Joseph Daft

Joseph Daft is an Associate Professor of Biology at Lee University, actively teaching in the HHMI-funded SEA-PHAGES program since Spring 2023. He serves as primary instructor for multiple course sections including BIOS 162L-02 and BIOS 181, utilizing Microbacterium foliorum as a host bacterium for both phage discovery (in situ) and genomics/bioinformatics (in silico) instruction.

His research centers on phage genomics and evolutionary science, integrating undergraduate education with authentic genomic research. Students under his instruction contribute directly to phage genome databases through laboratory isolation and computational annotation, bridging microbiology with bioinformatics in a hands-on learning environment.

Dr. Daft has mentored 53+ students across four academic terms (Spring 2023 to Spring 2025), predominantly freshmen, with collaborations including faculty member Lori West. He participates in program-wide initiatives such as the Phage Genomics Workshop and SEA Symposium, advancing HHMI's science education mission through structured course sections meeting 4 hours weekly.