Jerry Bricker

Jerry Bricker serves as Associate Professor of Biology at Nebraska Wesleyan University and is a dedicated faculty member in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) program. He has taught multiple sections of phage discovery and bioinformatics courses since Fall 2014, guiding undergraduate students through bacteriophage isolation, genomic analysis, and computational biology workflows using hosts like Microbacterium paraoxydans and Mycobacterium smegmatis.

His research focuses on integrating authentic phage genomics research into undergraduate curricula, emphasizing microbial diversity and viral evolution. Professor Bricker's pedagogical approach combines wet-lab techniques with bioinformatics analysis to provide students with comprehensive research experiences that contribute to national phage databases. His work supports the SEA-PHAGES mission of transforming biology education through discovery-based learning.

Professor Bricker has mentored over 100 students across nine course sections between 2014-2023, including BIO 1400 (Introductory Biology Inquiry) and BIO 2100 (Intro Bioinformatics). His teaching involves intensive laboratory work with 2-3 weekly sessions totaling 2-6 hours per course. Supported by HHMI funding through SEA-PHAGES, his program participation extends to upcoming national events including the 2025 Phage Genomics Workshop and 2026 SEA Symposium.

As an active SEA-PHAGES site director, Professor Bricker collaborates with a national network of institutions through the program's infrastructure. His laboratory serves as a regional hub for phage discovery, maintaining standardized protocols for phage isolation and genomic annotation while contributing to the collective understanding of viral biodiversity. He continues to expand student research opportunities through scheduled 2025-2026 program engagements.