Microbiology and Microbial Ecology
The Microbiology and Microbial Ecology faculty in the Department of Biology is a diverse group of scientists investigating microbial biology at gene to ecosystem scales. We are a highly interactive and collaborative group that uses a wide range of approaches—including genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic sequencing; bioinformatics; microscopy; biochemical analyses; field, laboratory, and culture-based experiments—to better understand the functioning of microbes in diverse environments. Our faculty leverage both model and non-model microbial, animal, plant, and soil systems to address research questions in the following areas:
- Response and feedback of microbes to global change
- Ecology and evolution of plant-microbe interactions
- Role of soil microbes in terrestrial biogeochemistry
- Eco-evolutionary dynamics in microbial communities
- Microbial community assembly and functional diversity
- Host immune responses to microbial pathogens
- Microbial self-organizing behavior and population dynamics
Members of our group interact and collaborate with researchers from neighboring campuses in Syracuse (SUNY ESF, Upstate) that have a shared interest in microbes through regular meetings of the SU Microbial Biology Network (MBN) and the Global Change Ecology Network (GCEN)
Biology faculty members affiliated with Microbiology and Microbial Ecology
![Yasir Ahmed_9357.jpg](/media/images/Yasir_Ahmed_9357.ef1a8c0b.fill-300x300.jpg)
Yasir Ahmed-Braimah
Assistant Professor
Email: yahmed@syr.edu
Phone: 315.443.1564
![David Althoff 2.jpeg](/media/images/David_Althoff_2.e6eccc3c.fill-300x300.jpg)
David M. Althoff
Associate Professor and Associate Chair
Email: dmalthof@syr.edu
Phone: 315.443.1096
![Katie M. Becklin](/media/images/becklin.2e16d0ba.fill-300x300.jpg)
Katie M. Becklin
Assistant Professor
Email: kmbeckli@syr.edu
Phone: 315.443.2155
![Steve Dorus](/media/images/dorus.2e16d0ba.fill-300x300.jpg)
Steve Dorus
Professor
Email: sdorus@syr.edu
Phone: 315.443.7091
![Christopher-Fernandez](/media/images/Christopher-Fernandez.2e16d0ba.fill-300x300.jpg)
Christopher W. Fernandez
Assistant Professor
Email: cferna10@syr.edu
Phone: 315.443.3098
![Douglas A. Frank](/media/images/frank.2e16d0ba.fill-300x300.jpg)
Douglas A. Frank
Professor Emeritus
Email: dafrank@syr.edu
![Jamie Lamit](/media/images/Photo_on_9-14-20_at_5.03_PM_DVyFlX.f653a189.fill-300x300.jpg)
Louis James (Jamie) Lamit
Assistant Professor
Email: ljlamit@syr.edu
Phone: 315.443.3760
![sarah_lucas_cropped](/media/images/sarah_lucas.2e16d0ba.fill-300x300.png)
Sarah Kathleen Lucas
Assistant Professor
Email: sklucas@syr.edu
Phone: 315.443.1465
![angela_oliverio.jpg](/media/images/angela_oliverio.2e16d0ba.fill-300x300.jpg)
Angela M. Oliverio
Assistant Professor
Email: amoliver@syr.edu
![ramesh-raina-portrait-original.jpg](/media/images/ramesh-raina-portrait-original.9a931455.fill-300x300.jpg)
Ramesh Raina
Professor
Email: raraina@syr.edu
Phone: 315.443.4546
![Placeholder-500x.jpg](/media/images/Placeholder-500x.2e16d0ba.fill-300x300_ior7V73.jpg)
Roy D. Welch
Professor
Email: rowelch@syr.edu
Phone: 315.443.7197