معرفی
Forest Rohwer is a Professor of Biology at San Diego State University (SDSU) in the Department of Biology, College of Sciences. A pioneering marine and viral ecologist, Dr. Rohwer has significantly advanced the field of metagenomics, particularly in coral reef and human microbiome research. His work focuses on understanding the roles of microbes and viruses in ecosystem health and disease.
- Education: PhD from the UCSD-SDSU Joint Doctoral Program in Molecular Biology (1997); BS from College of Idaho.
Dr. Rohwer's research spans marine microbial ecology and human respiratory microbiology, with an emphasis on coral reef health, phage biology, and cystic fibrosis. He investigates how anthropogenic stressors trigger microbial shifts leading to coral disease and how viral communities influence the human lung microbiome. His lab employs cutting-edge '-omics' technologies, including metagenomics and transcriptomics, to study ecosystem dynamics at molecular and spatial levels.
His recent publications highlight trends in coral reef microbial synchrony, phage-bacteria interactions in mucus, and personalized phage therapy for antibiotic-resistant infections. He has also contributed to spatial mapping of coral holobionts and the impact of dietary compounds on gut prophage induction.
- Awarded the International Society of Microbial Ecology Young Investigators Award.
- Elected Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology and AAAS.
- Recognized in The World's Most Influential Scientific Minds by Thomson Reuters.
- Recipient of multiple honors from SDSU, including Outstanding Faculty and Teacher Scholar awards.
Dr. Rohwer leads an active research lab that mentors undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers. He has secured significant research funding and is involved in outreach initiatives like the Phage Outreach Program for high school students. His lab is central to projects such as Coral Reef Arks and the Viral Information Institute, promoting citizen science and public engagement in virology.
He is the author of influential books including Life in Our Phage World and Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas, which synthesize complex microbial ecology concepts for broad audiences.
