Jennifer Brofft Bailey

Jennifer Brofft Bailey is a Professor in the Department of Biology within the College of Science and Mathematics at Georgia Southern University. She maintains her office at SC 1021 on the Armstrong campus and can be contacted at (912) 344-2859 or jbailey@georgiasouthern.edu.

Dr. Bailey earned her PhD in Microbiology from the University of Georgia. Her academic journey has led her to teach courses including:

• Principles of Biology I
• Biology of Microorganisms
• Applied Microbiology
• Environmental Microbiology and Microbial Symbiosis (Special Topics)

Dr. Bailey's research focuses on characterizing microbial communities through integrated approaches combining traditional culturing methods, microscopy, and molecular techniques. Her work centers on microbial symbiosis with three primary research directions:

• Identification of microbes (both beneficial and potential pathogens) associated with loggerhead sea turtles
• Characterization of endohyphal bacteria in sea turtle-associated Fusarium species
• Examination of bacterial communities associated with Yaupon holly roots

Her research bridges environmental microbiology with microbial ecology, contributing significantly to understanding symbiotic relationships in natural ecosystems across Georgia Southern University's multi-campus system serving Statesboro, Armstrong, and Liberty locations.