being held this week at ��Ͽ� Polytechnic.

“I was just fascinated and curious that I was able to see what is in my own body,” recalled Saenger, now a lecturer in the university’s biology department. “It sparked an interest in Stout as well. I thought, ‘Wow, these students get to do this for a whole semester.’”

Lecturer Shelby Saenger

It wasn’t until later, after Saenger received a bachelor’s degree from ��Ͽ� Polytechnic and a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota and then taught at several colleges in the Twin Cities, that she recognized how unusually accessible the Cadaver Lab is.

“Not every bachelor’s degree student has the type of experience that I got at Stout,” she said. “It’s very unique. I’ve taught at many universities where they just have pictures or some plastic models, but they do not get the in-depth experience to be able to see things firsthand.”

During the Human Anatomy Exploration Camp, Aug. 9-13, Saenger will teach high school students about major anatomical systems with the help of specimens from the Cadaver Lab, such as donated human hearts, kidneys and brains. Students will also research diseases and disorders that can impact these systems and then create informational aids – such as models, posters or drawings – to share their knowledge with others.

A ��Ͽ� Polytechnic student, right, talks about human anatomy during a Cadaver Lab Experience for high school students.

The program is one of the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art/Design and Math) Summer Camps that sixth- through 12th-grade school students have attended on campus this summer. More than 450 students have taken part in 37 camps that focus on everything from 3D printing and plastics engineering to freshwater science and video production. These middle and high schoolers learn in facilities such as the Cadaver Lab, which is just one of the nearly 300 laboratory and studio spaces on campus, where labs outnumber traditional classrooms by a 3-to-1 ratio.

Lab guides students toward medical careers

Each year, the Cadaver Lab Experience provides unique educational opportunities for high school students from around the region. High school visitors, who are often taking Advanced Placement Biology and Anatomy courses, explore the Cadaver Lab in the Jarvis Hall Science Wing with guidance from ��Ͽ� Polytechnic students and faculty. The undergraduates teach visiting teens about the human brain and spinal cord, heart and lungs, digestive system, muscles and the body cavities – all with the help of donated cadavers and specimens. This past spring, more than 600 students from 27 high schools took part in these outreach programs, which are supported in part by a grant from Marshfield Clinic.

It was one of these experiences that left a deep impression on Saenger when she was in high school. While she had dissected frogs and fetal pigs, “That does not have the gravity of the experience of being able to see human specimens,” she said. “I really appreciated that when I was a high school student, and even more when I was at Stout.”

Dr. Alexandra Hall, a senior lecturer in the biology department, speaks to students in the Cadaver Lab.

The Cadaver Lab stands apart not only as one of only two of its kind in west-central Wisconsin, but also because of the hands-on access it offers to undergraduate students. At most public universities, such cadaver facilities are primarily used by graduate students, said Dr. Alexandra Hall, a senior lecturer in the biology department who oversees the lab. “We’re the only one that I know of that allows undergraduates to do actual dissections,” Hall said. The lab is used extensively by students in the dissection class, who do a near full dissection of new donor bodies, as well as those in advanced human anatomy.

“A cadaver gives you a visceral experience of how our bodies are constructed that absolutely cannot be replicated by a plastic model, a digital image or certainly a diagram in a book,” said Hall, who previously worked for 20 years as a family physician and has been teaching at ��Ͽ� Polytechnic for the past 14 years.

The Cadaver Lab is an invaluable resource for ��Ͽ� Polytechnic students interested in becoming physicians, occupational or physical therapists, pharmacists, dentists, optometrists or other health professionals. Hall, who is advisor for the university’s pre-health program, said there are about 100 pre-health students at ��Ͽ� Polytechnic. These students are prepared to fill the state’s growing health care workforce gap, which is especially acute in rural areas: Of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, 37 are federal designated as primary care shortage areas while 40 are mental health shortage areas.

In addition to access to the Cadaver Lab, pre-health students benefit from ��Ͽ� Polytechnic’s small class sizes and polytechnic focus, which emphasizes applied learning, business and industry collaborations, and career-focused education.

It was the latter element that helped bring Saenger’s career back to ��Ͽ� Polytechnic. Before graduating in 2017, she shadowed several physicians and determined that medicine wasn’t a good fit for her. Instead, she decided she wanted to continue to learn – and teach – about the human body.

“I loved the faculty I met here,” Saenger said. “Many of those I met when I was touring campus are still here today, and now I get to work with them.”

