Jodi Enos-Berlage

Jodi Enos-Berlage is a Professor of Biology at Luther College, where she has taught since 2000. She specializes in Microbiology, Immunology, and Principles of Biology, emphasizing active learning strategies. As the Biology Department’s internship coordinator, she oversees over 40 annual internships in healthcare, research, and environmental fields. Her research focuses on water quality monitoring in the Dry Run Creek Watershed and bacterial responses to environmental signals, particularly in Vibrio parahaemolyticus. She holds a Ph.D. in Bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a B.S. in Microbiology from the University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign.

Research Interests:

• Water Quality and Land Use
• Bacterial Sensing Mechanisms (e.g., metal regulation in Vibrio parahaemolyticus)
• Interdisciplinary Science Communication (e.g., the Body of Water Project)

Collaborations:

• Visual and Performing Arts Department for interdisciplinary projects
• Local water stakeholders and agencies

Advising & Grants: Supervised over 50 undergraduate researchers, resulting in 40+ publications/presentations. Active in Iowa Water Conference leadership.

Labs/Teams: Directs undergraduate research in environmental microbiology and bacterial genetics, with ongoing projects on watershed health and marine bacteria.