Jean Doty

Jean Doty is a Professor of Biology at the University of Maine, Farmington, actively engaged in the Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) program since at least 2016. She serves as primary instructor for Biology 177 Phage Hunters courses, guiding undergraduate students in hands-on phage discovery and genomic analysis.

Her research focuses on bacteriophage genomics using Gordonia terrae and Mycobacterium hosts (including M. smegmatis and M. avium), with emphasis on integrating evolutionary science into undergraduate education. She employs in situ discovery methods where students isolate and characterize novel phages through structured laboratory workflows.

Professor Doty mentors predominantly freshman cohorts (10-18 students per section), conducting three weekly meetings totaling six hours of combined wet-lab and bioinformatics work. She collaborates with colleagues like Tim Breton and participates in SEA community events including workshops and symposia through 2026.