Erin Doyle

Erin Doyle serves as an Associate Professor in the Biology Department at Doane University, where she has been a core faculty member in the HHMI Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) program since 2014. Her work centers on integrating authentic research experiences into undergraduate education through bacteriophage discovery and genomic analysis.

Her research focuses on bacteriophage genomics and evolutionary biology, particularly examining phages infecting Gordonia and Mycobacterium species. She specializes in phage isolation, characterization, and genome annotation, with emphasis on host-phage interactions and genomic diversity. Her methodology combines wet-lab microbiology with computational genomics to train students in interdisciplinary research approaches.

Professor Doyle has mentored over 300 undergraduate students across 20+ course sections since 2014, primarily teaching BIO 110 (Phage Discovery) and BIO 220/271 (Genome Annotation). She collaborates extensively with colleagues including Dane Bowder on phage genomics projects and manuscript preparation through the SEA-PHAGES network. Her sustained involvement in the program demonstrates long-term commitment to undergraduate research education.

She leads Doane University's phage research team using Gordonia rubripertincta, Gordonia terrae, and Mycobacterium smegmatis as bacterial hosts. Her laboratory operations span both in situ phage isolation (4-hour weekly labs) and in silico genome annotation (2-3 hour bioinformatics sessions), maintaining continuous research activity through annual course offerings including upcoming Fall 2025 sections.