Heather Feaga

Heather Feaga is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology at Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). She holds a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Microbiology from Penn State University, with postdoctoral research at Columbia University and teaching experience at CUNY/BMCC. Her research focuses on ribosome quality control mechanisms in bacteria, particularly Bacillus subtilis and pathogenic species like Bacillus anthracis. Key areas include ribosome stalling during developmental processes (sporulation/germination), translation stress responses, and antibiotic target identification.

Her lab employs genetic screens, ribosome profiling, and biochemical approaches to study global translation control during spore development. Recent work highlights factors like YebC2, YfmR, and EF-P in resolving ribosome stalling and enhancing bacterial survival. Publications span topics from ribosome rescue pathways to antibiotic efficacy and bacterial pathogenesis mechanisms.

Feaga’s research bridges fundamental microbiology with applied goals, aiming to identify novel antibiotic targets through understanding ribosome dynamics. Her work has been featured in journals like Molecular Cell, Journal of Bacteriology, and Scientific Reports, with ongoing studies on ribosome-associated quality control pathways and their evolutionary conservation.