Cadaver Lab

All Cadaver Lab News

Cadaver Lab trains future medical professionals through STEAM camps, high school programs

Students get hands-on access to specimens through ��Ͽ� Polytechnic’s unique on-campus lab

Cadaver Lab offers students unique perspective on inner workings of the human body

Hands-on approach to learning prepares university students for careers in medicine, science and applied research

Visit to Cadaver Lab gives Colfax HS students impactful experiences

For 27 students from Colfax High School, it was a day in class unlike any other.

Students get hands-on access to specimens through ��Ͽ� Polytechnic’s unique on-campus lab High school students in Cadaver Lab

University Marketing

High School STEAM Summer Camps

Inspiring and engaging STEAM camps for students entering grades 9-12

Cadaver Lab Experience

Expand your high school students' experience with hands-on applied learning about biology and anatomy in ��Ͽ�'s cadaver lab.

Pre-Health Sciences Pathways

Prepare for medical school and other advanced health care degrees in ��Ͽ�’s pre-health sciences pathway programs.

Search Keywords: Cadaver Labbiologyanatomypre-health

Alexandra Hall

Dr. Hall trained and worked as a family physician for over two decades and now works full-time for the Biology department. She has been teaching since 2013 and loves sharing her knowledge of and enthusiasm for the marvels of the human body with her students. As the Pre-Health Advisor, she also supports Stout students pursuing future careers in the health professions.

Full Name: Alexandra Hall, M.D.

Job Title: Senior Lecturer & Pre-Health Advisor

Include in Directory: Yes

College: College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Management

Department: Biology Department

Program

All Degree Programs

B.S. Biology

Curriculum Vitae: Alexandra Hall CV (169.92 KB)

Education:

Degree: Chief Resident Family Practice

University: University of Vermont

Degree: Residency in Family Practice

University: University of Vermont

Degree: M.D.

University: Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Degree: B.S. Science Education

University: New York University

Degree: American Board of Family Medicine

Degree: Licensed Physician, State of Wisconsin

CSTEMM

Exclude from Internal Site Search: No

Include in Directory: Off

Exclude from Internal Site Search: No

Cadaver Lab offers students unique perspective on inner workings of the human body

goersab — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 16:02:00 +0000

Cadaver Lab offers students unique perspective on inner workings of the human bodygoersab April 28, 2023

Hands-on approach to learning prepares university students for careers in medicine, science and applied research

Abbey Goers

Twenty students from Osseo-Fairchild High School became the most recent student group to examine the inner workings of the human body in ��Ͽ�’s Cadaver Lab in the Jarvis Hall Science Wing.

During their 75-minute visit, they investigated the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, central nervous and musculoskeletal systems; and the full human body under the guidance of Dr. Alex Hall and three university students – Sarah Loreth, Ethan Kalin and Natalie Mercill.

The juniors and seniors from Osseo-Fairchild had studied many of the major body systems in their high school anatomy and physiology course, and many are planning to pursue careers in medicine. Their teacher, Tera Simpson, who has been at Osseo-Fairchild for 16 years, led them in dissecting a cow eye, sheep heart, sheep brain and fetal pig, but this was their first examination of human systems.

Students examine features of the human body with Dr. Alex Hall / ��Ͽ�

“I think it was so important to see the cadaver as a whole,” Simpson said. “It is one thing to see a heart isolated from the body but a whole different perspective seeing how all parts work together. It was fun to hear the students pick up on things they learned in class and help identify features and ask questions related to their knowledge.”

Three Osseo-Fairchild seniors – Chase Insteness, Ayya Oliver and Breanna Wier – thought the lab helped them better understand human anatomy, as well as to specifically see and feel the difference between a healthy and a cancerous organ.

With an interest in how muscles and bones move, Insteness intends to major in kinesiology; Oliver plans to pursue a career as an ultrasound technician; and Wier as a physical therapist.

“With all of the high school students having a strong interest in science and medicine, it was a great experience to hear from university students on how vast the careers in medicine can be,” Simpson said. “I know that my passions in anatomy and physiology were fueled by the experience, and I hope that students felt the same way.”

A look inside the human body

Eight university student volunteers, who have completed the Cadaver Dissection course, help Hall run the visits. This semester, they’ve led visits for 281 students and 24 adults, from 15 high schools.

Natalie Mercill, Ethan Kalin and Sarah Loreth volunteer during the Cadaver Lab visits / ��Ͽ�

“The university students are actually showing the high school students their own work in many cases,” Hall said. “They also have developed expertise in how to demonstrate the specimens and teach about them, which is also an important skill.

