Dr. David Menton

• PhD, Cell Biology (“The effects of essential fatty acid deficiency on epidermal water barrier”), Brown University, Providence, RI, 1966
• BS, Biology and Chemistry, Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN, 1959

• Silver Award for Basic Research from the American Academy of Dermatology
• Given 'Distinguished Service Teaching Award' from Washington University School of Medicine in 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
• Named 'Teacher of the Year' at Washington University School of Medicine in 1979
• Elected 'Professor of the Year' in 1998 by the Washington University School of Medicine Class of 2000
• Profiled in 'American Men and Women of Science - A Biographical Directory of Today's Leaders in Physical, Biological and Related Sciences' for almost two decades

Dr. Menton was born in Mankato, Minnesota in 1938 and was baptized at a local conservative Lutheran church. Like many people who were baptized and raised by Christian parents, he has no recollection of the precise moment he became a Christian, nor does he recall a time when he was an unbeliever. As Paul said of Timothy, “from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15).

By the grace of God and through the power of the Holy Spirit, Dr. Menton grew in the knowledge of God’s Word during his youth. He was especially blessed by two years of intensive confirmation instruction where he was given a firm foundation in the Scriptures and Christian doctrine. “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). He came to treasure the gospel-filled hymns of his church, its abundant offering of the means of grace through the Word and Sacraments, and its beautiful and meaningful liturgy.

• Associate professor emeritus of anatomy, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 2000
• Associate professor of anatomy, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, 1966–2000
• Biomedical research technician, Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, 1960–62
• Guest lecturer in gross anatomy
• Former coursemaster of microscopic anatomy, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
• Consulting editor in histology for Stedman’s Medical Dictionary, a standard medical reference work
• Vice-president of congregation, Faith Lutheran Church, Ballwin, MO
• Church elder
• Sunday school teacher for high school students
• President of the Missouri Association for Creation, St. Louis, MO
• Technical Advisor for the Institute for Creation Research in San Diego, CA
• Lectured throughout the United States and Canada on the creation-evolution controversy

• Member of the American Association of Anatomists
• Member of Sigma Xi

Dr. David Menton was born in Mankato, Minnesota, and grew up as an only child in a Christian family. He was blessed to share God’s Word as a Sunday school teacher, church elder, and president of the congregation.

Since early grades Dr. Menton had a strong interest in science of all kinds. While in grade school, he converted a small room in the basement into a well-equipped chemistry laboratory. Many of the birthday and Christmas gifts he received during childhood were of a scientific nature, including a chemistry set, mineralogy collection, microscope, telescope, and binoculars.

This lifelong interest in science led to his study of biology and chemistry at Minnesota State University in Mankato, where he graduated with a BS degree in 1959. After a six month tour of active duty in the Army Reserves, Dr. Menton worked two years as a research laboratory technician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota. He left Mayo to do graduate work at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he received a PhD in biology in 1966. His thesis research dealt with the effects of essential fatty acid deficiency on the structure and epidermal barrier function of skin.

Following graduation from Brown, Dr. Menton accepted a position in the department of anatomy at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. At Washington University, he did research and taught human gross anatomy and histology. He received awards both for his research and teaching, including twice being awarded Professor of the Year by the senior class.

During his tenure at Washington University, Dr. Menton served as the histology consultant for five editions of Stedman’s Medical Dictionary and was a guest lecturer in histology at Stanford University Medical School. He spent two summers studying an unusual wound healing mechanism in sea cucumbers (a marine invertebrate) at Woods Hole Marine Biology Laboratory on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. Dr. Menton retired in the year 2000 as an Associate Professor Emeritus after 34 years on the faculty.

Shortly after retirement, Dr. Menton joined Answers in Genesis as a speaker and researcher. He now travels and speaks for AiG throughout much of the U.S. as well as overseas, including recent events in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad, Peru, and Turkey. He has also contributed numerous articles to Answers magazine and book chapters to The New Answers Book 2.

Dr. Menton is also very involved with the Creation Museum, where he works on new exhibits and gives workshops four days a week. He also conducts special workshops by arrangement for school and church groups of all ages. In the workshops he employs photographs, anatomical models, and a special video microscope to cover a wide variety of topics on life science.

Dr. Menton’s Current Workshops

• Microscarium—The amazing diversity of microscopic aquatic life in our museum pond is examined with the aid of a phase contrast microscope and video projector.
• God’s Girders—Our Amazing Skeleton—You’ll be amazed by this introduction to the structure and function of the bones of our body, ranging from the whole skeleton to the microscopic structure and development of bone.
• The Hearing Ear and the Seeing Eye—The astounding mechanism of hearing and seeing is explained with the aid of bigger-than-life models, photographs, and examination of real human ears and eyes under the microscope.
• Body of Evidence—Using a life-size plastic replica of a human torso with removable organs, selected organs are removed and described with the aid of the microscope and slides of real organs and tissues.
• Three Ways to Make an Apeman—Life-size replicas of ape, human, and so-called “apeman” (hominid) skulls are examined to show that it is easy to see that “apemen” are really either apes or men.
• Evolution: Not a Chance—“Magical” illusions are used to test our willingness to believe that improbable things happen by chance and to demonstrate the improbability of the chance formation of proteins and life.
• Beauty Is Skin Deep—The skin is truly our “miracle wrap” protecting us from our environment, maintaining body temperature, and keeping us in touch.

Dr. Menton has written numerous articles in technical and scientific journals dealing with bone, wound healing, and the epidermal barrier function and biomechanics of skin.

Research Projects

• The effects of essential fatty acid deficiency on the structure and epidermal barrier function of skin
• Histology
• Wound healing mechanisms
• Gross anatomy
• Microscopic biology