Don Breakwell

Don Breakwell is a Professor at Brigham Young University actively leading the Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) program since at least 2017. He serves as primary instructor for MMBIO 194 (Phage Discovery) and MMBIO 195 (Phage Comparative Genomics) courses, teaching both in situ laboratory techniques and in silico genomic analysis to undergraduate students across all academic levels.

His research centers on bacteriophage biology and microbial genomics, with extensive work isolating phages using Mycobacterium smegmatis and Microbacterium foliorum hosts. Breakwell emphasizes hands-on discovery-based learning, guiding students through full research cycles from phage isolation to genome annotation and comparative analysis. His pedagogical approach integrates authentic research experiences into undergraduate curricula, contributing to the national SEA-PHAGES initiative's mission.

Over seven academic years (2017-2024), Breakwell has instructed 14 course sections with 288 total students (average 20.6 per section), including 24 students in Fall 2023 (3 freshmen, 7 sophomores, 9 juniors, 5 seniors) and dual sections with 48 students in Fall 2024. He frequently collaborates with faculty like Brett Pickett and Julianne Grose, demonstrating sustained commitment to undergraduate research mentorship.

No scientific awards were mentioned in the available documentation.

Breakwell is an active participant in the national SEA-PHAGES community, with upcoming involvement in the 2025 Phage Genomics Workshop and 2026 SEA Symposium. His work supports the program's infrastructure for phage discovery, genomic analysis, and collaborative research across institutions, utilizing resources like PhageDB and the Genome Exchange platform.