“It’s unusual to have cadavers at an undergrad institution and even more rare for the undergrads to actually do the dissection themselves. It’s part of our hands-on approach to learning and emphasis on laboratory experience. Stout has really supported the two cadaver-based courses,” she said.

“I’m so proud of these students. They are such a smart, talented, dedicated and fun group to work with,” she added.

Loreth and Kalin are applied science majors with concentrations in biology at ��Ͽ�; and Mercill is majoring in biology with a preprofessional health science minor at UW-Eau Claire.

Pre-Health Sciences Pathways

Prepare for medical school and other advanced health care degrees in ��Ͽ�’s pre-health sciences pathway programs.

��Ͽ�'s preprofessional health pathway in applied science prepares students to enter medical school and other health care fields, including chiropractic, dentistry, medicine, occupational therapy, veterinary medicine and more.

Loreth, of Menomonie, led groups at a full body station, where students observed the skeletal muscle systems, and at the gastrointestinal station. Her main interests are physiology and reproductive health. Loreth will graduate in spring of 2025 and plans to enter a nurse midwifery program.

Sarah Loreth and students investigate the skeletal muscle and gastrointestinal stations. / ��Ͽ�

She loves focusing on the muscles of the forearm. “They allow us to do so much with our hands,” she said. “Think of how much we use our hands. Some muscles are such a small segment of our body, but control so much, like the extensor digiti minimi muscle – its sole purpose is to move the pinky.”

“We know a few things about the people who have donated their bodies to the lab, like their careers, age, health factors and cause of death,” she said. “It’s really fascinating to hypothesize what a person’s life was like based on what we observe in the lab.”

Mercill, of Woodbury, Minn., agreed, stating, “The Cadaver Lab has afforded me a perspective on humanity that few ever get the chance to see. I’m grateful to the selfless individuals who have donated their bodies, allowing students to gain a deeper understanding of the complexities that make each of us unique. Thanks to these incredible gifts, we are able to learn and make advancements in scientific research.”

Natalie Mercill leads students at the cardiovascular station. / ��Ͽ�

Mercill joined ��Ͽ�’s Cadaver Dissection course last semester and led the visiting group at the cardiovascular system station, investigating the heart and lungs. She will graduate from UW-EC in spring 2024 and intends to apply to medical school.

“Raised by a family in the criminal justice field, I’ve developed a fervor for investigation and biological forensics,” Mercill said. “I also enjoy crafting and working with my hands, so these reasons are what compel me to pursue a career as a forensic pathologist or an anatomy professor.

“I feel it is especially important for me to be well versed in the cardiovascular and respiratory systems if I am going into a field involving postmortem examinations,” she said. “Heart diseases and cancers, such as lung cancer, are among the most common causes of death in the United States, so it is important to identify them.

“Each time I give a presentation, I am reminded of the remarkable capabilities of the human body, and I feel a renewed appreciation for it,” Mercill added.

Kalin, of St. Paul, led groups at the central nervous system station. He has a minor in cognitive neuroscience. He will graduate spring of 2024 and plans to pursue a job in molecular cell biology or neuroscience research, then would like to attend graduate school for a doctorate of neuroscience.

“The central nervous system is an amazing system of the human body, and its complexity makes it super fun to work with. It’s our pipeline to interacting with and experiencing the world,” he said.

Ethan Kalin and student investigate the central nervous system / ��Ͽ�

Kalin and students investigated the cerebrum, cerebellum and brainstem, and they talked about the functions of the right versus the left side of the brain. They observed gray and white matter and discussed the thalamus and hippocampus and their roles in memory storage, emotions and learning. They looked at examples of an embolism, a shunt implant and signs of neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s or dementia.

“If I had a chance to visit the Cadaver Lab in my high school anatomy class, I would have jumped at it. This is an amazing experience that I totally wish I had when I was considering human biology as a career option,” Kalin said.

With three times as many labs and studios as classrooms on campus, ��Ͽ�'s polytechnic advantage offers students hands-on applied learning and collaboration in career-focused courses.

Labs & Studios

Where theoretical instruction meets interactive learning environments.

A unique experience comes full circle

Hall worked as a family physician for 20 years and has lectured in ��Ͽ�’s biology department for more than a decade. Professor Ann Parsons, who started the cadaver courses at the university, began offering Cadaver Lab visits about a decade ago.

