Jacob Kagey

Jacob Kagey serves as an Associate Professor at the University of Detroit Mercy, actively participating in the HHMI-funded SEA-PHAGES (Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science) program. He specializes in integrating undergraduate research with bioinformatics education through structured course-based experiences.

His research centers on phage genomics and evolutionary analysis, utilizing bacterial hosts like Mycobacterium smegmatis and Microbacterium foliorum. This work bridges bioinformatics with experimental microbiology, emphasizing computational approaches to viral evolution and host-pathogen interactions. His methodology focuses on in silico genomic analysis to advance understanding of bacteriophage diversity.

Professor Kagey has directed multiple iterations of BIO1040 (Fundamentals of Bioinformatics) since 2016, consistently teaching 17-20 students per Winter term. Notably, his 2018 section operated under the ReBUILDetroit initiative as the designated first-year research course for scholars. Each section involves 3-4 weekly hours of hands-on genomic analysis, with >85% enrollment from freshman cohorts.

He is embedded in the national SEA-PHAGES network, contributing to standardized phage genomics protocols and participating in annual symposia. His institutional role supports Detroit-focused STEM pipeline development through programs like ReBUILDetroit, which targets underrepresented students in biomedical research careers.