Sean Beckwith

Dr. Sean Beckwith is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Hope College. He specializes in molecular biology, focusing on transposable elements, epigenetics, and genome dynamics using the model organism Saccharomyces. His research explores how transposons like Ty1 interact with hosts and contribute to understanding retroviruses and neurodegenerative diseases.

Education: Ph.D. in Cell, Molecular & Organismal Biology from Stanford University (2018); Postdoctoral training at the University of Georgia (2018–2024). B.A. in Biology & Biochemistry from Carleton College (2012).

Research interests include virus life cycles (e.g., HIV), protein misfolding diseases (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s), and genome evolution. His lab employs genetic, bioinformatic, and biochemical techniques to study transposons and their implications for human health.

Awards: Three consecutive Teaching Excellence Awards from Stanford University’s Biology Department and Biosciences Program.

Grants: NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award ($133,872) for research on retrotransposon virus-like particle assembly (2020–2022).

He has mentored over a dozen undergraduate researchers and teaches courses on genetics, genomics, and epigenetics. His lab, the Beckwith Research Group, investigates Ty1 retrotransposons to identify therapeutic targets for viral and neurodegenerative diseases.