“Students at Stout really benefit from the Cadaver Lab courses, as there’s truly nothing like actually searching for and finding the different anatomical structures in situ. It’s an intensive and immersive experience,” Hall said.

Loreth, Kalin and Mercill agreed, stating that the lab gives them a unique perspective into the intricacies of the human body and an advantage in their undergraduate studies because most students don’t enter a cadaver course until medical school.

Michael Maenner, a 2018 applied science graduate with a minor in human physiology, participated in Hall’s dissection class while in the program. He returned to ��Ͽ� for his science teaching degree, graduated in 2022 and now teaches at Elk Mound High School.

Maenner recently returned to the lab, bringing 16 students from his anatomy and physiology class for a tour.

“I wanted my class to see the real thing. We look at pictures and use models in our own classroom, but they aren't truly accurate,” he said. “Everything often looks so ‘perfect,’ and the human body really isn’t. Pictures make muscles and organs look perfectly separated but the body is so tightly compacted on the inside it can be hard to differentiate things. Just being able to compare them was very eye-opening to my students.”

Maenner feels like he has come full circle as an educator returning to the lab with his students. He uses many of the techniques he learned from Hall to teach his students about various body systems.

“I just hope I am able to pass on the same enthusiasm for science and learning that Dr. Hall instilled in me. I had a great time as a student at Stout and Dr. Hall's classes played a large role in that,” he said.

Applied Science

All Applied Science News

High aspirations: Recent grads leverage Prehealth courses to pursue medical careers

In 2010 when the $43 million, gleaming Jarvis Hall Science Wing addition was dedicated, Gov. Jim Doyle and others called it the finest in the state.

PHOTO ESSAY: A New Histology Lab

Discover biological and biomedical student research on the microscopic level

More than 100 outstanding students recognized at annual Leadership Awards ceremony

Wood Medallion recipients Charest, Timm share experiences in service on and off campus

Hands-on approach to learning prepares university students for careers in medicine, science and applied research Sarah Loreth with students in the Cadaver Lab

University Marketing

B.S. Applied Science

Our B.S. Applied Science program takes a polytechnic approach to applied science and technology that prepares you for a wide range of industry opportunities.

Learn More

Cadaver Lab Experience

Expand your high school students' experience with hands-on applied learning about biology and anatomy in ��Ͽ�'s cadaver lab.

Hero Caption: Students with interests in the medical field from Osseo-Fairchild High School visited ��Ͽ�'s Cadaver Lab

Alexandra Hall

Full Name: Alexandra Hall, M.D.

Job Title: Senior Lecturer & Pre-Health Advisor

Include in Directory: Yes

College: College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Management

Department: Biology Department

Program

All Degree Programs

B.S. Biology

Curriculum Vitae: Alexandra Hall CV (169.92 KB)

Education:

Degree: Chief Resident Family Practice

University: University of Vermont

Degree: Residency in Family Practice

University: University of Vermont

Degree: M.D.

University: Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Degree: B.S. Science Education

University: New York University

Degree: American Board of Family Medicine

Degree: Licensed Physician, State of Wisconsin

CSTEMM

Exclude from Internal Site Search: No

Include in Directory: Off

Exclude from Internal Site Search: No

Visit to Cadaver Lab gives Colfax HS students impactful experiences

polingj — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 17:51:50 +0000

Visit to Cadaver Lab gives Colfax HS students impactful experiencespolingj January 8, 2019

Biology class members studied human anatomy, blood cells in Jarvis Hall

For 27 students from Colfax High School, it was a day in class unlike any other.

Recently, the Advanced Biology class at Colfax High School took a field trip to nearby University of Wisconsin-Stout. At Colfax they are studying human anatomy and physiology; this was an opportunity to go beyond the books and study the real thing.

In the Jarvis Hall Science Wing Cadaver Lab — one of only two in west-central Wisconsin — the students in Mark Mosey’s class donned lab coats, gloves and goggles as they split into groups and examined male and female cadavers, the preserved, partially dissected bodies exposed except for the faces covered by white sheets.

Instructors pointed out the inner workings of the bodies, such as the circulatory, respiratory and reproductive systems. Layers of skin, muscles, veins and organs were visible. A heart and other organs were passed from student to student for closer inspection.

Mostly sophomores and juniors, they pressed in close to the cadavers on gurneys and asked respectful questions, curious and seemingly unfazed by their first experience in such an environment.

