Jeffrey Blanchard

Jeffrey Blanchard is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His research focuses on microbiomes, ecology, evolution, genomics, and bioinformatics, particularly examining forest microbial communities under climate change.

• Education: A.S. in Electrical Engineering (Vermont Technical College, 1983), B.S. in Biology (Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 1987), Ph.D. in Botany (University of Georgia, 1995)

Blanchard’s lab investigates soil microbiome dynamics in the Pioneer Valley, North Quabbin Woods, and Harvard Forest, with applications in biofuels and biotechnology. His work integrates molecular and computational approaches to microbial ecology.

His recent research trends include genome-resolved metagenomics, soil virosphere analysis, and microbial community responses to environmental stressors. Key publications address soil carbon dynamics, viral biodiversity, and functional dark matter in microbial genomes.

Funding for his research comes from the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, and New England BioLabs. He collaborates with institutions like the Harvard Forest and National Center for Genome Resources.

The lab employs complementary metagenomic techniques and quantitative analyses to study microbial interactions in forest soils, emphasizing ecological and applied implications.