Rachel Poretsky

Rachel Poretsky is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Her research focuses on microbial ecology, bacterial diversity, and community structure in natural and engineered environments, with a particular emphasis on aquatic systems. She explores functional diversity through metagenomics and metatranscriptomics to understand microbial responses to environmental changes. Dr. Poretsky's lab investigates how bacterial communities influence biogeochemical cycles and public health through wastewater surveillance and aquaculture studies.

Education: PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Georgia, and a prior degree from Brandeis University. She is actively involved in mentoring graduate and undergraduate students through UIC's Biological Sciences program, offering opportunities in microbial ecology, bioinformatics, and molecular ecology. Her work bridges fundamental research with applied challenges in ecosystem and public health.

Research Highlights: Key projects include studying microbial communities in marine, freshwater, and hospital wastewater systems, with publications on antimicrobial resistance genes, viral surveillance, and larval fish microbiomes. Her lab engages in collaborative efforts to develop tools for environmental health monitoring and sustainable aquaculture practices.

• Labs/Teams: Dr. Poretsky's Lab (freshwaterlab.org) focuses on freshwater systems and water stewardship.
• Grants & Funding: Her research is supported by grants addressing environmental microbiology and public health surveillance.