“It was a lot more unique than I expected,” said Devon Higgins. “I was definitely surprised at how taken apart the bodies are. It’s a field I’m definitely interested in and an opportunity most people don’t get.”

Before coming to ��Ͽ�, students had dissected deer hearts. They brought them in from the deer some of them or their relatives had shot during the fall hunting season.

Mosey was excited to have his students experience the big picture of human anatomy.

“It reinforced what we learned in school. To see an actual human is a nice tie-in to what we’re doing in the classroom,” said Mosey, in his 29th year of teaching science. “It’s a chance for students to use university-level equipment and be on a college campus.”

The truly hands-on experience is something student Morgan Jensen won’t forget. “They showed us the reproductive system. I’m looking at it and thinking, ‘That is inside of me. That’s how I work and what it’s actually like on the inside,’” Jensen said. “It makes you appreciate and want to take care of your body.”

She thought of the cadavers — students wondered and were told how they had died — as more than objects in a lab. “It’s brave of those people to donate their bodies to science because they’re helping people learn,” she said.

Students had two other experiences as part of their day. In a lab across the hall, they examined animal blood donated by local veterinarians. They took turns putting droplets of blood on microscope slides, smearing the droplets, staining the cells and observing red and white blood cells through microscopes.

“It was almost like being a doctor. You were responsible for everything. It was really hands-on, and they trusted you to do it,” Jensen said.

��Ͽ� Professor Ann Parsons, Lecturer Tiffany Hoage, Lab Manager Josiah Ray and student Neal Wrobel worked with the students.

“They really asked a lot of questions,” said Wrobel, of Rockford, Ill., a senior applied science major who had just finished a fall semester cadaver class. “I wish I had something like this when I was in high school.”

Students also learned from Hoage about ��Ͽ�’s Zebrafish Lab. Hoage served as a role model. She is a 2002 Colfax High School graduate and took biology from Mosey. She went on to earn an applied science degree from ��Ͽ� and a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from Mayo Clinic Graduate School.

In a colorful PowerPoint presentation “Creating Zebrafish Models of Human Disease via Genetic Engineering,” Hoage explained how zebrafish have 80 percent of the same disease genes as humans, including those that cause Alzheimer’s, cancer and diabetes. Because of that, their similar organs, fast development time and the genetic tools available they make perfect research subjects, she said.

She discussed various techniques used to study the fish, such as injecting a fluorescent protein gene to make their hearts glow red.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., has three zebrafish research facilities, and Hoage will be bringing zebrafish models of human disease from Mayo Clinic to ��Ͽ�. “They will provide great research projects for our students pursuing health care careers, especially those in our applied biochemistry and molecular biology major and our upcoming biology concentration in the applied science major,” Hoage said.

###

Photos

Students from Colfax examine one of the two cadavers at ��Ͽ�.

Mykiah Young looks for red and white blood cells through a microscope at ��Ͽ�, as Colfax High School science teacher Mark Mosey looks on.

From left, Colfax students Teagan Field, Hailey Klukus and Kali Risler prepare to put animal blood on microscope slides at ��Ͽ�.

Tiffany Hoage, ��Ͽ� science lecturer.

Biology

All Biology News

Creek restoration, data center viewpoints, sustainability researched by LAKES REU students

Nine undergraduates from around U.S. invite conversations on challenges, opportunities at community presentation Aug. 6

Red Cedar Basin Monitoring Group trains next generation of water scientists

Faculty, students work across universities in Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin’s longest-running programs

Inspiring Graduate: Mia Schmoll, B.S. Biology

Furthering her education by pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy

For 27 students from Colfax High School, it was a day in class unlike any other. Cadaver Lab 2

University Communications

Hero Caption: Colfax High School students handle a human organ during a visit to the Cadaver Lab at ��Ͽ�. / ��Ͽ� photo by Jerry Poling

Alexandra Hall

Full Name: Alexandra Hall, M.D.

Job Title: Senior Lecturer & Pre-Health Advisor

Include in Directory: Yes

College: College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Management

Department: Biology Department

Program

All Degree Programs

B.S. Biology

Curriculum Vitae: Alexandra Hall CV (169.92 KB)

Education:

Degree: Chief Resident Family Practice

University: University of Vermont

Degree: Residency in Family Practice

University: University of Vermont

Degree: M.D.

