Jeremy Lee

Jeremy Lee serves as a Teaching Professor in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, actively contributing to the HHMI Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) program. He instructs laboratory courses integrating bacteriophage discovery into undergraduate curriculum, utilizing frameworks like the Biol121L course for hands-on genomic research.

His research focuses on microbiology and bacteriophage genomics, emphasizing evolutionary biology and molecular mechanisms. Through SEA-PHAGES, he guides students in phage isolation from environmental samples, genomic sequencing, and bioinformatics analysis using Mycobacterium smegmatis hosts, fostering authentic research experiences in microbial evolution and genetic diversity.

Professor Lee has directed SEA-PHAGES sections including a Fall 2016 Biol121L course with 16 senior students conducting 8 hours weekly of phage discovery work. His educational initiatives are supported by HHMI grants through the SEA consortium, which provides standardized protocols, genome annotation tools, and national collaboration networks for phage genomics.

He collaborates within UC Santa Cruz's SEA-PHAGES team and participates in national workshops like the Phage Discovery and Genomics Workshops, contributing to curriculum development and student research symposia through the program's infrastructure including PhagesDB and Genome Exchange resources.