J. Alfred Bonilla

J. Alfred Bonilla is a Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, actively engaged in the HHMI Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) program since 2014. He teaches both in situ (phage discovery/microbiology) and in silico (phage genomics/bioinformatics) courses, collaborating primarily with Karen Klyczek across multiple course sections.

His research centers on bacteriophage discovery using bacterial hosts including Arthrobacter, Microbacterium, Rhodococcus, Gordonia, and Kocuria species. This work integrates undergraduate students into hands-on microbiology and genomic analysis, emphasizing evolutionary biology through practical laboratory experiences.

Professor Bonilla has instructed over 30 course sections between 2014-2023, primarily teaching freshmen in BIOL 160 (General Biology) and BIOL 195 (Freshman Research). His pedagogical approach involves 2 weekly meetings (4-6 hours/week) with cohorts of 9-28 students, consistently focusing on phage-host interactions across diverse bacterial strains.