Sandra Daise Adams earned a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Georgia.  She taught for three years in public schools in Georgia while earning a Master of Education in Secondary Biology Education from Georgia State University. She then earned a Ph.D. in Science Education from the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Adams served on the Education faculty at Birmingham Southern College and State University of West Georgia for several years before enrolling at Georgia State University to complete a second Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics. Her doctoral research focused on RNA-RNA recombination in rubella virus.

Dr. Adams has served on the faculty at Montclair State University for 22 years and holds the rank of professor in the Department of Biology.  Dr. Adams maintained a research laboratory in which various natural products were analyzed for their antiviral properties against Herpes simplex virus 1 and 2, Sindbis virus, and Enterovirus 69. The natural products tested include extracts of polyphenols from green tea, black tea, Embelin, curcumin, and other curcuminoid compounds. Dr. Adams mentored numerous undergraduate and graduate students in research. Her teaching responsibilities included introductory biology courses, Virology, Immunology, and biology pedagogy courses.