Tim Miyashiro

Tim Miyashiro is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Penn State University's Eberly College of Science. He leads a research laboratory focused on the symbiotic relationship between the Hawaiian bobtail squid (Euprymna scolopes) and the bioluminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri. He is affiliated with the BMMB Graduate Program, the Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences Program, and serves on committees including the Graduate Program Steering Committee and the Microbiome Center Executive Committee. His research is supported by centers such as the Microbiome Center and the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics.

Education:

• B.S. in Physics, University of Delaware
• Ph.D. in Physics, University of Pennsylvania (Mark Goulian lab)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Wisconsin-Madison (Edward G. Ruby lab)

Dr. Miyashiro's research explores how bacteria adapt to host environments through mechanisms like quorum sensing, biofilm formation, and gene regulation. His lab employs microbiology, genetics, biochemistry, and confocal microscopy to study bacterial colonization, strain competition, and nutrient utilization within the squid light organ. His work contributes to understanding fundamental principles of host-microbe symbiosis with broader implications for microbiome sciences and infectious disease.

His recent publications, spanning from 2023 to 2025, reveal a consistent focus on quorum sensing, interbacterial competition via the type VI secretion system, metabolic adaptations during symbiosis, and host reproductive biology. These studies employ genetic and molecular tools to dissect regulatory networks and ecological interactions in a natural symbiosis model.

Scientific Awards:

• 2024 WH Pierce Prize for Global Impact in Microbiology
• 2023 Eberly College of Science C.I. Noll Excellence in Teaching Award
• 2021 Eberly College of Science Distinguished Mentoring Award
• 2019 Daniel P. Tershak Memorial Teaching Award
• NIH Pathways to Independence Award (K99/R00), 2011–2016
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Gilliam Faculty Mentor, 2017–2020
• American Heart Association Pre-doctoral Fellowship, 2005–2007

Dr. Miyashiro is a dedicated educator and mentor, teaching Introductory Microbiology, Introductory Microbiology Lab, and a Community of Practice in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology course on host-microbe interactions. He has mentored numerous undergraduate and graduate students, including Beckman Scholars, HHMI Gilliam Fellows, and SURF awardees. His lab fosters a collaborative environment with regular reunions, research presentations, and outreach activities. He has secured significant funding from NIH and HHMI to support graduate training and research on bacterial heterogeneity and quorum sensing during infection.

He leads the Miyashiro Lab, which maintains a mariculture room for squid husbandry and conducts fieldwork in Hawaii for specimen collection. The lab is part of the vibrant microbiology and symbiosis research community at Penn State, participating in conferences, symposia, and inter-institutional collaborations such as the Squid-Vibrio Pow-Wow.