University: Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Degree: B.S. Science Education

University: New York University

Degree: American Board of Family Medicine

Degree: Licensed Physician, State of Wisconsin

CSTEMM

Exclude from Internal Site Search: No

Include in Directory: Off

Exclude from Internal Site Search: No

Cadaver lab helps authors with book research

schusterg — Wed, 17 Jan 2018 23:21:04 +0000

Cadaver lab helps authors with book researchschusterg January 17, 2018

Local criminal lawyer Charles Huff knew he needed to learn more about the human body and potential fatal wounds as he researches a book he is co-authoring.

Charles Huff, at left, and Charles Conley visit ��Ͽ�'s cadaver lab for research on a book they are writing. / ��Ͽ�

Local criminal lawyer Charles Huff knew he needed to learn more about the human body and potential fatal wounds as he researches a book he is co-authoring.

Huff and Charles Conley, a writer from Minneapolis who also teaches writing at the University of St. Thomas and the Loft Literary Center, recently visited the cadaver lab in University of Wisconsin-Stout's Jarvis Hall Science Wing to get a quick course in anatomy from Dr. Alex Hall, an adjunct faculty member in the biology department and staff physician. Hall illustrated what types of injuries to the human body are likely to be lethal.

Huff and Conley are researching a book they plan to write on the Ripper Crew, a group of four men who abducted, mutilated and killed as many as 18 victims in the Chicago area in the early 1980s. One of the men, Thomas Kokoraleis, is slated to be released from prison as soon as he finds a place to live that complies with Illinois’ rules for convicted sex offenders.

Huff and Conley are also researching ties between the Ripper Crew and serial killer John Wayne Gacy Jr. Gacy sexually assaulted, tortured and murdered at least 33 teenage boys and young men between 1972 and 1978 in Cook County, Ill. The leader of the Ripper Crew, Robin Gecht, who is imprisoned with a tentative parole date of 2042, once worked for Gacy, Huff said.

“It is just incredible the odds that one serial killer employed another serial killer,” said Huff, who is a partner in the Menomonie law firm Mayer and Huff and has 19 years of legal experience.

Huff said it was “nauseating” what the Ripper Crew and Gacy did to their victims, but he and Conley needed to better understand the anatomy of the human body and the wounds inflicted on their victims in order to write the book.

“Alex was super,” Huff said. “She gave us a lot of insight into the human body we would not have known without talking to a professional. Alex was able to demonstrate, using a cadaver as a visual aid, what the murderers were doing.”

Huff, a Chicago native, said he has been in a few labs with cadavers.

“Alex knows her stuff really well and was able to give us a crash course from skin down to the liver and all the organs,” Huff said.

Conley said he was a little apprehensive about going to the lab.

“I wasn’t sure how I’d react to a dissected cadaver in the flesh,” Conley said. “Alex is such a pro. She had me focusing all my attention on the function of the different organs and the structure of the human body before my imagination could run away with me.”

Hall said this was her first demonstration to writers for a book. Usually she works with anatomy and physiology students from local high schools or other colleges or health professionals.

She talked with Huff and Conley about the basic organizational structure of the body.

“We are a tube within a tube within a tube,” Hall said, “the inner tube being your inner organs, which is then surrounded by a tube of muscle and bone, finally surrounded by a tube of skin. These three layers are only lightly attached to each other for most of the body. We reviewed what types of injuries are likely to be lethal, and why, given the physical arrangement of life-critical systems such as the windpipe, major blood vessels, heart and brain.”

Because ��Ͽ� is a public university, it has a mission to serve all state citizens, not just enrolled students, Hall said.

“We are so fortunate to have a cadaver facility here, as that’s a resource not available even on most college campuses,” Hall said. “So, it’s incumbent upon us to share this incredible resource with the community as much as we can, as it’s such a gift to have it. It is so powerful to be able to see actual, real human anatomy. It’s something that no plastic model or color-coded diagram can match. The body donors have given us such an incredible gift, so we try to share that in as many meaningful and appropriate ways as we can.”

Conley and Huff plan to write the book later this year.

Huff said he became interested in the Ripper Crew after he learned an acquaintance’s family member was one of the killers’ victims.

They also found only one book had ever been written about the Ripper Crew. Huff felt more of the story should be told.

“What an injustice this was that these people went through these things and it was not in the press a lot,” Huff said. “Now one of them is going to get out.”

Local criminal lawyer Charles Huff knew he needed to learn more about the human body and potential fatal wounds as he researches a book he is co-authoring. cadaverlab1_writers.jpg

University Marketing

Include in Directory: Off

Exclude from Internal Site Search: No